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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The command office of Soultz-Haut-Rhin, probably founded in the early 13th century, was an establishment of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem. His church was said to have been consecrated in 1234, and Bourcart Grametsch, the first certified commander, was mentioned in 1269. The site, located outside the fortifications of the city, was protected by two towers still visible today, although integrated into later constructions. The Reformation in the 16th century caused a crisis, but work was undertaken in 1533, 1543, and then in 1581-1582 under Commander Hans Philip de Mollenheim, as evidenced by the engraved dates and his coat of arms (now staked).

In 1775, the medieval church was destroyed and replaced by the present building, marked by that date. Excavations carried out from 1979 revealed the foundations of the original church, while the house body, rebuilt in the 16th and 18th centuries, preserves remains of the 13th and 14th centuries. Sold as a national property in 1794, the command office was purchased by the city of Soultz in 1983. Today, it houses a collection of toys (nef of Hauesser toys) and medieval architectural elements preserved at the municipal museum.

The monument has been partially classified since 1983: facades, roofs of the house, the chapel, and the floor containing the remains of the church are protected. Restorations in 1993 revealed a painted ceiling. The command office thus illustrates the evolution of a hospital site over more than five centuries, marked by phases of construction, religious crisis, and architectural adaptations.

Located at 12 rue Jean-Jaurès, the commandory is a rare testimony in Alsace of the order of Saint John of Jerusalem, whose influence extended through medieval Europe. The archival and archaeological sources (excavated records, local bulletins) document its history, while references such as the Dictionary of Historic Monuments of Alsace (1995) or Bernhard Metz's work specify its transformations.

Today, the site combines heritage and cultural use, with accessible medieval remains and a museum vocation. The two enclosure towers, although modified, recall its initial defensive role, while the chapel and the house reflect the adaptations to the needs of the Commanders and Order over the centuries.

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