Orbais-l'Abbaye

Orbais-l'Abbaye
Commune
Orbais-l'Abbaye
Location within Grand Est region
Orbais-l'Abbaye
Coordinates: 48°57′03″N 3°41′58″E / 48.9508°N 3.6994°E / 48.9508; 3.6994Coordinates: 48°57′03″N 3°41′58″E / 48.9508°N 3.6994°E / 48.9508; 3.6994
Country France
Region Grand Est
Department Marne
Arrondissement Épernay
Canton Dormans-Paysages de Champagne
Intercommunality Communauté de communes de la Brie des Étangs
Government
  Mayor Pierre-Yves Jardel
Area1 16.03 km2 (6.19 sq mi)
Population (2006)2 578
  Density 36/km2 (93/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code 51416 /51270

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Orbais-l'Abbaye is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. The abbey at Orbais was founded at the end of the 7th century by Saint Réol, and the remains (including a church) are situated in the centre of the town.

History

Founded at the end of the 7th century by Saint Réol, 26th Bishop of Reims, the benedictine Abbey is located in the Surmelin valley. Of the first monks who settled in Orbais, six came from the monastery of Rebais and followed the rule of saint Benedict.

The St. Pierre-St. Paul Church was built at the end of the 12th century and early 13th century.

René de Rieux was Abbé commendataire of Orbais between 1626 and 1651 and was also Abbot of the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Daoulas, the Relec Abbey and Bishop of León.[1]

During World War I, the French 5th Army established its campaign headquarters in the castle on September 3, 1914.

Population

At the revolution the population was about 850, between about 1835 and 1870 the population was about 1000 people and then began to decline. The population is today about 550 people in the town.[2][3]

Landmarks

Château, Orbais-l'Abbaye
  • Abbaye Saint-Pierre[4]
  • Tour Saint-Réole
  • La source Minette

Abbey

Abbey church Orbais-l'Abbaye

The St. Pierre-St. Paul church was built at the end of the 12th century and early 13th century by Jean of Orbais, one of the architects of the Cathedral of Reims. The abbey church had a length of 78 m with eight bays of nave, two of which remain today. The architecture is superb, particularly the façade, with its two towers similar to those of the Basilica Saint-Rémi de Reims and the choir with ambulatory with five radiating chapels. There is also stained glass windows of the 12 century, funerary slabs from the 14th and 15th centuries, a baptismal font from the 16th century, the glazed tiles from the 15th century and impressive stalls of choir and very decorated misericords.

Notable people

Monument (memorial) behind the château

References

  1. Chanoine Peyron, L'abbaye de Daoulas, dans Bulletin de la Société archéologique du Finistère, 1874
  2. Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui.
  3. Fiches Insee - Populations légales de la commune pour les années 2006.
  4. Abbaye Saint-Pierre listing
Town coat of arms

See also

Downtown the abbey
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.