Abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert

The monastery grew in importance and, thanks to its prosperity, managed to gain independence from Aniane. The first known abbot, Juliofred, is documented in a donation from 925. At the same time, devotion to Saint William continued to increase. Due to a fire that destroyed the abbey's archive, Aniane attempted to regain control, triggering a series of legal disputes that culminated in 1090 with Pope Urban II’s recognition of its independence. In 1138, the relics of Saint William were moved from the crypt to the main chapel, where they were preserved in a marble sarcophagus. The monastery’s vitality continued to grow, as did its wealth and prestige.

In 1644, an attempt was made to revitalize monastic life with the arrival of new monks from the Congregation of Saint-Maur, who, in the 18th century, built new structures. This revival allowed the monastery to remain active until the French Revolution, when its properties were sold. In 1783, the last abbot and bishop of Lodève formally suppressed the abbey. As is typical for such buildings, expansions occurred over the course of history. No visible remains exist from the founding period in the early 9th century. The oldest remains are found in the crypt, rediscovered in 1962 beneath the presbytery, which likely belongs to a second pre-Romanesque construction from the 10th century.

The cloister had two floors: the lower one from the 11th century and the upper one from the 12th century. During this period, the upper floor was added to separate the monks from the many devotees visiting the abbey. From this floor, the monks could access the church, where they had reserved galleries, while the lower part remained accessible to the faithful. The second floor of the cloister has been completely lost, although part of it is partially reconstructed and preserved at The Cloisters in New York. The main facade is dominated by an imposing bell tower, at the base of which is a semicircular portal leading to the narthex, an addition intended to accommodate pilgrims and covered with an early pointed vault. In the 15th century, galleries were added to the transept to ensure the separation between the monastic community and visitors. The main altar dates from the 18th century.