Abbaye aux Hommes

The Abbaye aux Hommes was built in 1066 during the reign of William the Conqueror, in honor of Saint Etienne, the city of Caen. This jewel of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, houses the tomb of the conqueror.

It had its boom in the eleventh century and then suffered a decline following the Hundred Years War, which put the abbey in the heart of the fighting, because it was outside the walls that were built around the city of Caen . Then, during the war of religions, it was sacked and then abandoned. The restoration of the Abbey was started in 1663 by Maurists.

The renovation ending in 1764. This is the eighteenth century saw the abbey built in the device areas. During the Revolution, the monks were driven out, and did not return thereafter. In 1806, the Abbey is seen transformed into high school, then she sees the host municipality in 1961.

Thus, the building has been restored to accommodate the best of City Hall.