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Origin and history

The Chapel of the Cordeliers of Saarburg, located in the department of Moselle (Great East), was built in the 3rd quarter of the 13th century by the Franciscan brothers, called Cordeliers because of their rope belt. Set up in 1266 in the city centre, they established a convent where the chapel became a place of worship until 1792. The French Revolution marked a turning point: the convent was converted to barracks and the chapel to stables, before becoming a place of prayer for Protestant soldiers again during the German annexation of 1870.

In the 20th century, the chapel had several vocations: museum for the Society of History and Archaeology (1927–1970), then tourist office after the demolition of the former barracks (1955–1972). To fill the opening left by this destruction, the city commanded Marc Chagall a monumental window (12 m × 7.5 m), entitled Peace, installed in 1976. Produced by Simon Marq workshops in Reims, this 900 kg window became the emblematic element of the site, today the starting point of a course dedicated to the artist.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 1992, the chapel illustrates the metamorphoses of a religious building: from Franciscan worship to military occupation, then to heritage valorization. Its choir and remains of the convent, protected, recall its turbulent history, while the stained glass of Chagall makes it a symbol of peace and reconciliation. The chapel now belongs to the municipality of Sarrebourg and remains open to the public.

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