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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Mikvé de Bischheim is a Jewish ritual bath located in the Boecklin Court at 17 National Street in the Alsatian municipality of Bischheim (Bas-Rhin). This monument, built between the late 16th and 18th centuries, bears witness to the presence of a local Jewish community. Its architecture includes a 48 steps helical staircase, descending to 7.50 meters deep to reach the groundwater table, an essential element of purification rites. The ramp of the stairway is marked with 16th century taskmen, attesting to its seniority.

Ranked as historical monuments since 17 May 1977, the mikvé has been the object of a heritage development with the opening of a museum dedicated in 1989. This site illustrates the importance of Jewish religious practices in Alsace, a region marked by a multicultural history. The stone tailor Hans-Thomann Uhlberger is mentioned as a masterpiece, although his exact role in the construction is not detailed in the sources.

The building includes, in addition to the bath, a dressing room and its access system, protected by the classification order. The location of the monument in the Far East reflects the integration of Jewish communities into Alsatian urban networks, often linked to commercial and craft activities. The accuracy of its location is estimated as fair (level 5/10), according to available data.

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