 Main façade of the abbey | |
  Location within France | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Cistercian |
| Established | 1115 |
| Mother house | Cîteaux Abbey |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Bernard of Clairvaux |
| Site | |
| Location | Ville-sous-la-Ferté, France |
| Coordinates | 48°08′50″N 4°47′20″E / 48.14722°N 4.78889°E |
| Visible remains | substantial |
| Public access | yes |
Clairvaux Abbey (/klɛərˈvoʊ/, French: [klɛʁvo]; Latin: Clara Vallis) was a Cistercian monastery in Ville-sous-la-Ferté, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Bar-sur-Aube. The original building, founded in 1115 by Bernard of Clairvaux, is now in ruins; the bulk of the present structure dates from 1708.[1] Clairvaux Abbey was a good example of the general layout of a Cistercian monastery. The abbey has been listed since 1926 as a historical monument by the French Ministry of Culture.
From 1808 to 2023, the grounds were occupied by Clairvaux Prison, a high-security prison. As of 2024, it is in the process of being transferred to new ownership as a site oriented toward tourism.[2]
- ^ Leroux-Dhuys, Jean-François (12 June 2012). "Clairvaux : de l'abbaye à la prison". La Marche de l'Histoire (in French). France Inter.
- ^ "Reconversion de l'abbaye-prison de Clairvaux : la candidature d'EDEIS-ADIM retenue". www.culture.gouv.fr (in French). 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-09-17.