History, A must-see
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Follow the nomination!
The World Heritage Centre adapts to changes in society and in the way people perceive heritage. This is why, for several decades now, a group of sites has been able to submit a joint nomination: this is known as a serial nomination, and it is within this framework that the Cluniac nomination is being made.
The challenge, therefore, in the coming years, is to draw up a list of sites across Europe that will support the Cluniac nomination. Follow the progress of the nomination here
An attractive network currentlycomprising 200 sites across eight European countries, which welcomes new local authorities, associations, public and private institutions, and individuals every year, all committed to working together to promote the heritage of the Cluniac monks.
These are prestigious partners, as the European Federation of Cluniac Sites carries out its work in collaboration with major public authorities across Europe, such as the Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Castilla y León, as well as key heritage institutions such as the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.
A truly European network, identified on the ground by dedicated signage, which is a source of pride for local residents and informs visitors about Cluniac heritage. Moreover, since 2005, the quality of the initiatives undertaken by the network of Cluniac Sites in Europe has been recognised by the Council of Europe, of which it is a certified Cultural Route.
These initiatives are designed for everyone, such as the Clunypédia website, gentle walking tours along the Chemins de Cluny, and, for the younger generations, Cluny Kids, which encourages interaction and the discovery of heritage.
And across Europe, on the ground, volunteers and enthusiasts are organising events that bring the Cluniac heritage to life – a heritage that is more relevant than ever!
© Maison Mazille
United by a shared history and a strong identity, of which Cluny Abbey in Burgundy is the common thread. The European Cluniac sites, brought together within the European Federation of Cluniac Sites, have been working since 2018 to have their cultural heritage inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
From the Middle Ages to the present day, from Scotland to Spain and from Portugal to Poland, the monks of Cluny developed a vast network of over 2,000 sites. Through 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.
For all these reasons, the technical team is now proposing the following nomination:“Cluny Abbey and the network of Cluniac sites”.
© Centre des monuments nationaux
Whilst their recent nomination has brought the Cluniac sites unprecedented media attention, for nearly 30 years they have been helping to establish a genuine shared European cultural space – an inexhaustible source of encounters and ambitious cultural, heritage and artistic projects. This nomination is the result of this long experience, which it in turn enriches !
Many people believe that the Cluniac sites are already inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Why ? Because the heritage legacy bequeathed to us by the monks of Cluny is unique in its richness and diversity. But above all, because this heritage is alive today, now more than ever. In hundreds of places across Europe, the Cluniac heritage brings people together and fosters encounters and exchanges.
The Cluniac network forms a recognisable system of former monasteries and sites affiliated with the Great Abbey of Cluny, which existed from the early Middle Ages until the end of the modern era, with its heyday and peak of influence spanning the 10th to the 12th centuries, during which it :
- Championed the emergence of supra-local religious orders within the Christian Church ;
- Led a movement of renewal in the religious and cultural life of the society of the time ;
- Exerted a significant influence on the emergence and/or development of European towns ;
- Exerted a major influence on political harmonisation and the protection of social life ;
- Made a decisive contribution to the emergence and characterisation of modern Europe and its states.
DR - UNESCO
Autun, Blanot, Bonnay, Bourbon-Lancy, Charolles, Cluny, Cruzille, Iguerande, Marcigny, Paray-le-Monial, Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Deux-Grosne, Semur-en-Brionnais, Toulon-sur-Arroux, Varenne-l’Arconce
Key stages of the nomination :
- 2018 to 2022 : Preparation of the nomination dossier
- 2025 : Inclusion on the national tentative lists
- 2027 : Presentation of the Cluniac heritage site to the World Heritage Committee
Centre des monuments nationaux / Association du site de l'abbatiale de Payerne
