Foundation of the Abbey vers 604 (≈ 604)
Created by Glossinde de Champagne, daughter of Duke Wintrio.
951
Reconstruction of the church
Reconstruction of the church 951 (≈ 951)
Ordered by Bishop Adalberon I.
1552
Taking Metz by the French
Taking Metz by the French 1552 (≈ 1552)
The monastery is partially buried under fortifications.
1647
Death of Louise de La Valette
Death of Louise de La Valette 1647 (≈ 1647)
Abbesse having restored the abbey and church.
1752-1756
Construction of the rococo church
Construction of the rococo church 1752-1756 (≈ 1754)
Directed by the Hotman sisters and architects Barlet and Louis.
1792
Expulsion of nuns
Expulsion of nuns 1792 (≈ 1792)
The abbey became a military depot during the Revolution.
1802
Headquarters of the Bishopric of Metz
Headquarters of the Bishopric of Metz 1802 (≈ 1802)
Attribution to Bishop Pierre-François Bienaymé.
1978
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1978 (≈ 1978)
Protection of the chapel and its decorations.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The chapel of Saint-Glossinde, including the porch; small and large vestibules; the Bishop's chapel on the first floor; the hall of the ecclesiastical court (former Hall of the Chapter) with its decoration, on the ground floor (ca. 29 47, 95/45): classification by order of 7 September 1978 - The facades and roofs of the entrance pavilion; the facades and roofs of the episcopal palace itself as well as the large staircase, the vaulted room with the large fireplace, the old kitchen, the library, the council room on the ground floor; the facades and roofs of the administrative building, as well as the rooms on the ground floor (except the hall of the classified ecclesiastical court); the garden with its fence walls (cad. 29 47, 95/48, 49): entry by order of 7 September 1978
Key figures
Glossinde de Champagne - Founder of the Abbey
Daughter of Duke Wintrio, became nuns in 604.
Adalbéron Ier - Bishop of Metz
Restore the abbey and build a church in 951.
Louise de La Valette - Reformative abbesse
Rebuilt the church and restored the Benedictine rule (1606-1647).
Marguerite-Vincente et Marguerite-Éléonore Hotman - Building abbesses
Sponsor the rococo church (1752-1756).
Jean Girardet - Painter of the dome
Author of the apocalyptic fresco in 1756.
Élisabeth Claire de Choiseul Beaupré - Last abbess
Expelled in 1792 during the Revolution.
Origin and history
The Abbey of Sainte-Glossinde de Metz is the church of a former Benedictine abbey founded around 604 by Glossinde de Champagne, daughter of Duke Wintrio. According to legend, Glossinde, refusing a forced marriage, took refuge in the cathedral of Metz where an angel gave him the veil of nuns. His father, resigned, then offered him land near the ramparts to found a Benedictine monastery, populated by a hundred consecrated virgins. Glossinde died in 610, and his relics, venerated for their miracles, were transferred in 836 to the main church of the convent, which takes his name.
Over the centuries, the abbey underwent many changes. In the tenth century Bishop Adalberon restored his property and built a new church in 951. In the 15th century, military fortifications imposed the partial destruction of the monastery. In 1552 Metz passed under French control, and the monastery was partially buried under ramparts. In the 17th century, the Abbess Louise de La Valette restored the abbey, rebuilt the church and restored the Benedictine rule. His epitaph, engraved in 1647, bears witness to his work.
Between 1680 and 1719 the Texier sisters of Hautefeuille, supported by Bossuet, spiritually and materially reformed the abbey. In 1752, facing the ruin of the building, the abbesses Marguerite-Vincent and Marguerite-Éléonore Hotman launched the construction of a new rococo-style church, completed in 1756. Charles de Belle-Isle, governor of the Trois-Évêchés, participated in his reconstruction. The fresco of the dome, painted by Jean Girardet in 1756, and the 18th-century marble high altar are its jewels.
The French Revolution marked a brutal turning point. In 1792 the nuns, including Abbess Élisabeth Claire de Choiseul Beaupré, were expelled. The church, emptied of its furniture, serves as a grain depot and then a stable for the oxen of the army. The buildings become a walking hospital. In 1802, the abbey was attributed to Bishop Pierre-François Bienaymé, marking the beginning of his current vocation as episcopal seat. Between 1805 and 1827, it also houses large and small seminars.
In the 19th century, architect Nicolas-Maurice Derobe restored the abbey and built a new ionic portal in 1816. The Cavaillé-Coll organ, installed in 1864, and the stained glass windows of chorus Fritz Geiges (1908) complete his heritage. In 1909, a last restoration preceded its partial classification as a historical monument in 1978. Today, the abbey remains the seat of the bishopric of Metz, with administrative spaces and an exceptionally open chapel during Heritage Days.
The rococo architecture of the Abbey, unique in Metz, is distinguished by its short nave reserved for nuns and its transept for laity. The carved decoration, the apocalyptic fresco of Girardet, and the liturgical furniture (altarians, confessionals, lutrin) make it a Baroque masterpiece. Gallo-Roman crypts, the epitaphs of the nuns in the crypt, and the altar cabinet of the Revolution recall its thousand-year history, mixing spirituality, political power and military adaptations.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review