Destruction and reconstruction

The period of peace was interrupted by two events. At the end of the 9th century Stavelot lost its position as a stepping stone to power; this position was usurped by various bishoprics. The abbey suffered during the Norman invasions, which led monks to flee Stavelot, carrying treasures and relics away with them. The abbey was sacked and burned, and further depredations were to follow. The situation was so serious that the abbot Odilon decided to tear down the old church, after having built a new and larger one. Despite its large size, this second abbey church was soon insufficient to handle the number of pilgrims, more and more numerous, who were visiting in order to worship the relics of Saint Remacle. In 1033 the abbot Poppon opened up a large construction site: the old church would be torn down and again an even larger one would be built. Once the work was finished, a policy regarding artistic acquisitions would be employed to restore the former splendour of the abbey. In the centuries to come the abbey would be often damaged and just as often reconstructed or restored. During the 16th century the prince-abbot Guillaume de Manderscheidt began construction of a new tower and a château. His successors would extend the work to encompass a whole new building, the fourth abbey church.

Wibald and the principality of Stavelot-Malmedy

Wibald, an important figure in the Europe of his time, was elected abbot in 1130. He took advantage of a favourable general trend during the 12th century, and worked on  transforming the institution of the abbey into an actual principality. This involved obtaining a concession from the emperor concerning county rights (rights of taxation and other powers associated with the domain of a count). The abbot served as a mediator for some of the most powerful men of his day, and also profited from the favourable economic climate to commission numerous works of art for the abbey, real masterpieces of Mosan art that today are exhibited in the world’s greatest museums. In 1994, archaeological excavations allowed the discovery of many remnants of the previous abbey churches, and Wibald’s tomb was also discovered.

From abandonment to reconversion: a cultural and museum centre

The French Revolution ended the powers of the principality and the abbey. It was abandoned by the religious; the remaining buildings were ransacked and subsequently left to deteriorate. The properties would pass through several hands before being purchased in 1995 by the Walloon Region, which invested 12 million euros in a restoration project that would feature the reconversion of the site into a cultural centre. Between 1999 and 2002 the entire group of buildings was given the status of a historical monument and all were renovated. A Museum of History of the Principality of Stavelot, a museum dedicated to the Francorchamps auto racing circuit and a museum devoted to the poet Guillaume Apollinaire were built. “The necessity of bringing the site back to life, combined with the possibility of developing the site as a centre of cultural life, made this investment necessary. It was useless to wait for a private investor to act. Today, the buildings are preserved, but in addition the work of repair and restoration has been carried out in a manner that is completely visible and reversible, which allows researchers of the current period to continue their work on site and to see the original arrangements of the buildings. As a historian, I am quite convinced that Stavelot is a model, which stands among the most successful museum projects to be found anywhere,” stated Christophe Masson.