Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey

Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey (aka "Hohenburg Abbey") was founded by Adalrich, Duke of Alsace, around 690. First abbess of the nunnery was his daughter Sainte Odile (aka "Odile of Alsace"), who by now is the patron saint of the Alsace, making the abbey today to a place of pilgrimage in the area. Second abbess of the monastery btw was Adalrich´s grand daughter Eugenia. Early nunneries often are family affairs e.g. Freckenhorst, Gandersheim..

The monastery got damaged, destroyed and looted a couple of times. After the French Revolution it got sold - and finally in 1853 the catholics of the Alsace had collected enough money, to buy it back - and present the buildings to the Bishop of Strassburg.

Only a few structures of the monastery, constructed within the 12th century after the older buildings burnt down, have survived the times.

One that still exists after more than 800 years is the baptistry (aka "Holy Cross Chapel"). This room is dominated by this massive central pillar. This is the capital of this central pillar. The very geometric floral decorations and vines remind a bit on the tympanon in Murbach (60kms south), but the four heads on the corners seem kind of "rough".


Left in a niche (barely to be seen on the photo) is the sarcophag of Adalrich and his wife Bereswinde.