Obersteigen Chapel

As early as 1215, Augustinian canons settled in this monastery, where the church and chapel, built in the 13th century, blend Romanesque and Gothic styles. The building, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, has retained its original appearance despite a restoration in 1849. Inside, a 1.15-meter-high limewood statue of the Virgin and Child still shows traces of red, blue, green, and yellow polychromy. A symbol of Obersteigen, this 14th-century work reflects the spiritual importance of the site, which was also a strategic lookout post against heretics. The octagonal choir, inspired by that of Aachen, was built by Cistercian workers, experts in construction. The bottle-shaped windows, acting as a sundial, projected images at fixed hours. Classified as a historic monument since 1844, the chapel was also a place of power: 34 German kings sat there over seven centuries, under a sunbeam shining directly on the throne. A discreet curiosity near the choir: two carved snails, symbols of immortality. Abandoned by the canons in the 14th century, it became a branch of Wangenbourg, protected by thick walls against raiders attracted by the salt route. Today, its calm contrasts with its tumultuous past.