Discover the History of the Cloister of Saint-André-le-Bas in Vienna with the Viennese Series “History(ies) of my city”

The interesting exhibition Traces and frames which is currently held in the rooms adjoining the cloister of Saint-André-le-Bas in Vienna [lire notre édition du lundi 22 mai] offers the opportunity to evoke this monument of the XII^e century, the only complete cloister remaining in the city.

Placed right next to a church or a chapel, the cloister is then both a closed place cut off from the world (this is the origin of its name) and the center of community life, a space on which give the refectory, the chapter house, the sacristy, the heating room… This is why a second, smaller cloister is generally reserved for abbots and dignitaries.

It is very difficult to count how many cloisters our city had. Certainly a large number, probably several dozen, since each monastic establishment had one, sometimes two. There were many cloisters around Saint-Maurice Cathedral.

The name of an artery linking rue Juiverie and rue Calixte II (rue des Cloîtres, in the plural) recalls their existence. The main cloister, that of the primatiale (site of the current Place Saint-Paul), is known to us by an old engraving.

Looted, then sold

The cloister of Saint-André-le-Bas, the only one restored to its original state, has experienced many ups and downs, since it was looted on several occasions, notably by the infamous Baron des Adrets. During the Revolution, the buildings of the abbey were sold to the highest bidders.

In 1801, the Viennese Freemasons set up their lodge in the cloister, but the poor state of the premises led them to settle elsewhere in 1814. Work carried out around 1860 by a certain Mrs. Guillemaud transformed the complex into an apartment building, by dismantling part of the colonnades.

You have to wait for the XX^e century and the decisive action of the company Les Amis de Vienne, which in agreement with the City bought buildings, to allow the restoration of the premises, between 1920 and 1935. This was led by Jules Formigé (1879-1960 ), chief architect of Historic Monuments, to whom we also owe the restoration of the Roman Theatre. The Friends of Vienna obtain that the small columns which were dismantled in the 19th century are returned and put back in place.

A museum of Christian art was created in 1938. It was closed forty years later and replaced by rooms hosting temporary exhibitions.

Nothing remains of other cloisters, such as the great cloister of the Saint-Maurice primatiale or that of Notre-Dame de L’Isle, which we only know from an engraving dating from 1789. It was magnificent, with sumptuous columns of white marble and was completely destroyed by fire in 1822.

Some cloisters are still partially visible, transformed into an interior courtyard, such as that of the Cordeliers convent in Sainte-Colombe, which is today the main courtyard of the Robin institution. Or the Carmes cloister, which has regained part of its former appearance thanks to the family that owns the place and which sometimes hosts concerts.

This has not been the case for all. That of the abbey of the noble ladies of Saint-André-le-Haut, where excavations took place, not so long ago housed garages, and today it is still awaiting restoration. .