Abbey of Marmoutier (Alsace)

See also: Abbey of Marmoutier

The abbey of Marmoutier is an Alsatian abbey 6th century.

History

This abbey, located on the Romance road of Alsace, between Saverne and Wasselonne, was founded towards 589 by Irish monks led by saint Léobard, a disciple of Saint Colomban. This foundation was not possible without the financial assistance of king d' Austrasie, Childebert II which equipped the abbey with large a domaine.
In 724, following a fire, the monastery was restored by Maur, one of its abbots, and was called later Mauri Monasterium , monastery of Maur or Marmoutier
In 728 Saint Pirmin reformed this abbey colombanienne and introduced the rule holy Benoît of Nursie.
Under the impulse of the king Louis the Piles, in 816, Benoit d' Aniane and some monks came to be established there. A second sets fire to having again destroyed it in 824, it was rebuilt and entrusted to Drogon, brother of king Louis the Piles and bishop of Metz. The abbey church was devoted in 971 by Erchenbald, bishop of Strasbourg. It is of this last time and the 11th century that date the splendid frontage of the église.
Very prosperous until the 12th century, it declines during the following centuries marked by the war of the peasants of 1524 and the Guerre Thirty Year old of 1618. The abbey finds prosperity until the Revolution, but its buildings dedicated to the monastic life are destroyed for this period; only the abbey one remains which one can still admire the splendid frontage today.

Structure

The church, on the place of the Market, has a frontage, style romano-Byzantine, with porch open to three arcades and flanked of two square towers; those contain the staircases which, on the 1st floor, lead to a room located above the porch and to the large platform, remains church of the 11th century, and which is used as a basis for the bell-tower (12th century). On the outside of the Northern transept, remainders of a beautiful door of the 12th century. The interior belongs to the ogival style of the 14th century. The chorus was rebuilt at the 18th century, in the ogival style. The windows of the sides, widened in a regrettable way, lost their character of elegance. In the chorus, very beautiful woodworks in oak carved of the 13th century. Against the Western wall of the transept, four tombs of the family of Géroldseck, in the style of last times of the Rebirth.

Sources