Murbach - Abbaye de Murbach

The Murbach Abbey was founded 727 by Eberhard d'Eguisheim, nephew of St. Odile (of Alsace) and Saint Pirmin, abbot of Mittelzell Abbey at Reichenau Island (Lake Constance), who established the "Regula Benedicti" here.

The Murbach Abbey was founded 727 by Eberhard d'Eguisheim, nephew of St. Odile (of Alsace) and Saint Pirmin, abbot of Mittelzell Abbey at Reichenau Island (Lake Constance), who established the "Regula Benedicti" here.

The abbey prospered, got pretty wealthy and gained some political importance. Even Charlemagne hold the title of a laic "abbot of Murbach for three years.

This good times ended in 936, when the Hungarians invaded the Alsace and destroyed the abbey. The abbey recovered over the next centuries, but ended, after the benedictian rule was given up, as a collegiate for a nobel clientel in the 18th century, existing up to the French Revolution.

The abbey-church, constructed around 1150 got consecrated 1216 and dedicated to Saint Leger. The three original naves got knocked down 1738, to give room for a (then very trendy) baroque church, that never got built. Since 1760 it serves as a parish church of the village, what did not prevent it from getting devasted by rioters during the French Revolution. So all still existing are the transept and the choir.


There are many very artistic carvings. I uploaded photos of earlier visits, so now I´ll only add, what was left out so far.

One of two very mystic carvings on the southern tower, about the relationship between humans and animals. Hare and hunter.

On the left the hare. Either the hare is holding a very long snake (then a large part of this is weathered), or the hare is using a wind instrument. It is not an early saxopohone, as that was invented by Mr. Sax a couple of centuries later.

Let say, the hare is triumphing over the hunter by blowing that horn. The hunter is lying (probably dead) on the ground. The horn used for giving hunting signals is still around his neck. It may be - as well - that this is not a horn, but a trap. That would mean the hunter is trapped - by the hare!

I have seen some two hare vs hunter stories before this one.

In Conque hares barbecue a hunter:
www.flickr.com/photos/jaufre-rudel/2970803661/

In Koenigslutter hares enchain a hunter:
www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4306849868/