Ardenne Abbey

Ardenne Abbey

Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ardenne
Monastery information
Full name	Abbey of Our Lady of Ardenne
Order	Premonstratensian
Denomination	Catholic
Established	1121
Disestablished	1789
Mother house	La Lucerne Abbey
Dedicated to	Mary, mother of Jesus
Consecrated	1138
Diocese	Bayeux
Controlled churches	Dependent priories in Hérouville-Saint-Clair, Saint-Martin-des-Besaces, Lion-sur-Mer and 12 parishes
People
Founder(s)	Ayulphe & Asseline du Marché
Architecture
Heritage designation	Monument historique
Designated date	1911
Style	French Gothic
Groundbreaking	1121 (1121)
Completion date	1766 (1766)
Site
Location	Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe, Calvados, Normandy
Country	France
Coordinates	49°11′47″N 0°24′50″W / 49.1965°N 0.4139°W / 49.1965; -0.4139
Website	www.imec-archives.com/l-abbaye-d-ardenne/
Monument historique
Official name	Ancienne abbaye d'Ardenne
Type	Église
Designated	1911
Reference no.	PA00111675

The Abbey of Our Lady of Ardenne (French: Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ardenne), commonly called Ardenne Abbey, is a former Premonstratensian abbey founded in the 12th century and located near Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe in Calvados, near Caen, France. It is now occupied by the Institute of Contemporary Publishing Archives. Several buildings of the abbey have been preserved, including the church. These are protected as historic monuments.^[1]

In June 1944, 18 Canadian soldiers were executed at the abbey by members of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. Evidence showed they were shot in the back of the head. The event has become known as the Ardenne Abbey massacre.