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Ambronay Abbey
Ambronay Abbey (French: Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ambronay; Abbey of Our Lady, Ambronay) is a Benedictine abbey, founded in the 11th century by Barnard de Romans, which stands in the commune of Ambronay in the Ain department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. HistoryA church was founded on the site by hermits in the 7th century, but this was destroyed by Saracens. A monastery was built here in around 803 by Saint Bernard of Vienne, the first abbot. Most of the abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1793[1] but the church, although converted into stables, survived and is once again a place of worship. DescriptionThe surviving structures comprise a cloister and some buildings surrounding it, and the former abbey church, now the parish church of Ambronay. It is principally a Gothic building of the mid-13th century, with 15th-century additions, although the façade of one of the naves dates from the 9th century. The church is regarded as a sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.[2] Its excellent acoustics have led to its hosting the Ambronay Festival, an international festival of Baroque music.[3] References
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