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All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Grand-Est
  4. Bas-Rhin
  5. 67207 Niederhausbergen

  6. Chapelle Saint-Sava du Fort Foch, former Fort Kronprinz, currently Faculty of Primatology

Chapelle Saint-Sava du Fort Foch, former Fort Kronprinz, currently Faculty of Primatology à Niederhausbergen dans le Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin

Chapelle Saint-Sava du Fort Foch, former Fort Kronprinz, currently Faculty of Primatology

    Chemin du Fort Foch
    67207 Niederhausbergen
Photo de Chapelle Saint-Sava du Fort Foch, former Fort Kronprinz, currently Faculty of Primatology
Crédit photo : Setec - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1900
2000
1872–1875
Construction of Fort Kronprinz
22 mars–11 avril 1944
Achievements of the frescoes of Saint-Sava
13 avril 1944
Opening of the chapel
1953
Ammunition explosion
1972
Civilian reconversion
1990
Historical Monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Supports and paintings of the chapel of Saint-Sava, on the first level of the north-east wing and the reading room on the ground floor of the north-east wing (Box 4 272, 275): inscription by order of 4 May 1990

Key figures

Hans Alexis von Biehler - Prussian military engineer Manufacturer of the fort type.
Pavle Vasić - Serbian painter and art historian Author of the sketches of the frescoes.
Stanislav Belozanski - Serbian painter and scenographer Directed the execution of the paintings.
Peter Bingulac - Music teacher Directed the choir at the inauguration.

Origin and history

Fort Foch, originally called Feste Kronprinz (1873–1919), is a German Biehler fortification built between 1872 and 1875 within the framework of the Strasbourg defensive belt, after the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine. Designed by Hans Alexis von Biehler, it illustrates the Prussian strategy of "strong detachments", aimed at protecting the city with a discontinuous enclosure of 14 forts (out of 36 planned). Made obsolete by the breaking powders in 1885, these structures were often converted into military depots.

During World War II, the fort served as a prison for Yugoslav officers (majorly Serbian). In 1944, these prisoners decorated an Orthodox chapel dedicated to Saint Sava, inspired by Serbian medieval monasteries. Created between 22 March and 11 April 1944 under the direction of painters Pavle Vasić and Stanislav Belozanski, the frescoes were inaugurated on 13 April in the presence of a choir led by Peter Bingalac, founder of the Belgrade Academy of Music. This place, a witness of faith and resistance, is now considered a "place of memory" of war.

Damaged in 1953 by the explosion of ammunition (6 dead), the fort was transferred in 1972 to the Ministry of National Education. Since then, it has housed the Primatology Centre of the University of Strasbourg, where primates live on semi-freedom. Two powder shops also host scientific collections from the School and Observatory of Earth Sciences. The chapel Saint-Sava, classified as a Historical Monument in 1990 for its paintings, remains an artistic and historical symbol unique in Alsace.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum