19 and 20 September

September 2026

Saturday 19
- 10:00 - 18:00
Sunday 20
- 10:00 - 18:00

Église abbatiale Saint-Michel

Place Jean Bérain, 55300 Saint-Mihiel

Meuse

Grand Est

Free discovery of the Saint-Michel abbey church

Name: Free discovery of the Saint-Michel abbey church
Start: 2026-09-19T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-20T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Église abbatiale Saint-Michel

Discovery of the great organ being restored, the Pâmoison de la Vierge by Ligier Richier and the sacristy (Saturday from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm and Sunday from 2pm to 6pm).

19 and 20 September

©Gaëlle Montel

Discovery of the great organ being restored, the Pâmoison de la Vierge by Ligier Richier and the sacristy (Saturday from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm and Sunday from 2pm to 6pm).

September 2026

Saturday 19
- 10:00 - 18:00
Sunday 20
- 10:00 - 18:00

Additionnal information

Manifestation

Journées Européennes du Patrimoine

About the location

Église abbatiale Saint-Michel

Place Jean Bérain, 55300 Saint-Mihiel

Meuse

Grand Est

Having built between the XIth and XIIIth centuries, changed in XVIITH - XVIIITH centuries, the church shelters "The Swoon of the Virgin(Virgo)" or The faulty Virgin(Virgo) ", works of Ligier Rirchier in walnut, representing the Virgin(Virgo) supported by Saint Jean further to the announcement of the death of the Christ.
Tour(Ballot)-hall Romance dates the XIIth century. Up to the environment(middle) of the XVIIIth century, she(it) was topped with a pointed bell tower. Four angles of the terminal cornice are adorned with gargoyles in the shape of wolf. The tower, 35 metres high, and walls are backed up by foothills in three projections. Those of the main vessel serve bases with elegant obelisks. Under the hall are stored different statues of mythological or famous characters. For a long time, the minster was the burial place of the counts of Bar, princes, abbots, noble families Thirteen headstones with epitaphs call back(remind) the memory(souvenir) of some of them.
Indoors, the building measures 70 metres of the entrance(entry) at the bottom of the apse and 18 metres high. Eight fluted columns with doric capitals(big tops) adorned with consoles amount on bases to labels(claws). Formerly the chorus(choir) was separated from the nave by a rood screen a part(party) of the historiée frieze of which is above the front-door of the small sacristy. The big(great) nave is widely lighted(enlightened) by ten large Gothic windows with a terminal bow(arc) in remplage losangé. The small windows of the side naves are alternately Romance and ogival.
The sideboard(buffet) of organs, placed above the main entrance, is supported(born) by two caryatids. The lateral pipes(tips) support ducales crowns. This sideboard(buffet) of organs which matters(counts) among the most old(former) of France is the work of François Molet and was built from 1679 till 1681 on the initiative of dom Hennezon, abbot of the abbey, native of Saint-Mihiel (died in 1689). Big(Great) organs, the first factor(mailman) of which was Jean Adam have 38 games(sets), 3 keyboards and a crankset.

September 2026

Freie Entdeckung der Abtei Saint-Michel

Free discovery of the Saint-Michel abbey church

Scoperta libera dell'abbazia di Saint-Michel

Découverte libre de L'abbatiale Saint-Michel

Descubrimiento libre de la abadía de Saint-Michel

September 2026