1997 © Maxim Tabachnik
Choir, Fontenay Abbey
The choir of Fontenay Abbey (12th c.) embodies Cistercian ideals of restraint. Tall windows pour light into the apse, symbolizing divine clarity. Unlike nearby Cluny, famed for its vast, ornate liturgy, Fontenay rejects splendor for silence and simplicity. Plain vaults enhance the resonance of chant, turning simplicity into both visual and acoustic devotion.
Explore by type and place