France: Fontevraud Abbey
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Fontevraud is one of the largest abbeys in Europe, was established in 1101. It has several buildings. It was a virtual city in the Middle Ages run by women in a monastic life under a very strict Benedictine order. The Abbey was dissolved during the French Revolution and later served as a prison. It’s made of beautiful yellowish stone with very rich sculptural decorations in walls and doorways but all in a singular monotonous color. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site.
