Chapelle des Cordeliers — Chagall Window

12-metre Chagall stained-glass window "La Paix" in a 13th-century chapel

The Chapelle des Cordeliers dates to the 13th century and was once part of a Franciscan friary. The chapel itself is a modest Gothic structure, but it was transformed in 1976 when Marc Chagall installed his monumental stained-glass window "La Paix" (Peace) — 12 metres wide and 10 metres high, occupying the entire west wall. Working in his signature deep blues and purples, Chagall created one of the largest stained-glass compositions of his career, depicting themes of peace, love, and the reconciliation of peoples through a flowing tableau of figures, animals, and biblical scenes.

The window is best experienced in the morning when the light comes through from the west-facing façade. An audio guide (included in admission) provides context in several languages. The Parcours Chagall continues to the adjacent Musée du Pays de Sarrebourg, where a preparatory tapestry for a related Chagall work at the United Nations is on display. The chapel is at 28 rue du Musée; opening hours vary by season.

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A story
Chagall designed "La Paix" in 1976, when he was 89 years old. The commission came from the local bishop, who wanted a work that reflected the reconciliation between France and Germany after the wars that had devastated this border region. Chagall chose the theme of peace deliberately — the Moselle valley had changed hands between the two countries four times in less than a century.