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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The chapel with Mont des Oliviers de Boersch is a church dating from the first quarter of the seventeenth century, located at the foot of the bedside of the Saint-Médard church in Boersch, in the Lower Rhine. This ensemble, which houses a carved representation of Mount Olivers, has been the subject of an inscription as historical monuments since 6 January 1930. Its architecture and liturgical function make it a rare testimony to the Alsatian Christian devotion of the modern era.

The building is inseparable from the history of the Saint-Médard church, which was rebuilt several times (XII, XIV, XVIII centuries). The chapel, although more recent, is part of a parish context marked by successive destructions and reconstructions, notably after the fire of 1385 and the baroque works of 1769-1771 led by Jean-Michel Beitler. The Mount of Olives, a biblical scene evoking the passion of Christ, reflects the importance of sacred representations in post-Renaissance Alsace, often linked to pilgrimage or meditation practices.

The protection of the chapel in 1930, simultaneously with that of the church bell tower, underscores its heritage value. Unlike the church, where only the base of the tower remains medieval times, the 17th century chapel is preserved in its entirety, offering a preserved example of Alsatian religious art of this period. Its location, rue de l'Eglise, makes it a focal point of local heritage, completing the parish complex dominated by the tower raised in 1878.

The property of the chapel belongs to the municipality of Boersch, as evidenced by the archives of the Merimée base. Although the sources do not specify its current use (cult, visit, or otherwise), its ranking and central location suggest a continuing role in the collective memory of the village. The available data do not mention recent restorations, but its protected status guarantees its conservation for future generations.

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