Visit of the abbey of St Amant de Boixe

Through an interactive experience of projections, illustrations and archiiological objets and other avtivities, the visitor is immersed into the heart of the life of the priests and the romans. The old abbey is said to have been founded by the hermit Amant in the 6th century in the forest of La Boixe. However, the first historical mention of this establishment dates back to 988. It was not until the generous donations of Guillaume IV Taillefer, Count of Angoulême, that the current abbey developed: the monastic buildings date from this period. As for the church, it was rebuilt in the first quarter of the 12th century, starting with the apse, the transept and the last bay of the nave. The most beautiful example of this phase is undoubtedly the facade of the north arm of the transept, made by the same workshop of sculptors as that of the cathedral of Angoulême. In a game of blind arcades we would find the different degrees of clericature (minor orders: subdeacons, acolytes, psalmists, exorcists, readers... and major orders: deacons, priests, and bishops). Some time later, the nave was finished to replace that of the 11th century. The work ended with an elegant facade. Traces of polychromies in the lower left arch indicate that it was painted, highlighting the sculpted decorations, most often geometric. The new completed abbatial church was dedicated on the 15th of November 1170 by the archbishop of Bordeaux, a large number of bishops and abbots, as well as the count of Angoulême and the main lords of the region. It is an imposing building (more than 54m Iong, 22m high for the cupola) where fifty Benedictine monks and parishioners (each in their respective parts of the church) were gathered. The conventual buildings house the Romanesque architecture space: many fun and interactive modules invite the visitor to discover this unique architecture and the people who contributed to its rise. Contact the Espace d'Architecture Romane for opening hours.