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Origin and history

The abbey of Gastines was founded in 1137 by Hugues, Archbishop of Tours, for religious according to the rule of St Augustine. At the end of the 12th century, a fire ravaged the buildings, leading Thibault de Blois to finance their reconstruction. The new church was consecrated in 1207, marking the beginning of a period of stability for the monastery.

During the Wars of Religion, the abbey was looted by Protestants, requiring restoration in 1564. In the 18th century, the buildings, which had become obsolete, were partially rebuilt: a new home for the religious and a pavilion for the abbot were erected in 1737. The French Revolution put an end to its religious use, the abbey being sold as national property in 1791.

Today, significant remains remain: the drop-dwelling wall of the church's southern collateral (12th century), a western wing of the cloister, a barn, a 13th-century servitude building, renovated in the 15th century, and the 18th-century monastic buildings. The ensemble, with the exception of the monastic building, has been listed as historical monuments since 1948.

Located in the department of Indre-et-Loire, in the Centre-Val de Loire region, the Abbey illustrates the architectural and religious evolution of the Touraine, from medieval origins to revolutionary secularization. Its history reflects the political and religious upheavals that marked France, from the wars of Religion to the nationalization of the clergy's property.

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