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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Cyriaque church in Reutenburg, which has been classified as part of historical monuments since 1935, is a religious building dating back to the twelfth century. Its Romanesque bell tower, made of cut stone, is decorated with leesenes and friezes of arches, characteristic of the architecture of this period. The tower, included in the additional inventory, preserves remains like a carved lintel with a cross and figurative reliefs, including a double-tailed fish bust. These elements suggest a religious or mythological symbol of the medieval period.

The present structure of the church is the result of major changes in the 19th century. The early nave, destroyed around 1850, was small in size and disoriented from the choir. A new nave, transept and choir were built between 1858 and 1859, while a neo-Roman octagonal floor and an arrow were added to the bell tower in 1896. Inside, the painting of 1906, including geometrical motifs and Christian symbols such as the mystical Lamb, embellishes the elevations of the nave and choir.

The building houses a rich furniture heritage, including a Stiehr-Mockers organ of 1861, retables, statues (such as that of Saint John Nepomucene) and paintings (including the Martyr of Saint Cyriac). These objects, combined with vestiges of mural paintings and a eucharistic cabinet on the ground floor of the tower, testify to the liturgical and artistic evolution of the church. The door in the middle of the wall, the twined bays and the roses with quadrilobes complete this architectural painting, mixing Romanesque heritage and subsequent additions.

Located in the Church Square in Reutenburg (Bas-Rhin), this parish church illustrates Alsatian religious history, marked by reconstructions and artistic enrichments. Its bell tower, an ancient choir of the early church, remains the oldest and most emblematic element, ranking the monument among the major testimonies of the Romanesque heritage in the East.

The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its partial inscription in 1935, covering only the tower. The communal property and the absence of a vault on the ground floor of the bell tower, where a hidden wrought iron gate remains, add to its mystery. The cadastral plans of 1821 and the modifications of the 19th century provide an overview of its evolution, between preservation and adaptation to local cultural needs.

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