Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

The Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a Benedictine abbey located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was founded in the 6th century. When Frankish King Childebert I was campaigning in Zaragoza, Spain, the local bishop gifted him a sacred shroud. Upon his return to Paris, he built this church to house the relic and named it the Church of the Holy Cross and Saint Vincent. It was completed in 558 and dedicated to Saint Germain on December 23rd. On the same day, the king passed away, leading to the church’s closure and its conversion into an abbey.

With royal patronage, it became one of the wealthiest churches in France and was granted authority over areas outside the city walls — most of the Left Bank west of what is now Boulevard Saint-Michel (until 1670). In the 11th century, it established an important scriptorium and served as an academic center for the Catholic Church in France until it was abandoned during the French Revolution.

The surrounding area, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, takes its name from the abbey. This district is also part of the Latin Quarter, as the abbey donated land along the Seine to help establish the University of Paris. Queen Margot also compelled the abbey to cede land for the construction of a palace (now 2–10 Rue de Seine), which helped make the area fashionable — until it was surpassed by the Saint-Honoré district north of the Champs-Élysées in the early 18th century.

Additionally, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés served as the burial site for Merovingian kings, and the tomb of philosopher René Descartes is also located here.

Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Reason to visit: The most significant abbey in Paris’s 6th arrondissement

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: France[France]

Province/State: Île-de-France Region [Ile-de-France Region]

City: Paris [Paris]