Bonmont Abbey

Abbaye de Bonmont (Bonmont Abbey) is a 12th-century Cistercian abbey in Canton Vaud, Switzerland. A simple building amidst beautiful scenery, the Abbey of Bonmont is today used primarily for concerts of Gregorian chant.

Founded in 1098 by Robert de Molesne, the Abbey of Bonmont is one of the oldest Cistercian abbeys. Based on the teachings of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) from the start, it was officially linked with the Cistercian order in 1131.

In 1536, the newly Protestant government of Bern secularized the abbey and demolished most of the buildings. The church was transformed into a granary, a bakery and other secular functions.

The site was privatized in 1802 and the remaining structures were designated a historic monument in 1942. The property was later given to the Canton of Vaud, which conducted restorations of the abbey beginning in 1982.

The restored abbey church was opened June 23, 1995. Since then, it has been run by the Foundation of the Abbey of Bonmont and used primarily for concerts of Gregorian Chant.

The abbey church is built in the Cisterician style, which is characterized by the beauty of simplicity. The exterior is smooth white, topped with red roofs. The interior consists of a dimly-lit nave, a choir full of light, and two small east chapels.

The church was designed to provide good acoustics for the chants of the monks, which makes it an excellent venue for the regular concerts of Gregorian chant that are still held there today.