Michelsberg and Chapelle
St-Michel
St. Jean-Saverne, Bas-Rhin/France
This is a very interesting
and historic site on the scarp overlooking the Rhine Plain just north of the
city of Saverne. A small chapel dedicated to St. Michael is sited on a rocky
promontory. The present building dates largely from the 18th
century, but it is on the foundations of a 15th century building
which is thought to have been built on Roman ruins. There are other Roman sites
in the immediate area.
Between
the chapel and the cliff overlooking the valley, is the famous
"Hexenkreis" or Witches Dancing Ring. This is a large excavated ring
in the rock, about four meters across and half a meter deep. Directly under the
Hexenkreis is the "Hexenhoehle" (Grotte 
des Sorcieres" or
Witches Cave. Excellent information
signs give the archeological history of the site, dating from the Neolithic to modern
era. The cave has served as a habitation site, possible Mithreaum, and
hermitage quarters for the monks serving the chapel in its heyday as a
pilgrimage locale. A sarcophagus has been carved into the rock at the entrance
to the cave. A window, cut into the rock wall, called "Trou des
Sorcieres" is thought to have meaningful solar alignments.
Given all these fascinating
things on the Michelsberg, it still took two visits and scouting around to find
the spring we knew had to be there. A guide published by the Club Alsacien
states the spring was the local stork well; where babies were fetched by the
stork and delivered to their waiting parents to be. Presumably the spring has
long had other uses and meanings. Mithreaum sites 
normally have a spring close
by, as do ancient pilgrimage sites, and often, anything dedicated to St.
Michael.
The
walled spring was finally located near the parking area. It appeared to have
been fairly recently cleared of dirt and duff, and may have been totally
hidden. The soil had been removed down to rock, and a cistern-like hole cut
into it. This is full of dubious looking water. A run-off channel is cut into
the rock, so sometimes the spring or cistern must overflow. The cistern is
about a foot deep.
The
area is magical in all senses of the word; the view splendid, the walking in
the area superb, the history well
documented, and it can be reached by car. To us, the Michelsberg rivals Mont
St. Odile (which can be seen from the Michelsberg, of course!) as one of the
most fascinating sights of Alsace
.
1.
Alsace
et Lorraine-Vosges. Guide de Tourisme, Michelin
2. Landspurg, Adolphe. Hauts-Lieux d'Energie.
Editions du Rhin, Mulhouse, 1992
