Saint-Jean-d'Angély - Abbaye Royale

Saint-Jean-d'Angély developed once next to the "Abbaye Royale", founded in the 9th century by Pepin I of Aquitaine to house the skull of Saint John the Baptist. Pepin was one of Louis the Pious´ rebellious sons, who deposed their father in 833.

During the Viking raids, the abbey was given up, but refounded thanks to Cluny. The abbey got wealthy and important, as most pilgrims, following the Via Turonensis, stopped here to worship the relics. The abbey got looted during the 100 Years War and burned down during the Wars of Religion.

Here once was the large abbey church, before the Protestants raided and burnt down the abbey. That was when John the Baptist´s skull got lost. During the 18th century there were plans, to rebuild the church, but then the French Revolution put all that to an end.

Only the western part of the church (right) got reconstructed in 1899.