Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Abbey of Saint-Léonard de Corbigny came into being in the ninth century, when the relics of Saint Léonard, a monk venerated for his miracles, were transferred there in 882 since Tournus. This transfer marked the beginning of a major pilgrimage, often associated with that of Vézelay, attracting faithful for the healing and release of prisoners. The abbey, initially a priory dependent on Flavigny, became independent after conflicts with the latter, notably under the impulse of Robert-le-Diable, brother of the Count of Nevers, who dilapidated his property in the tenth century.

In the 12th century, the abbey grew thanks to the influx of pilgrims, despite disturbances caused by heretics such as the poplicans, burned in 1166. In 1173, Abbé Seguin de La Tournelle strengthened the village and the abbey, but a fire destroyed the whole in 1180. Rebuilt in the 13th century, it was granted privileges by Pope Innocent III in 1200. The monks freed themselves in 1228 by buying back their servitude, and the abbey was moved to the other bank of the Anguison, retaining only the Saar chapel of the old structure.

The reform of Saint Maur in the 18th century led to a major reconstruction from 1754, led by architect Michel Caristie. The buildings, organized in U around a central courtyard with a circular well, housed an abbey church and a cloister. The French Revolution drove the last eight monks out in 1789, and the abbey successively became a district hotel, a haras, a seminary, and then a normal school. Classified as a Historic Monument in 2001, it now houses a tourist office and cultural spaces.

The treasure of the Abbey, inventoried in 1537, included prestigious relics such as the "milk of the Holy Virgin", the teeth of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Peter, and the arms of Saint Leonard. These objects, often embedded in silver chasses, were partly looted by the Huguenots in 1563. The archives, though fragmentary, reveal legal conflicts and donations of land, such as that of Monceaux Castle in 1257 by Mahaut de Bourbon.

Among the notable abbots, Robert de Monceaux (998-1034), nicknamed Robert-le-Diable, or Gauthier, who freed the serfs in 1228, stood out. The abbots, like Armand de Bourbon in the 17th century, introduced the reform of Saint-Maur. The last holder, Sixte Louis Ruffo de Bonneval, emigrated during the Revolution. Today, the abbey also hosts the Musical Festivals of Corbigny, perpetuating its cultural influence.

The buildings, a property shared between the municipality and private individuals, retain remarkable elements such as a wrought iron staircase, original pavements, and ironworks. The site, classified for its architectural ensemble and its medieval basements, bears witness to nearly twelve centuries of religious, political and social history in Nivernais.

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