Abbey of Saint Loup, Troyes
Encyclopedia
The Abbey of Saint-Loup of Troyes (Abbaye Saint-Loup-de-Troyes) near Troyes
in Champagne, France
, was established in the ninth century to shelter the relics of bishop Lupus of Troyes, Saint Loup
, the legend
ary defender of the city against Attila in the fifth century and patron of the city. The monastic community was reformed in 1135 by Bernard of Clairvaux
, when the abbot and his monks embraced the Rule of Saint Augustine and became Canons Regular
. The Abbaye Saint-Loup, which came to be enclosed within the burgeoning medieval city of Troyes, developed a renowned library and scriptorium
. The famous poet Chrétien de Troyes
may have been a canon of this monastic house.
The abbey was founded — as were many abbeys
— in an existing Gallo-Roman villa
abutting the former Roman Via Agrippa
(now the rue de la Cité) just outside the former Gallo-Roman city. Charlemagne
gave the abbey of Saint-Loup to the scholarly Alcuin
, and Adalelm, Count of Troyes
(died 894) was a patron. Before the reform of 1135 Saint-Loup's secular canons could enjoy the fruits of their prebendaries. In the fifteenth century an imposing Flamboyant
Gothic abbey church was erected; the abbey church was rededicated in 1425. The scholarly Petrus Comestor
was an Augustininian canon of Saint-Loup, among his other benefices.
The abbey's church and buildings, largely reconstructed in the seventeenth century, were destroyed during the Revolution
; the only building left standing, in rue Chrestien de Troyes, was used to store books and manuscripts confiscated from neighbouring abbeys and convents, among which was the Abbey of Clairvaux. Thus a municipal public library
in Troyes was first created. The Musée Saint Loup (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Archéologie et Histoire Naturelle
) was also installed in the building, where it has remained since 1830.
Troyes
Troyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
in Champagne, France
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
, was established in the ninth century to shelter the relics of bishop Lupus of Troyes, Saint Loup
Lupus of Troyes
Saint Lupus was an early bishop of Troyes. Born at Toul, he was brother-in-law to Hilary of Arles, as he had married one of Hilary's sisters, Pimeniola. Lupus worked as a lawyer. However, after being married for six years, he and his wife parted by mutual agreement.Lupus renounced all of his...
, the legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
ary defender of the city against Attila in the fifth century and patron of the city. The monastic community was reformed in 1135 by Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
, when the abbot and his monks embraced the Rule of Saint Augustine and became Canons Regular
Canons Regular
Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
. The Abbaye Saint-Loup, which came to be enclosed within the burgeoning medieval city of Troyes, developed a renowned library and scriptorium
Scriptorium
Scriptorium, literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by monastic scribes...
. The famous poet Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
may have been a canon of this monastic house.
The abbey was founded — as were many abbeys
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
— in an existing Gallo-Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
abutting the former Roman Via Agrippa
Via Agrippa
The term Via Agrippa, describes any stretch of the network of Roman roads in Gaul that were built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, to whom Octavian entrusted the reorganization of the Gauls. In all, the Romans built of roads in Gaul.-Agrippa's project:...
(now the rue de la Cité) just outside the former Gallo-Roman city. Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
gave the abbey of Saint-Loup to the scholarly Alcuin
Alcuin
Alcuin of York or Ealhwine, nicknamed Albinus or Flaccus was an English scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert at York...
, and Adalelm, Count of Troyes
Adalelm, Count of Troyes
Adalelm was the Count of Troyes from 886 to his death. He was a son of Emenon, Count of Poitou, and a Robertian.He succeeded his maternal uncle Robert I, Count of Troyes, in 886. In 891, he organised the transferral of the abbey of Saint-Loup to within the walls of the town...
(died 894) was a patron. Before the reform of 1135 Saint-Loup's secular canons could enjoy the fruits of their prebendaries. In the fifteenth century an imposing Flamboyant
Flamboyant
Flamboyant is the name given to a florid style of late Gothic architecture in vogue in France from the 14th to the early 16th century, a version of which spread to Spain and Portugal during the 15th century; the equivalent stylistic period in English architecture is called the Decorated Style, and...
Gothic abbey church was erected; the abbey church was rededicated in 1425. The scholarly Petrus Comestor
Petrus Comestor
-Biography:Born in Troyes, he was first attached to the Church of Notre-Dame in that city and habitually signed himself as "Presbyter Trecensis". Before 1148 he became dean of the chapter and received a benefice in 1148. About 1160 he formed one of the Chapter of Notre-Dame at Paris, and about the...
was an Augustininian canon of Saint-Loup, among his other benefices.
The abbey's church and buildings, largely reconstructed in the seventeenth century, were destroyed during the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
; the only building left standing, in rue Chrestien de Troyes, was used to store books and manuscripts confiscated from neighbouring abbeys and convents, among which was the Abbey of Clairvaux. Thus a municipal public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in Troyes was first created. The Musée Saint Loup (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Archéologie et Histoire Naturelle
Musée des beaux-arts de Troyes
The Musée des beaux-arts de Troyes is one of the two main art and archaeology museums in Troyes, France - the other is the Musée d'art moderne de Troyes...
) was also installed in the building, where it has remained since 1830.