Hohenburg Abbey
Encyclopedia
Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey, also known as Hohenburg Abbey, is a nunnery, situated on the Odilienberg, the most famous of the Vosges
mountains in Alsace
., which is better known today as Mont Sainte-Odile
.
by Saint Ottilia
, who also was its first abbess
. On the eastern slope of the Odilienberg she built a hospice called Niedermünster or Nieder-Hohenburg, which afterwards became a house for ladies of nobility and was destroyed by lightning in 1572.
Originally Hohenburg seems to have been occupied by Benedictine nuns who were replaced by canonesses
in the 11th century. In the first half of the 12th century it began to decline, but its discipline was restored by Abbess Relindis of Bergen
near Neuburg
on the Danube
, who became abbess of Hohenburg in about 1140. During her rule Hohenburg became famous for its strict discipline as well as the great learning of its nuns.
She was succeeded in 1167 by Herrade of Landsberg, under whose rule the fame of Hohenburg continued to increase. She built the Premonstratensian
monastery of Saint Gorgo on the slope of the mountain in 1178, and the Augustinian monastery of Truttenhausen at its foot. Herrade was the author of Hortus deliciarum
, a collection of short treatises on theology, astronomy, philosophy, and other branches of learning, also containing some original Latin poems with musical accompaniment, and some beautiful drawings. (The work was destroyed at the conflagration of the Strasbourg
library in 1870). One noteworthy tradition of the abbey is the production of unicorn
images; illustrations of unicorn hunts were particular to female orders.
Hohenburg Abbey perished by fire in 1546. Some of the nuns returned to their parents, others became Protestants and married.
In 1661, Hohenburg was rebuilt and occupied by Premonstratensian
s. During the French Revolution
it was confiscated by the government and sold as national property in 1791. Andreas Räss
, Bishop of Strasbourg, purchased the buildings in 1853 for his diocese.
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
mountains in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
., which is better known today as Mont Sainte-Odile
Mont Sainte-Odile
Mont Sainte-Odile is a 760 m peak of the Vosges Mountains in Alsace in France. The mountain is named for Saint Odile...
.
History
It was founded about 690690
Year 690 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 690 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Beginning of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty in China...
by Saint Ottilia
Odile
St Odile of Alsace is a saint venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, although according to the current liturgical calendar her feastday is not officially commemorated. She is a patroness of good eyesight.She was the daughter of Etichon , Duke of Alsace. She was born blind...
, who also was its first abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
. On the eastern slope of the Odilienberg she built a hospice called Niedermünster or Nieder-Hohenburg, which afterwards became a house for ladies of nobility and was destroyed by lightning in 1572.
Originally Hohenburg seems to have been occupied by Benedictine nuns who were replaced by canonesses
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
in the 11th century. In the first half of the 12th century it began to decline, but its discipline was restored by Abbess Relindis of Bergen
Bergen, Neuburg
Bergen is a village near Neuburg an der Donau, in Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, in Oberbayern, in Bavaria. The place is known locally as Baring. It is part of the municipality of Neuburg an der Donau.-Sights:...
near Neuburg
Neuburg
Neuburg can refer to:* Neuburg an der Donau, a town in the state of Bavaria, Germany* Neuburg an der Kammel, a town in the district of Günzburg, Bavaria, Germany* Neuburg am Inn, a town in the district of Passau, Bavaria, Germany...
on the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, who became abbess of Hohenburg in about 1140. During her rule Hohenburg became famous for its strict discipline as well as the great learning of its nuns.
She was succeeded in 1167 by Herrade of Landsberg, under whose rule the fame of Hohenburg continued to increase. She built the Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
monastery of Saint Gorgo on the slope of the mountain in 1178, and the Augustinian monastery of Truttenhausen at its foot. Herrade was the author of Hortus deliciarum
Hortus deliciarum
Hortus deliciarum is a medieval manuscript compiled by Herrad of Landsberg at the Hohenburg Abbey in Alsace, better known today as Mont Sainte-Odile. It was an illuminated encyclopedia, begun in 1167 as a pedagogical tool for young novices at the convent. It is the first encyclopedia that was...
, a collection of short treatises on theology, astronomy, philosophy, and other branches of learning, also containing some original Latin poems with musical accompaniment, and some beautiful drawings. (The work was destroyed at the conflagration of the Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
library in 1870). One noteworthy tradition of the abbey is the production of unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
images; illustrations of unicorn hunts were particular to female orders.
Hohenburg Abbey perished by fire in 1546. Some of the nuns returned to their parents, others became Protestants and married.
In 1661, Hohenburg was rebuilt and occupied by Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
s. During the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
it was confiscated by the government and sold as national property in 1791. Andreas Räss
Andreas Räss
André Raess was an Alsatian Catholic Bishop of Strasbourg.-Life:...
, Bishop of Strasbourg, purchased the buildings in 1853 for his diocese.