Mont Sainte Odile

A popular place of pilgrimage

Dedicated to Alsace's patron saint, Mont Sainte-Odile is a site visited both by pilgrims who come here to pay their respects and by tourists attracted by the incredible view offered from its peak, situated at an altitude of 763 m. Most of the buildings here date from the 17th century, and a number of chapels are older.

A church and four chapels

The site is home to a church and four chapels:

• The convent church, which was rebuilt in 1687, displaying the rather defensive and bulky architecture so typical of mountain churches. Here, visitors can admire a superb marquetry "Way of the Cross" produced in 1934 by Charles Spindler.

• The Chapel of the Cross (11th century) which is the convent's oldest chapel. It contains the cenotaph of Saint Odile's parents Adalric and Bereswinde.

• The Chapel of St Odile, which is the focal point of any pilgrimage here, as it contains the relics of St Odile, stored in a stone sarcophagus dating from the eighth century.

• The Chapel of Tears with its sandstone block in the centre of the chapel, which it is said bears the marks of the tears of Odile who wept for the salvation of her father's soul.

• The Chapel of the Angels (12th century). In days gone by, the chapel was also a pilgrimage site for young women hoping to get married.