Loyal readers with good memories will recall that way back in August, there is a post called "First Sister". Now, nine weeks later, we took Nana to see another of the "Three Sisters of Provence" Cistercian abbeys, Abbaye de Silvacane. It was founded and built between 1175 and 1220. As a reminder, the Cistercian order was a reaction to the excesses of certain Benedictines. Therefore, the buildings are austere - without ornament or creature comforts.
Silvacane is no longer a functioning abbey, rather an historical site. Thus, the church is completely empty, which makes it feel melancholy. The stonework of the entire church complex has been restored - including the cloister, dormitory, parlour (the room where the monks were allowed to talk), etc. Again, only the stonework is restored - there are no beds or anything in the dorm, no shelves nor books in the library, and no water running through the irrigation system. On the plus side, it makes it easier to appreciate the minimal decorations and the construction of the complex. Perhaps the highlight of the trip (at least for the boys) was the one functioning fountain, a long cistern containing a school of goldfish.
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