Shortly before the year 1000, an active religious life developed in Payerne, supported by the royal family of Upper Burgundy. Thanks to the Empress Adelaide, daughter of queen Bertha, the community of Payerne was attached to the great Benedictine monastery of Cluny in France.
A large church was constructed in the 11th century A.D. At the request of priors like Pierre Vincent de Poligny or Jean de Grailly, it was embellished and transformed over the centuries.
In 1536, the Reform struck Payerne and the monastery was closed. In the long following period, the monument was used for different civil purposes.
The interest in the Abbey Church redeveloped only at the end of the 19th century. The building was listed as a historic monument in 1900 and underwent several restorations in the 20th and 21st century.
