Saint-Pierremont Abbey
Christian·France·Former monastery (ruins and surviving 18th-century structures)·11th century
Saint-Pierremont Abbey was an Augustinian monastery founded in 1090 in the Duchy of Bar, now part of France. It played a role during the Counter-Reformation and was reformed by Saint Pierre Fourier, later becoming part of the Congregation of Our Savior. The abbey suffered destruction during the 17th century but was partially restored, surviving until the French Revolution.
Key Facts
Baroque, Rococo
- 18th-Century Dovecote
- Fragments of Older Buildings Incorporated Into Later Structures
Abbaye De Saint-Pierremont, Abtei Petersberg
Lubricus, Reginald I, Count of Bar, Folmar of Karden, St. Pierre Fourier, Jean Marius
- Founded In 1090.
- Reginald I, Count of Bar Became Vogt In 1102.
- Refuge For Archbishop Folmar of Karden In 1186.
- Reformed By St. Pierre Fourier.
- Pillaged and Razed In 1636.
- Became Part of France In 1648.
- Lost Formal Independence In 1733.
- Community Survived Until the French Revolution.
About Saint-Pierremont Abbey
Saint-Pierremont Abbey was a significant Augustinian monastery located in the commune of Avril, within the modern-day Meurthe-et-Moselle department of France. Historically situated in the Duchy of Bar, it was part of the Upper Lorraine region of the Holy Roman Empire. The abbey was founded in 1090 by Lubricus, a canon from St. Stephen's Cathedral in Metz, and was dedicated to Saint Peter, hence its name "St. Peter's mountain" (Saint-Pierremont).
History and Significance
The abbey played a role in regional ecclesiastical and political affairs for centuries. Reginald I, Count of Bar, became its Vogt in 1102, signifying its importance to the local nobility. In 1186, it briefly provided refuge for the exiled Archbishop of Trier, Folmar of Karden. During the Counter-Reformation, the community underwent a reform under the guidance of Saint Pierre Fourier, who integrated it into the Congregation of Our Savior.
The abbey faced considerable hardship in the 17th century. Following the invasion and annexation of the Duchy of Lorraine by Cardinal Richelieu in 1632, the canons refused to swear loyalty to King Louis XIII of France. This defiance led to the abbey being pillaged and razed in 1636. Despite this destruction, it was partially restored in the late 17th and 18th centuries.
Saint-Pierremont Abbey became part of France with the settlement of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, as it was situated in the Three Bishoprics. Although the congregation formally lost its independence in 1733, becoming directly subordinate to the cathedral chapter of Metz, the monastic community persisted until the French Revolution. Today, little remains of the medieval structures, though some eighteenth-century buildings, including a Baroque dovecote from 1747 with Rococo embellishments, are preserved and recognized as notable architectural monuments.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Saint-Pierremont Abbey founded?
Saint-Pierremont Abbey was founded in 1090. The founding was carried out by Lubricus, who was a Canon at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Metz.
What religious order was Saint-Pierremont Abbey a part of?
Saint-Pierremont Abbey was an abbey of Canons Regular of St. Augustine. It was later incorporated into the Congregation of Our Savior.
What happened to Saint-Pierremont Abbey during the 17th century?
During the 17th century, following the annexation of the Duchy of Lorraine, the abbey was pillaged and razed in 1636. However, it was partially restored later in that century and the following one.
When did Saint-Pierremont Abbey cease to exist?
The community of Saint-Pierremont Abbey survived until the French Revolution. Its formal independence had already been lost in 1733 when it was made subordinate to the cathedral chapter of Metz.
What remains of the medieval Saint-Pierremont Abbey?
Little is left of the medieval abbey buildings. Some structures from the eighteenth century survive, including fragments from older periods. Notably, the dovecote from 1747, built in Baroque style and later remodeled with Rococo elements, is registered as a notable architectural monument.
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