saint-roman abbey

Saint-Roman Abbey (Abbaye de Saint-Roman) is an ancient troglodyte monastery dug out of rock by hermits and monks. Excavations to create the abbey started in the 5th century but many parts were built in the 12th century. Parts of the abbey were created using a natural grotto which has been used...

Remains of the castle built on top of the abbey in the 16th century.

Remains of the ceiling of this room.

Large room carved out of the rock. You can see where the ceiling was.

The Roman inscription says "Vitalis lived here".

A cell with a view.

The Abbots seat carved into the rock in the 11th century and inside tombs.

You can see what a beautiful place this was.

View west. There was another settlement on the nearby hill.

Tombs and the view south towards Tarascon and Beaucaire.

Tombs and the view north on the River Rhone.

Monks were buried in these coffins carved out of the rock on the top of the hill.

The chapel.

The monks started building this abbey in the 5th century.

Stairs to the "terrace", on top of the abbey.

15 minute walk uphill from car park to the abbey.