Saint-Trophime Abbey Church

The Saint-Trophime Abbey Church in Eschau, classified as a historic monument since 1898, is the oldest surviving Romanesque church in Alsace. It embodies early Romanesque art with a sober and refined elegance, inherited from its 11th-century construction. A remnant of a flourishing Benedictine abbey from the Middle Ages, it was a pilgrimage site dedicated to Saint Sophia and Saint Trophimus until it was partially destroyed during the French Revolution.

The building is distinguished by its clean lines and apparent solidity. Outside, only the apse features fine decorative arcades. Inside, the nave, long for a Romanesque church, is covered with timbered ceilings, while the aisles open onto six arches supported by square pillars. The high windows, added in the 14th century during the building's elevation, let in soft light. The apse, vaulted in a cul-de-four style, and the central choir stained glass window depicting Christ in Majesty, testify to medieval art. This stained glass, probably from the former Dominican church in Strasbourg, symbolizes Christ's universal kingship.

Among the remarkable elements is the early 14th-century sandstone reliquary that housed the relics of Saint Sophia until the Revolution. These relics, gifted by Pope Adrian I, disappeared during that period, but a new reliquary was donated by the pope in 1938. In the left transept, a polychrome statue of Saint Sophia surrounded by her three daughters, Faith, Hope, and Charity, also draws attention.

The organ, installed in the gallery in 1816 by Michel Stiehr and restored in 1969 by Alfred Kern, completes the ensemble. Traces of carmine red polychromy, discovered during restoration work, reveal that the church was once painted according to medieval customs.

The remains of a 12th-century cloister, whose sculpted capitals depict scenes from sacred history, were uncovered in the 19th century. These elements, now reconstructed, are displayed at the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame in Strasbourg. Finally, the monastic garden, located opposite the church, evokes the life of the Benedictine nuns who lived there for over seven centuries.