Abbey of Fontenay
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Marmagne, Côte-d'Or, France |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iv) |
| Reference | 165bis |
| Inscription | 1981 (5th Session) |
| Extensions | 2007 |
| Area | 5.77 ha (14.3 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 1,397 ha (3,450 acres) |
| Website | www |
| Coordinates | 47°38′22.0″N 4°23′20.8″E / 47.639444°N 4.389111°E |
The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian abbey located in the commune of Marmagne, near Montbard, in the département of Côte-d'Or in France. It was founded by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118, and built in the Romanesque style. It is one of the oldest and most complete Cistercian abbeys in Europe, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. Of the original complex comprising church, dormitory, cloister, chapter house, caldarium, refectory, dovecote and the so-called "forge", all remain intact except the refectory and are well maintained. The Abbey of Fontenay, along with other Cistercian abbeys, forms a connecting link between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.