Conques: Encyclopedia II - Conques - Saint Foy abbey-church

Conques - Saint Foy abbey-church

The Saint Foy abbey-church in Conques was a popular stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, in what is now Spain. Its construction was begun on the foundations of a smaller earlier basilica, directed by the abbot Odolric (1031-1065) completed around the year 1120. It was built in Romanesque style, using a warm-colored local limestone infilled with a local gray schist. The daringly large dome that covered the crossing later collapsed and was replaced in the 15th century.

The main draw for medieval pilgrims at Conques was the skeleton of Saint Foy, a martyred young woman from the 4th century. Her name has been assimilated into the general conception of 'Holy Faith.' In the late 9th century, a monk from Conques stole these relics from a nearby monastery in order to draw travelers (and wealth) to Conques. The church that was eventually built had a double purpose, to accommodate the flock of pilgrims and at the same time to allow a community of monks to gather for the divine office seven times a day. Thus Saint Foy has been designed like a pilgrimage shrine but also as an abbey-church. To serve the inhabitants of the town, a separate parish church was erected, dedicated to Saint Thomas of Canterbury (no longer standing).

In the 19th century, the author and antiquary Prosper Merimée, appointed the first Inspector of Historical Monuments, inspired thorough restorations.

The Saint Foy abbey-church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1998, as part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Saint Foy abbey-church", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki