CAEN’S TWIN ABBEYS: A Royal Scandal Set in Stone

CAEN’S TWIN ABBEYS: A Royal Scandal Set in Stone

Did you know that two of Normandy’s most iconic abies were born out of a royal scandal? We are Anton and these are William the Conqueror and Queen Matil Deflond. Their marriage forbidden by the church for being distant cousins was only pardoned after they vowed to build two abies in the city of Kong. This is how Abbeayo Zum founded by William and the Abbeo dam founded by Matild came to be. Work on Santienne. The mansabi began in 1066, the same year William set sail to conquer England. His tomb still remains here under a simple marble slab after centuries of turmoil and desegration. Across the city, Matil’s abi dedicated to the holy trinity is calmer, more refined, and bathed in light. Her tomb lies beneath a black marble slab in the choir, preserved through wars and revolutions. Beneath the church, the crypt still survives, once holding relics venerated by the Benedicting nuns. Both abbies evolved over time. Gothic towers, classical closters, and new civic roles. One being the town hall and the other the regional council. Different in spirit yet forever linked, the twin abies of Kong tell a story of love, faith, and redemption carved in stone. But to learn more about this royal legacy, check out the full episode on our

Did you know that Caen’s two great abbeys were born from a royal scandal? William the Conqueror and Queen Mathilde of Flanders built the Abbaye aux Hommes and Abbaye aux Dames to earn the Church’s pardon for their forbidden marriage. Their tombs, crypts, and centuries of history still echo through Normandy’s stone walls. Discover with us how love, faith, and power shaped these timeless monuments.

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