Holy-Cross abbey of Poitiers

See also: Holy-Cross

The Holy-Cross abbey of Poitiers was rested by the queen of the Francs Radegonde, who fled thus her husband Clotaire.

The church intended to shelter the burials of the moniales was devoted under the name of Basilique Holy-Marie-Out-the-Walls , because the abbey was built in-outside Roman wall of the city (while being inside the loop of the Clain).

The first abbess was holy Agnès, the queen having refused this load. Agnes placed the monastery under the rule of holy Césaire. The abbey was famous Holy-Cross when it accepted in 567 fragments of the Cross sent by the emperor of Constantinople. As for the church, it was renamed Holy-Radegonde with died of the founder, in 587.

A borough is established around the church. It was destroyed by attackers several times, which pushed with its fortification at the 10th century, which was included in the wall built by Aliénor of Aquitaine at the 12th century.

The church was rebuilt many times until the 13th century. It still has the Parvis with medieval dimensions. Exceptional fact, it acts of a square of justice, surrounded by stone benches, on which the judges ecclesiastical, considering the religious affairs and civil sat borough.

The borough of Holy-Cross was dismantled with the 19th century, and several of its destroyed churches. Remain mainly the Holy-Radegonde church. The nuns moved in the countryside close to Poitiers, thus perpetuating this abbey. It bears now the name of Holy-Cross abbey of Cossonière, with Saint-benoît.

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