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Origin and history

Notre-Dame de Mortemer Abbey, founded in 1134 by King Henri Beauclerc, is the first Cistercian abbey in Normandy. Located between Lyons-la-Forêt and Lisors in the Eure, it was built in the valley of Fuillebroc, a site whose name, Mortum-mare, evokes an expanse of stagnant water. The first buildings were erected thanks to the support of Henri I, and the abbey was affiliated with the order of Cîteaux in 1137 under the dependence of the Abbey of Ourscamp.

The church was built between 1154 and 1200, with major contributions from Kings Henry II and Mathilde the Empress. The abbey experienced its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries, playing an important economic role thanks to its numerous barns and territorial possessions in Normandy and beyond. It housed up to fifty monks living in autarcia, and its influence extended to Rouen, Beauvais and Paris.

The abbey declined from the 16th century, especially after its passage under the regime of commende in 1543. The wars of Religion and mismanagement accelerated its degradation. In 1791 it was sold as a national property, and its stones were reused to build local houses. The ruins, classified as Historic Monument in 1966, now house a museum dedicated to monastic life.

The abbey is also known for its legends, popularized from 1985, evoking the apparitions of ghosts, including Mathilde the Empress. These accounts, although recent, have contributed to his reputation as the most haunted abbey in France. Since 1985, the Association de l'Abbey de Mortemer has preserved it and organized cultural visits.

Architecturally, the abbey is characterized by its imposing ruins, including a 87-metre-long church, a partially preserved cloister, and a large 17th-century house. The excavations revealed sober substructions and decorative elements typical of Cistercian art. The site remains a major testimony of the Norman monastic heritage.

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