Cluny Abbey and the Cluniac sites

From the Middle Ages to the present day, from Scotland to Spain and from Portugal to Poland, through its influence on the religious and cultural life of society at the time, on the development of European cities and on political thought, Cluny made a decisive contribution to the emergence of modern Europe.

Even if you don’t live in one, you’re bound to know of a Cluniac site, aren’t you? Whether or not you come from a Cluniac background, whether you’re passionate about history, heritage or culture: as a citizen of Europe, the history of the Cluny network is your history and your heritage today.

From the^10th century onwards, Cluny was a major force in European civilisation: more than 1,800 sites bear witness to its influence – not only spiritual, artistic and architectural, but also economic, social and political – right up to the French Revolution.

On the tour route of Cluny Abbey, the monks’ former washbasin now houses a display of information panels entitled:‘Cluny Abbey and the Cluniac sites’.This exhibition reveals to visitors the remarkable network developed by the monks of Cluny: From the Middle Ages to the present day, from Scotland to Spain and from Portugal to Poland, with its influence on the religious and cultural life of society at the time, on the shaping of European cities and on political thought, Cluny made a decisive contribution to the emergence of modern Europe.

To complement this space for exploring these sites, a touchscreen provides access to Clunypedia, a platform created by the European Federation of Cluniac Sites, bringing together all Cluniac knowledge (texts, plans, drawings, bibliographies, iconography, audio and video material, etc.) relating to this vast heritage, making it available to as many people as possible.

This digital encyclopaedia, created in 2013 in collaboration with Paztec, a company specialising in IT development, traces the evolution of the network over the centuries through articles dedicated to the history and architecture of several Cluniac sites, as well as an interactive and engaging map that allows users to visualise the network’s expansion across several centuries.

It is an engaging way to raise awareness of and foster a better understanding of the role played by Cluny and the Cluniac sites in our history, and to help preserve and promote the tangible and intangible Cluniac heritage that bears witness to this. This educational space ties in with the UNESCO World Heritage nomination for ‘Cluny Abbey and the Network of Cluniac Sites’, which has also been championed by the European Federation of Cluniac Sites since 2018. 

In the^18th century, this room served as the vestibule leading to the monks’ great refectory. This building, some fifty metres long, was unfortunately destroyed in 1799: it stood opposite the door through which you entered the vestibule.

The washbasin area, however, was restored in 2025. On either side of the entrance, two washbasins set into niches allowed the monks to wash their hands before meals. On leaving the refectory, they would then place their crockery in the serving hatch – now closed off by a grey shutter – where it was washed.

This exhibition ties in with the UNESCO World Heritage nomination for ‘Cluny Abbey and the Network of Cluniac Sites’, put forward by the European Federation of Cluniac Sites. 

Follow the progress of the nomination here