Saint-Vaast Abbey

The Abbey of Saint-Vaast was founded in 667 on La Madeleine hill, a place the holy Vaast used for his retreats. The monastic community adhered to the Benedictine Rule and formed the origin of the surrounding settlement. In 783, a fire destroyed the monastery, after which Charlemagne ordered its reconstruction. Three churches were built, the largest of which was consecrated to Saint-Vaast. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Annales Vedastini were written in the abbey. In the 18th century, the dilapidated abbey was restored by Vigor de Briois and Cardinal Rohan. After the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte made the abbey church available to the Bishop of Arras as the new cathedral, as the old Notre-Dame Cathedral had also fallen into disrepair. During World War I, in July 1915, the abbey was destroyed during the fighting for the city, including the monastic library. After the war, the abbey was faithfully rebuilt.

Today, the Abbey of Saint-Vaast houses the administrative headquarters of the Pas-de-Calais department. Part of the abbey is also used by the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Arras, which has been closed since December 2023 for renovations and is expected to reopen in 2030.