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Origin and history

The Abbey of the Star, founded in 1117 and officially established in 1124 by the hermit Isembaud de l'Etoile, is a Cistercian monastery located in Archigny. It was erected in memory of Peter of the Star, brother of Isembaud and founder of Fontgombault Abbey. Attached to the order of Cîteaux in 1145 as daughter of Pontigny, she prospered in the 13th century, but suffered destruction during the Hundred Years War. Rebuilt in the 15th and 17th centuries, it declined in the 18th century before being sold as a national good at the Revolution.

The architecture of the abbey follows the Cistercian Bernardin plan of the 12th century, with a single nave abbey church, a Gothic capitular hall, and remodeled convent buildings in the 15th, 17th and 19th centuries. The nave, transformed into a barn, and the sacristy, intact since the twelfth century, bear witness to its past. Classified as a historical monument in 1991, the abbey is now owned by the municipality of Archigny, which has been conducting partial restorations since its acquisition in 1987.

The abbey experienced periods of decline, especially in the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, marked by the wars of Religion and progressive abandonment. In the 19th century, some of the buildings collapsed, while others were reused for agricultural purposes. Since 1982, the Association for the Safeguarding of the Abbey of the Star has worked to enhance its value, organizing visits and cultural activities. The site, a member of the European Charter of Cistercian Abbeys, attracts visitors each year interested in its historical and architectural heritage.

Among the remarkable elements, the capitular room, with its vaults on dogive crosses and its monacal benches, illustrates the sober Cistercian art. The cloister, now extinct, housed burials of abbots and lords. The partially restored converse building retains a 15th century carved frame. The St. Lawrence Chapel, linked to the southern transept, housed a 17th century altarpiece today preserved in the church of Chenevelles.

The Star Abbey plays a major cultural and tourist role in the region. The local association, in partnership with the municipality and the community of agglomeration of the Country Châtelleraudais, ensures its promotion. Archaeological excavations and restorations helped to highlight its remains, while preserving the memory of its monastic and agricultural past. The mill, transformed into a bakery in the 15th century, now serves as a welcoming place and a small museum.

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