Abbaye aux Dames, Caen
Aerial view of the Abbaye aux Dames, with Trinity Church at the southwest corner. Image © Google Earth.
Panorama of the Abbaye aux Dames. Photo
Tango7174.
View of the abbey and church towers from afar. Photo
doolittle1989.
Exterior of the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen. Photo
Pascal Radigue.
West facade of the Romanesque abbey church. Photo
Parapluie.
Nave of La Trinité Church, looking west. Photo
Allie Caulfield.
Nave looking east, c.1875. Public domain; Cornell University Library.
Floor plan of the abbey (click to enlarge). Image
Karldupart.
The Abbaye-aux-Dames (Ladies' Abbey) in Caen was founded by Queen Mathilda, the wife of William the Conqueror, in 1062.
History
William the Conqueror and his wife Matilda founded two abbeys in Caen, one for men and one for women, in expiation of their uncanonical marriage (they were cousins). Matilda's abbey, the Abbey-aux-Dames, was founded in 1062 and dedicated in 1066, the year her husband conquered England. The queen was buried in the choir in 1083.
The original spires of the abbey church were destroyed in the Hundred Years' War and replaced with the present short towers in the early 18th century. The abbey buildings, which were rebuilt in the 18th century, functioned for a time as a hospital. They were beautifully restored in the 1980s by the Regional Council, who now use them as offices.
What to See
The abbey's Eglise de la Trinité (Trinity Church) is a fine example of 11th-century Romanesque architecture. The long nave is plain, with tall round arches typical of Norman Romanesque churches. The choir, the vault and the upper levels of the nave date from the early 12th century. Queen Matilda is buried under a slab of black marble in the choir.
As the headquarters of the Regional Council, the 18th-century abbey buildings are mostly closed to the public. However, the arcaded courtyard and ground-floor reception rooms can be viewed during free guided tours.
Quick Facts
| Site Information | |
| Names: | Abbaye aux Dames |
| Location: | Caen, Normandy, France |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Catholic |
| Order: | Benedictine |
| Dedication: | Holy Trinity |
| Categories: | Abbeys & Monasteries; Churches |
| Architecture: | Romanesque |
| Date: | 1062-c.1115 |
| Patron(s): | Queen Mathilda |
| Features: | Famous Grave |
| Status: | privately owned |
| Visitor Information | |
| Address: | Pl. de la Reine-Mathilde, Caen, France |
| Coordinates: | 49.186349° N, 0.353006° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Phone: | 02-31-06-98-98 |
| Official tours: | Daily 1-hour tours of choir, transept, and crypt (in French) at 2:30pm and 4pm |
Travel Resources
- Caen Map - our detailed interactive map of Caen, plus hand-picked links to more
- Caen Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
- Caen Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Abbaye aux Dames. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Caen Map.
Article Sources
- Kenneth John Conant, Carolingian and Romanesque Architecture 800-1200 (Pelican History of Art) (Yale University Press, 1993), 447-48.
- Abbaye aux Dames - Fodor's France
- Abbaye aux Dames - Frommer's France
- Abbaye aux Dames - Rough Guide France
Last updated on February 11, 2010.
