Villemagne-l'Argentière
Encyclopedia
Villemagne l'Argentière is a commune
in the Hérault
department in Languedoc-Roussillon
southern France
.
It is located near Bédarieux
.
of Monte Cassino
. This monastery was situated at the north western edge of the village of Cogne
; and consisted initially of a chapel, a novicial, a refectory and kitchen, an infirmary and a hospice for the poor and for travellers.
A century later, this monastery was destroyed by the Saracen
s then restored to life by Charlemagne
.
In the 9th century, the name of Villemagna (big domain) appears for the first time, in the council of Aix la Chapelle (Aachen
) (818-819) among nineteen monasteries in Septimania
which were required to furnish the Emperor neither with presents nor soldiers, but only prayers.
The monastery had probably taken the name of an ancient Gallo-Roman domain situated nearby and called villa magna - the big villa – a very common name for an important agricultural estate. In 893, the abbey, which was then named after St. Martin, patron saint of the ancient parish, took the name of St Majan, confessor of Antioch
, whose relics had recently been stolen from Lombez
, in Gascony
, by Sulsani and Centulle, two monks from Villemagne.
From then on, the pilgrims
flooded into Villemagne, being situated not far from the road from Arles
to Santiago de Compostela
, there to worship St Majan's relics, reputed for their intercessions in favour of the blind and the lame, in particular.
In the 10th century the abbey came under the protection of the Lords of Narbonne
and Béziers
who granted the abbey numerous privileges as well as lands and a large quantity of silver.
In the 12th century, Villemagne was under the control of the two most powerful noblemen in the region:
At this time, the abbey was put under the direct protection of the King of France, to protect it from the whims of these noblemen who wanted to resume the donations granted by their forefathers on the clergy during the terrors of the year 1000.
In 1156, Louis VII of France
authorized the Abbot of Villemagne to fortify the abbey and to surround the town with ditches protected by high towers. This authorisation was renewed in 1212 by Philippe Auguste, which allows us to date the current vestiges of ramparts and town gates.
King Louis VII gave the monastery legal authority in civil, criminal and capital affairs, and confirmed the rights over the local silver mines, both existing or newly discovered, that the monastery shared with the viscount of Béziers
and the viscountess of Narbonne
. The mines were situated in the municipality of Pradal, which was then a dependency of Villemagne.
These mines contributed greatly to the fortune and to the reputation of Villemagne and thus the suffix: Argentière was added to the name of the town.
In 1510 the monastery and the church of St Majan were reconstructed. At this time, there were a dozen monks in residence, in a still prosperous monastery, with several dependent churches, Saint Raphaël, la Bastide, Soumatre and St. Pierre-de Brousson. The abbot retained a doctor, an apothecary and a surgeon, and welcomed vagrants.
Villemagne maintained its prestige and its size until 1560, when the Protestants under Claude de Narbonne Caylus, Baron de Faugères, seized the Abbey, plundering and burning the archives.
After numerous raids by one or another religious party, the surviving monks took refuge at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
, near Paris. They returned to the abbey of Villemagne in 1661 bringing with them their congregation from St. Maur. They restored the monastery and its abbey church, the current parish church of St. Majan. They requested permission to acquire the necessary lands for a garden for the monastery, which was granted a year later.
Then the monks diverted the water from the del couven spring to a reservoir (now filled) which was in the middle of the monastery garden. This garden is situated to the West of the abbey, and is the site for a proposed historical garden to be developed by the village.
At the beginning of 18th century, the leaders of Villemagne asked the States of Languedoc
and the king for financial assistance following numerous natural disasters: frozen olive trees in 1714, floods in 1741 and 1742 and especially in 1745.
In the latter year, the Mare River
, which had until then been to the west of Villemagne, then changed its course cutting the town in two; the part of the town to the left (East) of the new course was severely damaged and was abandoned including its ancient church of St. Sauveur. The part of the town on the new right bank, which corresponds to the current historic centre of Villemagne, was covered with 1.80 m of water; when the water receded the town was partially buried under a deep layer of silt. Numerous further floods resulted in the village being raised by up to 3 metres in some places.
The remaining five monks left Villemagne in 1793. After the French Revolution
the churches were devastated and plundered and the surviving papers, charters etc. were destroyed by fire in the town square which explains the complete lack of historical archives. The ecclesiastical buildings were sold off by auction, including the abbey and its dependences, which were split between several new proprietors; the abbey church of St Majan, was transformed into a glass factory by the glassworker Giral, (who used coal from Graissessac
to feed his furnaces). The then parish church St Grégoire was abandoned and after several years of neglect, its roof collapsed.
The 19th century was again marked by devastating floods of the Mare, notably in 1818, 1840 and 1871, which led to the excavation of the river bed and the raising of the floor level in the church of St Majan, as well as the building of the protective dyke which was extended in 1844 and 1954.
The church of St. Grégoire, built at the end of the 12th century is in the purest Romanesque style
, apart from the window above the front door which was reconstructed with an ogival arch in a former Romanesque bay. The former church now houses an archaeological museum.
The church of St. Majan still serves the village today, and was inaugurated and blessed in great pomp in 1664. It is built in the Gothic style
, with ogival
arches.
, Béziers
and Rodez
was minted. On the northern face of this building, one can see a very beautiful lintel and Romanesque windows. This building is listed on the 2010 World Monuments Watch List of Most Endangered Sites
and is currently undergoing a restoration scheme.
You can also see the ancient ramparts, including the Barbican gate and the Mirande tower (part of the former monastery).
The Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge
) is a 13th century bridge over the Mare River
, about 1 km (1,000 m) to the North of the village. It is 14m long with 2 arches, and descends at an angle of about 15º from the horizontal.
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...
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...
.
It is located near Bédarieux
Bédarieux
Bédarieux, is a commune in the Hérault department in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.The inhabitants are called Bédariciens.-Geography:Bédarieux is west of Montpellier and north of Béziers...
.
History
At the end of 7th century, the first monastery was founded by Clarinus Lubila, a monk of the order of Saint BenedictOrder of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
of Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
. This monastery was situated at the north western edge of the village of Cogne
Cogne
Cogne is a town and comune in Aosta Valley, northern Italy with 1469 inhabitants, as of 2005.Cogne is located in the valley with the same name, leading to the Gran Paradiso massif Ibex, wild goat, marmots, royal eagles are easy to see...
; and consisted initially of a chapel, a novicial, a refectory and kitchen, an infirmary and a hospice for the poor and for travellers.
A century later, this monastery was destroyed by the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s then restored to life by 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...
.
In the 9th century, the name of Villemagna (big domain) appears for the first time, in the council of Aix la Chapelle (Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
) (818-819) among nineteen monasteries in Septimania
Septimania
Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. Under the Visigoths it was known as simply Gallia or Narbonensis. It corresponded roughly with the modern...
which were required to furnish the Emperor neither with presents nor soldiers, but only prayers.
The monastery had probably taken the name of an ancient Gallo-Roman domain situated nearby and called villa magna - the big villa – a very common name for an important agricultural estate. In 893, the abbey, which was then named after St. Martin, patron saint of the ancient parish, took the name of St Majan, confessor of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, whose relics had recently been stolen from Lombez
Lombez
Lombez is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, in Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
, by Sulsani and Centulle, two monks from Villemagne.
From then on, the pilgrims
Pilgrims
Pilgrims , or Pilgrim Fathers , is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States...
flooded into Villemagne, being situated not far from the road from Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, there to worship St Majan's relics, reputed for their intercessions in favour of the blind and the lame, in particular.
In the 10th century the abbey came under the protection of the Lords of Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
who granted the abbey numerous privileges as well as lands and a large quantity of silver.
In the 12th century, Villemagne was under the control of the two most powerful noblemen in the region:
- Roger TrencavelTrencavelThe Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc during the 10th through 13th centuries. The name "Trencavel," originally a nickname and later a family name, may derive from the Occitan words for "nutcracker"...
, viscount of CarcassonneCarcassonneCarcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
and BéziersBéziersBéziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
; - Ermengarde of NarbonneErmengarde of NarbonneErmengarde , was a viscountess of Narbonne from 1134 to 1192...
.
At this time, the abbey was put under the direct protection of the King of France, to protect it from the whims of these noblemen who wanted to resume the donations granted by their forefathers on the clergy during the terrors of the year 1000.
In 1156, Louis VII of France
Louis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
authorized the Abbot of Villemagne to fortify the abbey and to surround the town with ditches protected by high towers. This authorisation was renewed in 1212 by Philippe Auguste, which allows us to date the current vestiges of ramparts and town gates.
King Louis VII gave the monastery legal authority in civil, criminal and capital affairs, and confirmed the rights over the local silver mines, both existing or newly discovered, that the monastery shared with the viscount of Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
and the viscountess of Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The mines were situated in the municipality of Pradal, which was then a dependency of Villemagne.
These mines contributed greatly to the fortune and to the reputation of Villemagne and thus the suffix: Argentière was added to the name of the town.
In 1510 the monastery and the church of St Majan were reconstructed. At this time, there were a dozen monks in residence, in a still prosperous monastery, with several dependent churches, Saint Raphaël, la Bastide, Soumatre and St. Pierre-de Brousson. The abbot retained a doctor, an apothecary and a surgeon, and welcomed vagrants.
Villemagne maintained its prestige and its size until 1560, when the Protestants under Claude de Narbonne Caylus, Baron de Faugères, seized the Abbey, plundering and burning the archives.
After numerous raids by one or another religious party, the surviving monks took refuge at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Saint-Maur-des-Fossés is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 11.7 km. from the center of Paris.-The abbey:...
, near Paris. They returned to the abbey of Villemagne in 1661 bringing with them their congregation from St. Maur. They restored the monastery and its abbey church, the current parish church of St. Majan. They requested permission to acquire the necessary lands for a garden for the monastery, which was granted a year later.
Then the monks diverted the water from the del couven spring to a reservoir (now filled) which was in the middle of the monastery garden. This garden is situated to the West of the abbey, and is the site for a proposed historical garden to be developed by the village.
At the beginning of 18th century, the leaders of Villemagne asked the States of Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
and the king for financial assistance following numerous natural disasters: frozen olive trees in 1714, floods in 1741 and 1742 and especially in 1745.
In the latter year, the Mare River
Mare River
The Mare River is a river in the Hérault département of Southern France, which rises in the Caroux-Espinouse hills.The river's source is above Castanet-le-Haut in the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc...
, which had until then been to the west of Villemagne, then changed its course cutting the town in two; the part of the town to the left (East) of the new course was severely damaged and was abandoned including its ancient church of St. Sauveur. The part of the town on the new right bank, which corresponds to the current historic centre of Villemagne, was covered with 1.80 m of water; when the water receded the town was partially buried under a deep layer of silt. Numerous further floods resulted in the village being raised by up to 3 metres in some places.
The remaining five monks left Villemagne in 1793. After the French 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 churches were devastated and plundered and the surviving papers, charters etc. were destroyed by fire in the town square which explains the complete lack of historical archives. The ecclesiastical buildings were sold off by auction, including the abbey and its dependences, which were split between several new proprietors; the abbey church of St Majan, was transformed into a glass factory by the glassworker Giral, (who used coal from Graissessac
Graissessac
Graissessac is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.-References:*...
to feed his furnaces). The then parish church St Grégoire was abandoned and after several years of neglect, its roof collapsed.
The 19th century was again marked by devastating floods of the Mare, notably in 1818, 1840 and 1871, which led to the excavation of the river bed and the raising of the floor level in the church of St Majan, as well as the building of the protective dyke which was extended in 1844 and 1954.
Churches
Until the 13th century there were six churches in and around Villemagne. Today, only the site of St. Martin's and St. Sauveur outside the walls can be located, as well as St. Grégoire and St. Majan inside.The church of St. Grégoire, built at the end of the 12th century is in the purest Romanesque style
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,...
, apart from the window above the front door which was reconstructed with an ogival arch in a former Romanesque bay. The former church now houses an archaeological museum.
The church of St. Majan still serves the village today, and was inaugurated and blessed in great pomp in 1664. It is built in the Gothic style
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, with ogival
Ogive
An ogive is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object.-Applied physical science and engineering:In ballistics or aerodynamics, an ogive is a pointed, curved surface mainly used to form the approximately streamlined nose of a bullet or other projectile.The traditional...
arches.
Others
The Hôtel des Monnaies (the Mint) is a national monument and originates from the eleventh century when the currency of the lords of NarbonneNarbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
and Rodez
Rodez
Rodez is a town and commune in southern France, in the Aveyron department, of which it is the capital. Its inhabitants are called Ruthénois.-History:Existing from at least the 5th century BC, Rodez was founded by the Celts...
was minted. On the northern face of this building, one can see a very beautiful lintel and Romanesque windows. This building is listed on the 2010 World Monuments Watch List of Most Endangered Sites
2010 World Monuments Watch List of Most Endangered Sites
The World Monuments Watch is a flagship advocacy program of the New York-based private non-profit organization World Monuments Fund that calls international attention to cultural heritage around the world that is threatened by neglect, vandalism, conflict, or disaster.-Selection process:Every two...
and is currently undergoing a restoration scheme.
You can also see the ancient ramparts, including the Barbican gate and the Mirande tower (part of the former monastery).
The Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge
Devil's Bridge
Devil’s Bridge is a term applied to dozens of ancient bridges, found primarily in Europe. Most of these bridges are stone or masonry arch bridges and represent a significant technological achievement...
) is a 13th century bridge over the Mare River
Mare River
The Mare River is a river in the Hérault département of Southern France, which rises in the Caroux-Espinouse hills.The river's source is above Castanet-le-Haut in the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc...
, about 1 km (1,000 m) to the North of the village. It is 14m long with 2 arches, and descends at an angle of about 15º from the horizontal.