Tournus is one of the oldest monasteries in France. It's former name was "St. Valérien" (Martyr's death in 180 in the reagion of Tournus).
The monks of the st. Philibert came in 800 on their flight from the Normans from the atlantic cost and brought the relic of Philibert to Tournus.
Karl the bald gave the monastery "St. Valérien" to them, that became the monastery of "St. Philibert".
| ~800 |
Take over of the monastary "St. Valérien" and fondation of the monastary St. Philibert |
| 937 |
Destruction of the monastary, flight of the monks to the "Auvergne", soon return an reconstruction of the monastary. |
| ~979 |
Inauguration of the crypt, with very massive walls so a hight of 3,50m is possible. A half round crypt appears for the first time with a half round chancel on it. It's the first church with a half round chancel and radiate arranged small chapels. |
| 1007 |
The monastary burned out. The construction of a new church began, from west to east. A big boom took place because of the increasing number of pilgrims (since 946 every father was forced by law to do at least one pilgrimage to Tournus). The new church was planed much bigger than the first one. |
| 1120 |
Inauguration of the chancel
In the 11th century the boom contunued with an own mint. |
| 12 Jh. |
Completion of the middle tower, the north tower and the western façade. |
| 1627 |
Secularisation of the monastary, and in the same time the reason why it wasn't destroied in 1789 during the Revolution. |
Unique in the history of churches in the world is the covering of the main nave. The vault isn't parallel to the nave as usual but there are five vertical vaults, that allow one additional line of windows. This kind of construction was never seen before nor after.
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Abbay "St. Philibert" in Tournus