The Benedictine Monastery of Cluny
was founded in 910 by William 1, the then Duke of Aquitaine and Count of
Auvergne. The Cluny was found on a modest scale and served as the motherhouse
of Cluny’s congregation. After founding the Cluny, William 1 appointed Berno as
its first Abbot. Berno was only subject to then catholic pope, Pope Sergius
III. This abbey was widely known for its strict adherence to St. Benedict’s
rule. The Benedictine order went on to become an important aspect of the
stability of the European society. During the French Revolution of 1790, most
of the Abbey was destroyed. By the time the revolution came to an end, just a
small portion of it remained (Constable, 2010).
As a congregation of Cluny, the
monastery had several deeds of gift which included woods, vineyards, mills,
cultivated and uncultivated lands and waters. Here, the poor, pilgrims and
strangers were supposed to receive hospitality. It was decided that the
monastery was supposed to be free from local authorities and was only to the
Pope’s subject. William went on to place the Cluny under saints Paul’s and
Peter’s protection with a very a powerful curse on any person that would
violate its charter. Since the Pope was living in Italy across the Alps
mountains the monastery was independent.
The art used in the construction of
the Cluny of Abbey was conveyed through the mass of Mont-Saint-Vincent and the
open walkways in the forest during autumn were the initiative of the
monastery’s builder Etienne. Here, the Cluny enlarged around the cloister
garden with an open gallery which provides access to the estate and open spaces
connecting the central square. The gallery communicates with the church in the
north wing while the other remaining three branches are open to the
administrative placements, dining hall and the chapter room.
The dormitories for the monks are
located on the top floor of the cloister. Here, monks reach the transept of the
church using staircases. On the other hand, the distribution of the Cluny’s
other units such as cemetery, garden, guest house for those on the pilgrim and
the school of novices was determined by the quantity of land available,
richness of the entire community and number of monks (Constable, 2010).
For the Cluny to effectively serve
its purpose, the structure and materials used to construct had to be
appropriate. The Cluny’s largest nave was covered using a barrel vault with
naves that had low vault edges and double pointed arches. There is a staggered
basilica which allows light to reach the monastery’s there levels. The wall and
arches above served as screen skeletons between the columns supporting the
arches of the barrel vault run which are semi-attached. The clerestory on the
other hand with three windows on every corridor together with main shafts of
support were divided in order to operate as three supporting elements.
Taking into account the fact that
there was no electricity during the time the Cluny was constructed constructors
ensured it had numerous windows which were made up of three vaults that are
cylindrical in nature. At the same time, the proportions of presbytery were
expanded through the introduction of second crossing which happened to be an
independent central structure. The church’s western façade had a profound
recessed portal which was the first instance at the time. However, it later
became a significant characteristic of all Gothic cathedrals.
References
Constable,
G. (2010). The abbey of Cluny: A collection of essays to mark the
eleven-hundredth anniversary of its
foundation. Berlin: Lit.
Graham, R., & Clapham, A. W.
(1930). VI.—The Monastery of Cluny, 910–1155. Archaeologia (Second Series),
80, 143-178.
Smith, L. M. (1920). The early
history of the monastery of Cluny. H. Milford.
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