Heritance Calendar
Heritance BlogProject Profile: Oelenberg
The Abbey of Oelenberg
Alsace, France
Fall 2007
O V E R V I E W
Founded approximately in the Year 1000, the Abbey of Oelenberg is situated in the French region of Alsace, to the west of Mulhouse, on one of the furthest hills of the Sundgau region. It's a historical place which remains to this day the only male monastery in Alsace.
Following several meetings with the Father Abbot of the Abbey and Brother Dominique-Marie, Heritance has accepted a proposal to assist the monks in the creation of a museum on-site.
T H E P L A N
Based on observations and interviews, Heritance Technical Director Jean Bermon has recommended that the museum develop a tour of the oldest cellar on site, the stronghold of the abbey throughout its 1000 year history.
The visit, which will be above all narrative, will enable museum visitors to learn the history of an abbey to which there previously has been no access. Moreover, this kind of visit, which does not intrude on the monks' private space, will preserve the peace of the abbey residents who continue to lead a monastic lifestyle.
The visit will begin at the gateway to the courtyard. The visitor will have a view of the church and the garden as they cross to the arched entranceway to the 11th Century cellar.
Upon reaching the cellar: A current proposal for the exhibition involves recreating the monks' experience by installing a row of benches in the first room of the cellar, where visitors can listen to a monk give an anecdotal history of the abbey and the daily life of monks today. In the center of the room, install a descriptive exhibit comprising text, an architectural model and images of the history of the abbey. As in a contemporary scriptorium, books will be replaced by computer screens. Audio-recorded commentaries will also be made available.
Next, visitors will be invited to visit the gardens and the old bakery, which will exhibit the cooking practices at the abbey from past to present.
The visit will end in the abbey gift shop where visitors can purchase cakes made by the monks out of the flour they mill on site.
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