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Origin and history

The abbey of Neubourg, founded in 1133 by monks from the abbey of Lucelle (High Rhine), was established as the Monastery of Our Lady of Neubourg. His first abbot, Ulrich, from the Burgundy nobility, died in 1147 and was buried there. Count Reinbold of Lutzelburg, benefactor of the monastery, offered land and a chapel at Harthouse (Hagenau) before dying in 1150, also buried in the abbey. The monks, autonomous builders, also participated in the foundation of Maulbronn Abbey in Germany.

The abbey housed one of the richest libraries in Europe in the Middle Ages, attracting according to the tradition of Saint Bernard. During the Peasant War (1525), it was looted by insurgents from neighbouring counties, many of whom died in the battles of Lupstein and the Saverne massacre. The French Revolution sealed its end: the monks were scattered, the buildings destroyed, leaving only an ogival chapel, demolished in 1846.

Among the remaining remains are the monumental gate (1744), stables, and a mill dated 1754. Architectural elements were re-used elsewhere, such as the Abeille Fountain in Haguenau or the pulpit of the Saint-Nicolas church. All ruins, including enclosures and archaeological soils, have been protected since 1990. The archives mention few monks, except Ulrich and Abbé Nendung (1153–1178), third superior of Neubourg.

The abbey illustrates the Cistercian influence in Alsace, marked by seigneurial gifts, an autarchic monastic life, and a progressive destruction linked to conflict and secularization. Its stones, scattered in local buildings, still bear witness to its past radiance.

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