Abbaye-aux-Dames and La Trinité, Caen
Abbaye aux Dames in Caen. Photo by Sergio José Martínez Primiani.
View of the abbey from the gardens to the east. Photo by Nicolas.
View of abbey and church towers from above. Photo by Nicolas.
The Abbaye-aux-Dames (Ladies' Abbey) in Caen was founded by Queen Mathilda, wife of William the Conqueror, in 1063.
Once a hospital, the abbey was rebuilt in the 18th century and beautifully restored in the 1980s by the Regional Council, which then promptly requisitioned it for office space. However, the abbey's elegant arcaded courtyard and ground-floor reception rooms can be admired during a free guided tour.
The abbey church is the Eglise de la Trinité (Trinity Church), a fine example of 11th-century Romanesque architecture. Its original spires were destroyed in the Hundred Years' War and replaced by timid balustrades in the early 18th century.
Inside, La Trinité features ribbed vaulting and intricate carvings on columns and arches in the chapel. Queen Matilda, who died in 1083, lies buried in the church's 12th-century choir under a slab of black marble.
Quick Facts
| Address: | Pl. de la Reine-Mathilde, Caen, France |
| Phone: | 02-31-06-98-98 |
| Hours: | Daily 9am-6pm |
| Tours: | Daily, one-hour tours of choir, transept, and crypt (in French) at 2:30 and 4 |
| Cost: | Free |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the 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 or get our free Google Earth download.
