Founded at the beginning of the 11th century, the Saint-Martin-du-Canigou abbey celebrated its millennium in 2009. This abbey nestled in the heart of the Canigou massif was founded thanks to the will and the action of a large family. It is located at 3,461 feet (1,055 meters) above sea level, near the town of Casteil in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. A communal road connects the abbey to the village and allows the ascent to reach it with restricted car traffic. The abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou is a jewel of the first southern Romanesque art, an art specific to the western part of the Mediterranean which would have appeared at the beginning of the 11th century, and which is characterized by its techniques and by the particularity of its wall decor.