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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Nicolas chapel of Saint-Nabor, located in the Lower Rhine in the Grand East region, was built between 1150 and 1180 as an outbuilding of the Sainte-Marie Abbey of Niedermunster. It replaced a primitive chapel founded around 700 by Saint Odile, and served as a hospice for pilgrims travelling to Mount Sainte-Odile or the Abbey of Hohenbourg. Equipped with a small bell tower and surrounded by a protective wall, it had a modest rectangular plan (14.6 m x 5.7 m) with a unique vaulted nave in a broken cradle.

The chapel was destroyed in 1838, then classified as a historical monument in 1846, allowing its reconstruction to be identical between 1848 and 1850 under the direction of architects Ed. Cron and Émile Boeswillwald. Its architectural particularity lies in its two superimposed choirs: the lower choir, dedicated to Saint Michael, and the upper choir, dedicated to Saint Martin, accessible by side stairs. This double level, rare for the time, reflects its use both liturgical and hospitable.

Inside, the chapel houses a 16th century pink sandstone funerary slab (circa 1512), decorated with Eucharistic symbols (calice, hostia) and an inscription. This stone, probably that of a pre-demonstrated monk, bears witness to the lasting link between the site and local religious communities. Today, the chapel is managed by an association and remains a remarkable example of Alsatian Romanesque architecture, preserved thanks to its careful restoration in the 19th century.

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