A View into a Cloister Garden

by W Chris Fooshee

Title

A View into a Cloister Garden

Artist

W Chris Fooshee

Medium

Photograph

Description

The beautiful cloister of 11th C Abbaye Fontfroide, located about half-way between Bezier and Carcassonne, near Narbonne, France. The oldest part is along the church and dates to the 13th C. The section opposite that was restored or rebuilt in the 17th C. The galleries of the cloisters are supported by pairs of marble colonnettes, and have ribbed vaulting. They are in different colors and each with capitals with ornate plant motifs.
The Abbaye Fontfroide is situated in a quiet, secluded wooded valley within the Corbieres mountains, adding to the contemplative atmosphere of the beautiful structures. The ancient stone walls and arches glow in the morning, and footsteps softly echo on the worn stone steps. The columned arches of the cloister elegantly enclose the small garden within, while gentle breezes quietly weave through the leaves of the large wisteria vines growing in the corner. This is again a peaceful place.
The Abbaye Fontfroide was founded in 1093 as a Cistercian monastery, was dissolved in 1791 during the French Revolution, became a functioning abbey once again 1858 then a law in 1901 put an end to monastic communities, and the last of the monks fled to Spain. The abbey remained uninhabited until 1908 when the buildings, which are of great architectural interest, passed into private hands.

Uploaded

August 6th, 2022

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags