Vézelay Abbey

Vézelay, France

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Wheelchair access: Partly accessible

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

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Vézelay Abbey, a Benedictine and Cluniac monastery in the Yonne department of east-central France, was constructed between 1120 and 1150 as a masterpiece of Burgundian Romanesque architecture. The abbey church, now the Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, is celebrated for its complex sculptural program of decorated capitals and portals, and houses relics of Mary Magdalene. The building endured significant hardship: it was sacked by Huguenots in 1569, fell into neglect during the 17th and 18th centuries, and suffered further damage during the French Revolution. In 1979, the church and its hilltop site were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for their profound importance to medieval Christianity and their architectural excellence. The basilica stands 23.5 meters high.

Movement

Romanesque architecture

Built: 0801
Type: monastery, minor basilica
Heritage: part of UNESCO World Heritage Site, classified historical monument
Height: 23.5 m
Place: Vézelay, France

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Location

47.46639, 3.74833