The Saint-Philibert abbey of Tournus

Tournus is located at the edge of the Saone on a terrace easy to defend and with the shelter of the risings. Located on great voices of communication, Tournus was already a Roman castrum. In 175, the Romans established a camp strengthened on the site. It is used as relay for the legions and the mails of the Empire. Between 177 and 179, Valérien évangélise in Tournus. The Romans decapitate it. It is then buried with the site of the current crypt of the church and the tomb of the martyr then becomes a place of clandestine meditation for the Christians. In IVème century, they build the first oratory on the tomb of the saint. In VIème century, the king of Burgundy Gontran establishes a monastic community on the spot: it is a monastery of royal foundation not depending on the local powers.

On March 19, 875, the abbey of Saint-Valérien and its dependences as well as the town of Tournus and its castrum are given by the emperor Charles II the Bald person to the community of the monks Benedictines of the Saint-Philibert abbey of Nourmoutier. The monks fled since 836 to protect themselves from the invasions Vikings. In May 875, the monks of Saint-Philibert settle near the monks of Saint-Valérien. They bring the relics of Philibert saint.

The body of Philibert saint is deposited in the chorus, which causes the anger of the partisans of Valérien saint. The problem is regulated by the deposit of the body of Valérien in the crypt.   
A dedication of abbey A place in 1019. On this date the chorus and the transept are probably finished. The building is almost completed at the time of the dedication in 1120. Two turns, one on crossing and the other in the north of the frontage, are then added.

Four Gothic vaults (three in collateral north and one in the south of the déambulatoire) were associated with the remainder. The majority of the conventual buildings date from XI-XIIème centuries. The chapter house was remade in XIIIème century. The current abbey palate is built in XVème century. A college of canons replaces the monks in 1627. The abbey one is restored by the Questel architect between 1845 and 1850. One carries out a cleaning at the beginning of the XXème century. The conventual buildings are also given in State.

http://www.tournugeois.fr/
http://fr.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0003188:
http://architecture.relig.free.fr/tournus.htm:
http://www.art-roman.org/abbaye.php