Murbach Abbey

About

The abbey of Murbach is located in Alsace, at the bottom of the Vosges valley of Guebwiller after the commune of Buhl, where a junction leads to the valley of Murbach. From this site are visible the two tall sandstone towers, remains of a famous Romanesque abbey. On the keystone of the entrance porch are the Prince Abbé's weapons: the silver hound once called the "Murbach dog" by the inhabitants of the area. The abbey was among the richest and most influential in the Holy Roman Empire. The abbey has been classified as historical monuments since 1841.

Origins: The abbey of Murbach was founded in 727 by Count Eberhard of Eguisheim, nephew of Saint Odile and powerful lord who had just lost his only heir. He called for Saint Pirmin, who had already founded or organized many monasteries, including Reichenau. According to the chronicle of the monk and scholar Hermann Contract, Pirmin came to Murbach accompanied by twelve monks from Reichenau. It seems, however, that Pirmin organized in Murbach a small community of monks, established since the beginning of the seventh century in Bergholtzzell. The abbey...