People come from great distances to the middle of France to admire Cluny’s great abbey. An easy day-trip by car from the French cities of Lyon or Beaune, Cluny is the spiritual center of the region, but not its only star. At nearby Taize, Christian pilgrims continue the work started by Cluny’s Middle Age monks.
Cluny’s abbey was built as part of a revival that spread throughout Europe in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was the epicenter of what historians call the Age of Faith. The abbey was almost destroyed during the French Revolution, and there’s precious little to see today. Still, it makes a worthwhile visit for history buffs looking to get some idea of the scale of this once-vast complex.
The pleasant little town that grew up around the abbey maintains its street plan with plenty of its original buildings, and even the same population it had in its 12th-century heyday (4,500). As you wander, enjoy the Romanesque architectural details on everyday buildings. Much of the town’s fortified walls, gates and towers survive. To see a fine city view of area, climb the Cheese Tower ($2 to enter). The tower got its name because it was used to age cheese – or maybe for the way tourists smell after climbing to the top.
Cluny has two sights: a Museum of Art and Archaeology and the abbey. The museum’s highlight, a big model of medieval Cluny, is free to view from the entry. If you decide to see the museum (the $7 ticket covers both the museum and the abbey), it’s a fine chance to gaze at stone carvings eye-to-eye.
The best point from which to appreciate the abbey’s awesome dimensions is across from the museum, outside of it. As you look out to the remaining tower (there used to be three), you can visualize the abbey’s vast nave. Wander past the nubs that remain of the once-massive columns, part of a complex that was once headquarters to 10,000 monks. Today, only the tower and part of the transept still stand, but with enough imagination, you can still get a sense of its grandeur.
To experience the latest in European monasticism, drop by the booming Christian community of Taize (pronounced “teh-zay”), a few miles north of Cluny. Here, thousands of mostly young European pilgrims ask each other, “How’s your soul today?” Even if this sounds a tad airy, you’ll find the stroll from one end of the compound to the other, amid ancient abbeys and noble Romanesque churches, a worthwhile experience.
The Taize community welcomes visitors who’d like to spend a few days getting close to God through meditation, singing and simple living. While designed primarily for youthful pilgrims in meditative retreat (there are around 5,000 here in a typical week), people of any age are welcome to pop in for a meal or church service.
Three times a day, the bells ring and worshippers file into the long, low, simple and modern Church of Reconciliation. It is dim, candlelit with glowing icons, as the white-robed brothers enter. The service features readings of Bible passages and the responsive singing of chants from well-worn songbooks, listing lyrics in 19 languages.
A quick visit to Taize is free. The cost for monastic-style room and board is about $12 to $24 per day, based on a sliding scale. Call or e-mail first if you plan to stay overnight; for more info, see www.taize.fr.
Just a short distance from each other, Cluny and Taize offer spiritual seekers sights from centuries ago – and today. Off the typical tourist path, these small communities are alive with Christian history, both medieval and modern.
Rick Steves of Edmonds (425-771-8303, www.ricksteves.com) is the author of 30 European travel guidebooks, including “Europe Through the Back Door.” He hosts a public radio show, “Travel with Rick Steves,” Saturdays at 2 p.m. on KUOW (94.9 FM) and the public television series “Rick Steves’ Europe” on KCTS-TV, airing most weeknights at 7 p.m. This week’s schedule:
Monday: London: Royal and Rambunctious
Tuesday: Slovenia and Croatia
Wednesday: The Best of Sicily Thursday: Travel Skills Special, Part I
Friday: Travel Skills Special, Part II
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