Sainte-Marie-des-Dames

Abbey of Sainte-Marie-des-Dames

The Abbey of Sainte-Marie-des-Dames (French: Abbaye aux Dames de Saintes) was the first Benedictine abbey for women in Saintes in Charente-Maritime in France. It was founded in 1047 by Geoffrey II, Count of Anjou and his wife Agnes.^[1] Later, Agnes would retire to the nunnery and die there.^[2]

One of its abbesses was Agnès de Barbezieux (1134-1174), whose relative, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was a generous donor to the abbey.

Madame de Montespan was educated here.

It is located next to the town's Arch of Germanicus and was classified a monument historique in 1948.

Pictures

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  churche.

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  roman porch.

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  Door.

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  Nave.

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References

1. Penelope D. Johnson, Equal in Monastic Profession: Religious Women in Medieval France, (University of Chicago Press, 1991), 195-196.
2. The Chapter Book of the Nuns of Saintes, Hugh Feiss, The Yale University Library Gazette, Vol. 67, No. 1/2 (October 1992), 13.

External links

• Abbaye aux Dames - official site

Coordinates: 45°44′41″N 0°37′27″W / 45.74472°N 0.62417°W