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, eg Freckenhorst and 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 vandalized 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.

The church of the Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey, seen here, was constructed after 1687. It got as well severely vandalized during the French Revolution and rebuilt within the 19th century.

The abbey has a nice website - in three languages:
www.odilienberg.net/