Abbaye-aux-Hommes - Église St-Étienne

The very impressive abbey of Caen was during the Allied invasion in June 1944 the refuge for thousands of residents of Caen. Here hided the residents for the horrific bombings. To prevent the abbey would be bombed, they hang a large flag with the red cross sign on it, on the outside of the abbey. The church Église St-Etienne, who belongs to the abbey, was founded by William the Conqueror. In 1066 the construction began and in 1077 it was consecrated and Lanfranc was the first abbot. In the church is a memorial on the location where the tomb of William the Conqueror stood. The church was plundered in the 16th century by the Hugenots. They took the tomb and the remainings of William the Conquerer was spread out over different locations. The only thing still in this church of William the Conqueror, is his thigh.