Chapel Notre-Dame-du-Haut, Le Corbusier and Renzo Piano

12 July 2023

The hill’s location at the Burgundian Gate’s entrance (” Trouée de Belfort “) is a natural passageway from the Saône plain to Alsace. Pilgrimages near Ronchamp were already mentioned in the 11th century. Today’s pilgrimage takes place on 15 August (Assumption Day).

After the French Revolution in 1789, the old chapel was sold and has been private property ever since. The chapel was remodelled and extended several times between the Revolution of 1789 and the Second World War (1939-1945). The chapel was destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War.

The monastery

Construction of the new Notre Dame-du-Haut chapel began at the end of 1953, designed by Le Corbusier (1887-1966). The community of the Poor Clare Sisters live in the new convent, which was built by the Italian architect Renzo Piano in 2005.

The Pyramid

The pyramid was built from the remaining stones of the demolished chapel shortly before the chapel was consecrated. It is a memorial to the heavy fighting on the hill in 1944, built at the request of the veterans of Ronchamp.

(Source and further information: Chapel de Notre Dame-du-Haut)