Gellone Abbey

Gellone Abbey was founded in 804 by William of Gellone, a Carolingian nobleman and cousin of Charlemagne who was later venerated as a saint. The abbey is located in the village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert in southern France.

Yes, as a Benedictine monastery, Gellone Abbey sat along one of the major pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Pilgrims would stop at the abbey to venerate the relics of Saint William.

Many of the abbey's beautifully carved Romanesque cloister columns were removed and sold in the early 20th century. They are now famously displayed in 'The Cloisters' museum, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The abbey is a stunning example of early Romanesque architecture, characterized by its sturdy stone construction and semicircular arches. The church features beautiful pre-Romanesque carving details that have survived since the early Middle Ages.