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.

Placed within the cloister (next to the entrance to the restaurant) is a remaining part of a pillar, delicately carved on three sides. During a post-revolutionary raid it got vandalized in 1793, so all faces are missing.

Saint Leodegar (see the inscription on top of the relief) is a very popular person (Guebwiller, Murbach) in the area. Legend tells, that Saint Leodegar, bishop of Autun, was the brother of Adalrich´s wife Bereswinde, Oldile´s mother. So this is Odile´s uncle.

Odile was born blind (until she got baptised at the age of 12), Saint Leodegar´s eyes were gouged out by torture. So uncle and niece now are patron saints for any kind of eye problems.