Honcourt Abbey

Honcourt Abbey (French: Abbaye de Honcourt), also known by its German name Hugshofen Abbey and historically as Hugonis Curia in Latin, was a significant Benedictine monastery located near the village of Saint-Martin in the Bas-Rhin department of France. Founded in the year 1000, its establishment marked a new chapter for monastic life in the region, with its spiritual revival bolstered by the introduction of the Hirsau Reform.

History and Significance

The abbey was established on the site of an earlier structure, possibly a castle or hunting lodge, by brothers Count Werner of Ortenbourg and Hugo. Werner was a descendant of the influential Etichonid and Eberhardine families. The monastery received endowments throughout the Villé valley, particularly in Dieffenthal. Under Abbot Theoger of St. George's Abbey, the Hirsau Reform was implemented, ushering in a period of success for Honcourt.

However, the abbey's history was also marked by conflict. In 1473–1474, it was occupied and plundered by the troops of Charles the Bold. A more devastating event occurred in April 1525 during the Peasants' Revolt, when the conventual buildings were sacked and set ablaze, destroying most of the abbey's treasures, including its extensive library and archives. While some documents were salvaged and incorporated into the archives of Andlau Abbey, they too were later lost during the French Revolution.

Architectural Legacy and Demise

The abbey church itself was an exceptional structure, with construction beginning in 1186 and concluding in 1286. It featured a rare circular design, reminiscent of the rotunda of Senones Abbey, and was adjoined by a rectangular choir. This unique architectural form, along with its role as a conduit for Romanesque and Burgundian art into Alsace, made the abbey church of high interest. Despite its architectural importance, none of the abbey's buildings remain. In 1599, the remnants of the property were sold to Andlau Abbey, and in 1782, the abbess of Andlau ordered the demolition of Honcourt, deeming its upkeep too costly. The last abbot, Paul Voltz, converted to Protestantism and participated in the Strasbourg reform.

Tradition of the Founders

Tradition holds that the founders, Werner and Hugo, were men of extraordinary size. Their last descendant, Hugo, Count of Reichenberg, was also noted for his exceptional height. In 1516, Emperor Maximilian I ordered Hugo's tomb to be opened to verify these legends. A femur was extracted, and calculations based on it suggested a height of approximately 8½ feet for Hugo. The bones of the co-founders Werner and Hugo were found to be jumbled together in their shared tomb. Inscriptions found in 1986 potentially relate to Hugo of Reichenberg's tombstone.