What is Cluny?

Cluny was one of the most influential religious centers in the Middle Ages and serves as the inspiration for the Cluny Institute's mission of cultural renewal and community building.

The Historical Cluny Abbey

Founded in 910 CE in Burgundy, France, the Cluny Abbey grew to become the center of the largest monastic movement in Western Europe. At its height, the Cluny network included over 10,000 monks across Europe and built the largest church in Christendom prior to the reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

What made Cluny remarkable was not just its size but its cultural impact. The Cluniac monks were known for their commitment to beauty in architecture, liturgy, and manuscript illumination. They pioneered agricultural innovations, preserved classical learning, and developed new economic models that served the common good.

Why We Chose the Name "Cluny"

The Cluny Institute draws inspiration from this historical legacy in several ways:

• Building the Real - Like the original Cluny, we are committed to creating tangible, beautiful institutions that serve human flourishing.
• Community - Cluny Abbey thrived through networks of relationships and mutual support, a model we seek to emulate in our events and programs.
• Cultural Renewal - The original Cluny was a catalyst for widespread cultural and economic renewal during a challenging historical period.
• Innovation - The Cluniac monks were innovators who adapted ancient wisdom to new challenges, just as we seek to develop new models for a humane economy.

Cluny's Legacy Today

Today, the Cluny Institute carries forward this legacy by bringing together people committed to building a more humane economy through our events, educational programs, and community initiatives. We believe that, like the original Cluny, small communities of dedicated individuals can have an outsized impact on culture and society.

Through our work, we hope to honor the spirit of innovation, beauty, and community that made the original Cluny such a powerful force for good in its time.