Mont Sainte-Odile

Monastery on Mount Sainte-Odile

Mont Sainte-Odile (also St. Mount Sainte-Odile, French Mont Sainte -Odile ) rises in Alsace near the villages of Obernai and Barr (Department Bas- Rhin) on the eastern edge of the Vosges Mountains at an altitude of 763 m above the Upper Rhine, and is of a monastery crowned.

Heidenmauer

To the slopes of the mountain stretches around the so-called pagan wall (French: mur païen ), a more than 10 km long defensive wall, which was held for prehistoric long. Recent studies ( dendrochronology and after the C14 method) of retrieved oak clamps that hold the stones of the wall were connected, dated this doubt n in the last quarter of the seventh or the beginning 8th century AD, may come from a repair phase, because such a late date, in Christian and not in pagan times, was not yet seriously considered. Still, the important dating questions are completely open, a Franco-German group of experts concerned with the evaluation of all findings. In the planned progress of the exploration and excavations will bring further insights on the origin and military, civil or cultic function of the pagan wall.

On the hill and in the region, there are numerous Celtic products. From the Roman era, the Roman gate is obtained.

Monastery

The monastery was built in the 7th century by Odilia, a daughter of the Frankish Duke Eticho in the High Castle, which had been left to her by her father for this purpose. The place was used as a convent until the Middle Ages and later, after the holy Odilia, founder of the convent and the patron saint of Alsace, named. The abbess Herrad of Landsberg († 1195) wrote there the artistically valuable Christian Encyclopedia Hortus Deliciarum. Premonstratensian canons led the house on after it was deserted with time and built it into a place of pilgrimage. After the French Revolution the monastery was bought back in 1853 by the Bishop of Strasbourg Räss Andreas and enlivened the pilgrimage again. Initially the monastery was taken over by Franciscans, now lives there is a convent of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

From the 12th century Romanesque monastery newly built complex only a few remains have survived. For this, the Chapel of the Cross is one of the cloister with burly center column, which carries a groin vault, and the tears and angel chapel, the last two of lying around the monastery chapels. In the northern cloister wing is still a picture pillars dating from the 3rd quarter of the 12th century depicting the transfer of the deed of gift by Duke Eticho to the holy. Odilia (left), the monastic consecration by the abbesses Relindis and Herrad (right) and St.. Bishop Leger on the front.

Odile is now the most important pilgrimage site in Alsace. The monastery church conducts seminars and maintains a hotel operation.

Environment

The massif of Mont Sainte-Odile is equipped with a number of ruins: Birch Rock, Three stone, hail castle, Landsberg and the " Ottrotter Castles" Lützelburg and Rathsamhausen. At the foot of the mountain there is also the ruins of the monastery founded by Odilia Niedermünster. As a hostel for pilgrims also served the monastery Truttenhausen.

Plane crash

The crash of an Airbus A320 Air Inter on 20 January 1992 near the Mont Sainte-Odile 87 people were killed. Nine people survived the accident. The crash site is located south of the Mont Sainte-Odile in the neighboring mountain " La Bloss " (height 826 m). As a cause of the crash the confusing instrument panel comes into consideration. Due to the confusing layout of the operating switch, the pilots were led to an erroneous maneuver. However, a lawsuit against Airbus ended with six acquittals.

Photographs

Wall paintings of the crucifixion of Jesus in the cloister

Sarcophagus of Saint Odilia in the grave chapel

Station of the Cross

Mosaics in the chapel

Exterior of the Church

Interior of the church

Heidenmauer

Grotto of Druides in Heidenmauer