Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

About this place

The Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey is an abbey located within the city and island of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, in the department of Manche. Now owned and operated as a French national monument, religious services still occur and occasionally monks are invited to take up residence. The abbey originated as a sanctuary dedicated to the archangel Michael and developed into a major religious centre during the Carolingian and Norman periods. After suffering disruption during Viking incursions in the 9th century, the site was restored under the early dukes of Normandy following the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte. As you explore, compare the building itself with its decoration and later additions. Differences in materials, forms and imagery can reveal successive periods of patronage, making the visit a way to understand how religious places evolved over time.