In the heart of Limousin, in Haute-Vienne, Solignac Abbey tells us the story of its tumultuous past. It all began with its foundation by St. Eligius in 632, a time when the monks' daily life revolved around prayers and goldsmithery. Then from the 8th century onwards, it was repeatedly pillaged, first by the Saracens and then by the Normans. It was not until the 10th century that the abbey was left in peace. The construction of a Romanesque church in the 12th century restored the abbey's splendour. Contemplate the nave with its three vaulted bays, wide, flat buttresses and columns that rise up to the roof. Inside, you can also see domes, capitals decorated with sculptures and magnificent carved stalls.
From that period onwards, Solignac Abbey became one of the most important and powerful religious buildings in the region. The wealthy abbey enjoyed the king's protection, led many churches and owned a great deal of land. But the religious wars and peasant revolts in the 16th century spelled ruin for the abbey. Then in the 18th century, a fire destroyed part of the main building. The church is all that remains of it today.
