Neubourg Abbey

Neubourg Abbey, known in Latin as Novum Castrum and in French as Abbaye de Neubourg or du Neubourg, was a former Cistercian monastery located in Dauendorf, Alsace, France. Founded between 1130 and 1133 by Count Reinhold of Lützelburg, it became a significant house within the Cistercian order, serving as a daughter house of Lützel Abbey and later as the mother house for Maulbronn and Herrenalb Abbeys.

History and Significance

The abbey's early history saw it become a key member of the Cistercian filiation of Morimond. Shortly after its establishment, Neubourg Abbey was the subject of an inquisition by Frederick Barbarossa, who compelled the monks to relinquish their claims to the valuable Hohenstaufen Forest. The abbey's church was dedicated in 1158. Throughout the medieval and early modern periods, Neubourg Abbey experienced multiple destructions and rebuildings between the 14th and 17th centuries.

Demise and Remaining Structures

The abbey's active monastic life concluded with its suppression in 1790 during the French Revolution. A significant portion of the monastic complex, including the church rebuilt in 1758, was entirely destroyed in 1818. Today, only a few remnants of the once-grand abbey survive. These include a Baroque gatehouse dating from 1744, a mill, and sections of the original precinct wall. Notable features such as its unique 18th-century 24-faced gnomonic sundial were relocated to Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey in 1935. Several rococo elements, including choir stalls, the organ case, and statues of saints, were preserved and can be found in the nearby St. Nicholas' church in Haguenau.