Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay

The Abbey Church of Eberbach and the Idea of a ‘Bernardine’ Cistercian Architecture

Recent scholarship challenges the traditional view that Cistercian architecture flourished under Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153) and declined afterward, instead proposing that architectural austerity, now emblematic of the Order, emerged as a defining feature in the later 12th century at Eberbach Abbey. While earlier research by Hanno Hahn suggested two distinct construction phases—one influenced by Burgundian models like Fontenay and Clairvaux, and another reflecting local traditions—the latter phase, post-Bernard, emphasized austerity aligned with monastic ideals. This study argues that the search for monastic identity in the later 12th century, rather than Bernard’s influence, shaped Eberbach’s architectural character, offering a new perspective on Cistercian design evolution.