Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Cloisters
Centre
Abbey Church
Right
Refectory
Mont-St-Michel: Abbey Features
West Terrace
From this terrace,
there are breathtaking
views over the bay.
On a clear day, you
can see as far as the
Channel Islands - the
source of the granite
used to build the
abbey.
Crypt of the
Mighty Pillars
To support the new
chancel, 10 massive
pillars were built in
this 15th-century
crypt, a waiting room
for those anticipating
the judgement of the
abbot, who presided
over the Belle-Chaise
courtroom next door.
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Abbey Church
Despite its fine
roof, the austere
Romanesque nave -
the oldest part of the
church - is eclipsed by
the glorious Flamboyant Gothic
chancel. The walls inside the
west front are still scorched from
a 19th-century prison fire.
Key
St Martin's
Crypt
Decorated with
frescoes, this crypt,
which provided the foundation
for the south transept, was the
funeral chapel for lay people.
Church Level
Middle Level
Prison
During the Revolution, the
abbey was used as a prison. The
iron cage used to confine
dangerous prisoners is long gone,
but the vast wheel for hoisting
up provisions is still in place.
Cloisters
A garden enclosed by a
double row of delicate pink
granite columns, the cloisters
gave the monks a place to
meditate, converse and exercise.
Refectory
Apart for one who would read
aloud from the Scriptures, the
monks ate their meals in silence
in this unusual room, which has
rows of narrow side windows
invisible from the entrance.
Knights' Hall
This vast, imposing hall was
the monks'
scriptorium
, where
they studied and copied manu-
scripts. A wooden trap door led
to the food store.
St Etienne's Chapel
The monks' funeral chapel
was well placed between the
infirmary and the ossuary, where
the bones of the dead were pre-
served. Monks kept vigil over the
dead for three days and nights.
Guests' Room
Light floods through large
windows into this elegant rib-
vaulted room used to receive
important guests. Food was
cooked in the two huge fireplaces.
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