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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Jewish well of Riquewihr is a historical monument located in the Alsatian municipality of Riquewihr, in the Upper Rhine department. This well, dated from the 16th century, is distinguished by its tank surmounted by a gallows bearing the inscription of the year 1551. It is located at the intersection of the Rue du Général-de-Gaulle, Rue Hederich and Rue Saint-Nicolas, in a preserved urban setting.

Listed as historical monuments by decree of 18 March 1930, this well bears witness to the importance of hydraulic infrastructures in medieval and renaissant cities. These collective works played a central role in daily life, providing water for the inhabitants for their domestic and artisanal needs. In Riquewihr, as in many Alsatian cities, wells were meeting and exchanging points, reflecting the community organization of the time.

The well gallows, a remarkable architectural element, are characteristic of Renaissance drawing systems. These structures, often made of wood or metal, allowed buckets filled with water to be raised from the tank. The engraved date of 1551 offers a precise chronological landmark, combining this monument with a period of urban and technical development in Alsace, then under both Germanic and French influence.

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