Our collective intention is to safeguard the Cistercian Heritage
Ruled by a simple Declaration of Principles, the network is coordinated by the Cistercian Order (Casa Generalizia, Italy) and the Monastery of Alcobaça (Portugal)
We want to guarantee the conservation and sustainability of the Cistercian heritage
The European Network of Cistercian Heritage has the collective intention of better serving the cause of safeguarding the Cistercian Heritage, which is dedicated to promoting technical and scientific dialogue between institutions, organizations and individuals, developing debate and synergies, as well as promoting actions to support knowledge, preservation and communication of heritage, through the creation of partnerships and the development of cooperative projects.
Bringing different projects and site management models into contact in order to maximize the resources of each one, it seeks to act as a forum for meetings, discussion and development of joint projects between participating institutions and owners, with a a special concern regarding management: how to guarantee the conservation and sustainability of this heritage in the contemporary world.
Monastery of Alcobaça
Portugal
Monastery of Poblet
Spain
Fountains Abbey
United Kingdom
Herkenrode Abbey
Belgium
Monastery of Lafões
Portugal
Monastery of Padise
Estonia
Abbazia di Morimondo
Italy
Monastery of Oia
Spain
Our Logo
Created by the portuguese designer 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐬 [𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧], this beautiful simple star evoques the universal principles and characteristics present in the spirituality and aesthetics of the cistercians art (such as, by exemple, Unity in diversity, simplicity, universal love, holistic beauty, pure light, peace, cooperation, solidarity, fraternity, spirit of mutual help and respect, humanity) and transmites the idea of a network, bringing together people, communities and sites from all Europe, united for one porpuse and one porpuse only: the cause of cistercian Heritage safeguarding. It evoques also the beatiful metaphore created by Mr. Jean-François Leroux in the 90’s, that compares the implementation of cistercian abbeys in Europe to a constelation of stars in the sky.