"One God, one King, one Faith, one law!" proclaimed William the Conqueror, who received his name for the greatest military campaign which made him a king of England. He also won the heart of the beautiful Matilda of Flanders. Caen keeps a symbol of their forbidden love – the male and female abbeys, located in one straight line with Caen Castle in the middle.

Since the 11th century, the Men's Abbey has preserved the Church of Saint-Etienne and the Ladies' Abbey – the Church of Sainte-Trinite. Both abbeys are home to the tombs: of William I and Matilda. The 9-centuries-old Men's Abbey is still impressive with its size, monumentality, and sharp Gothic spires, that, probably, correctly reflect the nature of William. For example, the story of the conquest of Matilda alone says a lot! At first, she refused him twice: Matilda was high-born, and William was illegitimate. Being in a fever of passion, William suddenly arrived in Bruges (Matilda lived there), met her on the way to church, pulled her out of the carriage, threw her to the ground, and hit her, saying: "Let these bruises remain in your memory as a sign of the bastard's love!" Matilda, captivated by his impertinence and strong feelings, consented to his proposal. The Pope did not approve the marriage because of the proximity of blood (but in fact, he was just afraid of the growing influence of Flanders and England). Although the couple didn`t gain the blessing, they were thrilled! According to written data, the couple lived in Caen Castle in perfect harmony and gave birth to ten children. Matilda died first at the age of 50. It is said that after her death, William lost his mind, spending every day on the grave of his beloved wife.

The cathedral of the female Abbey of Sainte-Trinite is considered a fine example of Norman architecture. There was a Benedictine abbey ruled by Matilda's daughter, Cecilia. It also housed a school that educated both nobility and commoners.

Both abbeys ceased their activity after the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century. Today, they are more like museums and concert halls, and some of the buildings are used as local government offices. There are free guided tours several times a day.