Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Hydulphe Abbey of the Middle Sea, founded around 671 by Saint Hydulphe, was one of the first Benedictine monasteries of the Vosges. First hermitage, it became a prosperous abbey under the protection of the kings of Austrasia and Charlemagne. His influence extended thanks to miracles, such as the healing of Saint Odile, and gifts such as those of the Duke of Alsace Etichon-Adalric, who offered lands in Alsace.

In the 9th century, the abbey was looted by Hungarians and transformed into a chapter of secular canons. It was reborn in the 10th century under the impetus of Abbé Adalbert, who restored the Benedictine rule, canonized Saint Hydulphus and rebuilt the buildings. The library, founded in 950, became a major intellectual center, housing rare manuscripts such as the purple Evangeliar or the Epinal Glossary, considered the first "European dictionary".

Under the Dukes of Lorraine, the abbey experienced great periods (XI–XII centuries) and crises, such as conflicts with its confessors, the Sires of Haute-Pierre, or the plague. In the 17th century, the Congregation of Saint-Vanne and Saint-Hydulphe, led by Dom Calmet, revived the community. The cultural climax took place under Abbé Humbert Belhomme (1705–27), who rebuilt the abbey, enriched the library (11,000 volumes) and founded an academy of sciences.

The third abbey, built between 1767 and 1776 by architect Ambrose Pierson, is a Baroque jewel in Lorraine. Classified as a Historical Monument, it was spared by the Revolution, but its monks left the site in 1791. In the 19th century, it was transformed into a textile mill, employing up to 800 workers. The communal buildings, partially destroyed, were bought by the municipality in 1989. Since 2016, French-style gardens and restorations have restored the site to its brilliance.

Today, the baroque abbey, with its 17th century stalls, its classified organ and its reliquaries, coexist with the industrial remains. The library, waiting for restoration, and the gardens recall its double monastic and labor heritage. The site, currently being converted, could host a museum and cultural spaces, while preserving the memory of its 1,300 years of history.

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