Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Encyclopedia
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a commune
in the Hérault
department in Languedoc-Roussillon
in southern France
.
Situated in the narrow valley of the Gellone river where it meets the steep sided gorge of the Hérault River
, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is essentially a mediaeval village located on the Chemin de St Jacques (St James' Way
) pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella.
established here the monastery
of Gellone.
("The most beautiful villages of France"), and the Abbey of Gellone, along with the nearby Pont du Diable were designated UNESCO World Heritages sites in 1999.
A part of the cloister of the monastery was moved to The Cloisters
museum of Manhattan
.
A new sculpture museum, containing stone works from the abbey, is to be dedicated on June 26, 2009. In coordination with this event, a weekend of music and a colloquium, organized in large part by the Camerata Mediterranea
, are planned for June 26 and June 27.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Situated in the narrow valley of the Gellone river where it meets the steep sided gorge of the Hérault River
Hérault River
The Hérault is a river of southern France. Its length is . Its source is in the Cévennes mountains. It reaches the Mediterranean Sea near Agde...
, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is essentially a mediaeval village located on the Chemin de St Jacques (St James' Way
Way of St. James
The Way of St. James or St. James' Way is the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried....
) pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella.
History
The village has maintained its historic state. Because of its isolation, in 806 Saint GuilhemWilliam of Gellone
Saint William of Gellone was the second Count of Toulouse from 790 until his replacement in 811. His Occitan name is Guilhem, and he is known in French as Guillaume d'Orange, Guillaume Fierabrace, and the Marquis au court nez.He is the hero of the Chanson de Guillaume, an early chanson de geste,...
established here the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Gellone.
Miscellaneous
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de FranceLes Plus Beaux Villages de France
Les Plus Beaux Villages de France is an independent association, created in 1982, which aims to promote assets of small and picturesque French villages of quality heritage...
("The most beautiful villages of France"), and the Abbey of Gellone, along with the nearby Pont du Diable were designated UNESCO World Heritages sites in 1999.
A part of the cloister of the monastery was moved to The Cloisters
The Cloisters
The Cloisters is a museum located in Fort Tryon Park, New York City. The building, which is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was reconstructed in the 1930s from the architectural elements of several European medieval abbeys...
museum of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
A new sculpture museum, containing stone works from the abbey, is to be dedicated on June 26, 2009. In coordination with this event, a weekend of music and a colloquium, organized in large part by the Camerata Mediterranea
Camerata mediterranea
Camerata Mediterranea is a French non-profit organization, an international, intercultural institute of musical exchanges. Camerata Mediterranea devotes itself to research, dialogue, and pedagogy involving the diverse musical civilizations of the Mediterranean basin, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim....
, are planned for June 26 and June 27.