Saint-Sever
Encyclopedia
Saint-Sever is a commune
in the Landes department in Aquitaine
in south-western France
.
, on the left bank of the Adour
in the Chalosse area.
Neighboring communes: Benquet
, Bas-Mauco
, Audignon
, Cauna
, Aurice
, Montaut
, Banos
, Coudures
, Eyres-Moncube
, Montsoué
, Montgaillard
.
The monastery was founded by Guillaume Sanche
lord of Gascony in the late 10th century. According to the monastic chronicles, this was as the result of a vow he made after the battle of Taller
, in Gascony, in which he defeated the Vikings (982). In 1060, after a fire, the abbey was reconstructed on the model of Cluny under the direction of the abbot Gregori de Montaner. The Saint-Sever Beatus was the work of monks working under the direction of the same abbot; Abbot Gregori held the post from 1028 to 1072.
The church of Saint-Sever, a Romanesque
building of the 12th century, with seven apse
s, once belonged to the Benedictine
abbey founded in the 10th century. The abbey of Saint-Sever was added to the UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in 1998, as part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
.
The convent and cloister of the Jacobin
s (13th century), a Dominican convent, built of pink bricks; now contains the Jacobins Museum (exhibits include rocks and illuminations from the
Saint-Sever Beatus
).
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 Landes department in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
in south-western 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...
.
History and geography
Saint-Sever stands on an eminence. It is located 17 km (10.6 mi) south of Mont-de-MarsanMont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan is a commune and capital of the Landes department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Mont-de-Marsan airbase « Constantin Rozanoff » is a major installation of the French Air Force. The base includes CEAM , an air defense radar command reporting centre, and an air defence control...
, on the left bank of the Adour
Adour
The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...
in the Chalosse area.
Neighboring communes: Benquet
Benquet
Benquet is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France.Its inhabitants are called Benquetois.-Geography:Benquet is situated South of the préfecture city of Mont-de-Marsan, at the confines of the Landes forest and of the agricultural region of Chalosse...
, Bas-Mauco
Bas-Mauco
Bas-Mauco is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Audignon
Audignon
Audignon is a commune of the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France.-References:*...
, Cauna
Cauna
Cauna is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Aurice
Aurice
Aurice is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Montaut
Montaut, Landes
Montaut is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Banos
Banos
Banos is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Coudures
Coudures
Coudures is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France.It is located SSE of Saint-Sever and from Eyres-Moncube.-Geography:Coudures is in the area south of the Adour river...
, Eyres-Moncube
Eyres-Moncube
Eyres-Moncube is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Montsoué
Montsoué
Montsoué is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, Montgaillard
Montgaillard, Landes
Montgaillard is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
.
The monastery was founded by Guillaume Sanche
William II Sánchez of Gascony
William II Sánchez , Duke of Gascony from circa 961 at least until 996, was the younger illegitimate son of duke Sancho IV and successor, around 961, of his childless elder brother, duke Sancho V. He united the County of Bordeaux with the Gascony...
lord of Gascony in the late 10th century. According to the monastic chronicles, this was as the result of a vow he made after the battle of Taller
Taller
Taller is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France.William II Sánchez of Gascony perpetrated a major defeat of the Vikings at Taller in 982 and they vanished as a serious threat thereafter....
, in Gascony, in which he defeated the Vikings (982). In 1060, after a fire, the abbey was reconstructed on the model of Cluny under the direction of the abbot Gregori de Montaner. The Saint-Sever Beatus was the work of monks working under the direction of the same abbot; Abbot Gregori held the post from 1028 to 1072.
Sights
Its streets, bordered in places by old houses, are narrow and winding. The promenade of Morlanne laid out on the site of a Roman camp called Palestrion commands a fine view of the Adour and the pine forests of the Landes.Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
building of the 12th century, with seven apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s, once belonged to the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey founded in the 10th century. The abbey of Saint-Sever was added to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Sites in 1998, as part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
In 1998, several sites in France were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the description: Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France....
.
The convent and cloister of the Jacobin
Jacobin
Jacobin may refer to:* Jacobin , a member of the Jacobin club, or political radical, generally* The Jacobin Club, a political club during the French Revolution* Jacobin , an American leftist political magazine....
s (13th century), a Dominican convent, built of pink bricks; now contains the Jacobins Museum (exhibits include rocks and illuminations from the
Saint-Sever Beatus
Saint-Sever Beatus
The Saint-Sever Beatus, also known as the Apocalypse of Saint-Sever , is a French Romanesque illuminated Apocalypse manuscript from the 11th century. It was made at the Abbey of Saint-Sever. It contains the Commentary on the Apocalypse of Beatus of Liébana...
).
Miscellaneous
The public institutions of the town include the sub-prefecture, a tribunal of first instance, and a practical school of agriculture and viticulture which occupies a former Dominican convent. There is trade in the agricultural products of the Chalosse, especially geese.See also
- Communes of the Landes department