abbey of Clairvaux

The Abbey of Clairvaux, located in northeastern France, was founded in 1115 by St. Bernard of Clairvaux. It became a significant center for the Cistercian order. St. Bernard, a prominent churchman and mystic, was the abbot of Clairvaux and is venerated as a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches.12

While much of the original abbey has been lost, a large 12th-century storehouse and other remnants are incorporated into an 18th-century monastery. The central building was later converted into a prison in the 19th century.2