Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Saint Vincent de Nieul-sur-l'Autise Abbey was founded in 1069 by Airaud Gassedenier, a close friend of the Count of Poitiers-duc d'Aquitaine Guillaume VIII. The chronicle of Saint-Maixent explicitly mentions this foundation: "The year 1069 began the construction [...] of the abbey Saint-Vincent called Nieul". Originally populated by regular canons of St Augustine, it was commissioned to clean up the Poitevin Marsh. The foundation was confirmed in 1076 by Guillaume VIII in the residence of Airaud in Vouvant.

In 1141 the abbey became royal thanks to Louis VII, then married to Alienor d'Aquitaine. The whole was severely damaged in 1568 during the Wars of Religion. Its preservation is partly due to Prosper Mérimée, who is interested in its remains "poitevin novels". The church, with two bell towers, features a vaulted nave in a cradle and geminied columns. The Roman cloister, which remained intact, was overhanged by a 19th century bell tower.

The abbey houses the burial of Aénor de Châtellerault, mother of Alienor d'Aquitaine. In 2000, it was renovated to become a museum, mixing the original tuft with modern materials such as steel and glass. The building, classified as a Historical Monument since 1862 for the church and 1875 for the cloister, is now owned by the Vendée department.

Among the notable abbots, Balthazar Phélypeaux (1693-1724), regular canon of Saint-Augustin, marks the history of the abbey. His role in the congregation of Sainte-Geneviève and his death at Notre-Dame du Val-des-Écoliers Abbey are documented. The Abbey thus illustrates Poitevin Romanesque architecture and its evolution throughout the centuries.

External links