Saint - Guilhem - le - Désert

A jewel of early Languedoc Romanesque art, this sanctuary, founded in the early 9th century, is one of the Languedoc's most important spiritual and cultural centres, benefiting down the centuries from the continuing influence of its founding Saint and the presence within its walls of the treasures he placed there for safekeeping.

The foundation, in 804, of the Benedictine Abbey of Gellone should be seen within the historical and religious context of the region. Septimanie was occupied by the Visigoths and then by the Muslims, and then conquered by the Franks at the beginning of the 8th century, at which point a large number of monasteries sprang up.

From the 10th century onwards, once William had become Saint William, the spiritual influence of Gellone was confirmed and the monastery became a favourite stopping point on the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela.
It was against this background that, at the beginning of the 11th century, work started on the reconstruction of the Abbey, which was to become a pure symbol of Early Romanesque art in the Languedoc.

Despite its prestige, however, it was not to be preserved from the conflicts of history and the transgressions of men. The increasing power of secular abbots in the 15th century and the wars of religion in the 16th century led to its gradual decline. The complex of buildings was saved from ruin, however, thanks to the work of the Benedictine congregation of Saint-Maur, which remained there until 1790.

After the French Revolution, the abbey church became the village's only parish church. The monastery buildings were sold off as national assets. A textile mill and tannery were set up on the site and the cloister, which was used as a source of building stone, was stripped of its sculptures. Some of these can now be seen in the Cloisters Museum in New York City.
The Abbey was taken over by the French Historic Monuments commission in 1840, putting a halt to the process of decay.

The general restoration work carried out between 1960 and the present day has returned the building to an appearance close to the spirit of the original.
Today, the Carmelite community of Saint-Joseph supports religious life here.
In 1998, Gellone Abbey was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage monument as part of the Pilgrimage Routes of Santiago de Compostela.

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