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.

This is the second mystic strange carving on the southern tower, about the relationship between humans and animals. This one is even more mysterious.

Two goats and a hanged man.

The beam of the gallow is rather long, probably this was a "public gallow". A few of these gallows still exist. Here is one in Germany:

www.flickr.com/photos/gummiteufelchen/3360089792/


The hands of the hanged man are obviously enchained behind his back, his neck is broken, the face is horiziontal. His life has definitely ended. Are the two goats on his sides trying to cut him off the gallow? Are they climbing up? Or are the two goats dancing and playing with the corpse? Or are the two goats delegates of the devil, who is very often connected to goats (and even often has goat feet). Then the goats are trying to carry the poor soul - to hell.


"Hang down you head......poor boy you are bound to die"