Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house at 3 Klingeltor Street in Westhoffen (Bas-Rhin) is a typical example of Renaissance Alsatian civil architecture. Built in the 2nd half of the 16th century, it combines a lower masonry level, housing a cellar open on the street, and a wooden housing floor. The cellar door bears the engraved date of 1541, confirming its origin in the 2nd quarter of the 16th century. A recent restoration has kept the bulk of its wooden structure, while an inscription of 1806 (accompanied by the initials HM MAK AM ST) marks the closure of the court, reflecting subsequent modifications.

The building has been listed as a historic monument since 29 April 1931, a recognition specifically for its gate to the courtyard. This ranking underscores its heritage interest, particularly for its mixed architecture (masonry and half-timbers) and its remarkable state of conservation. The house illustrates the local constructive techniques of the time, where the wood section dominated for bourgeois or artisanal dwellings in Alsace.

Westhoffen, the village of Lower Rhine in the East, was in the Renaissance a rural and wine-growing area, integrated into the region's trade. The half-timbered houses served both as houses, workshops and storage sites, reflecting an economy based on agriculture, vineyards and handicrafts. This type of habitat, common in Alsace, bears witness to the relative prosperity of the Alsatian villages under the influence of both the Holy Roman Empire and the neighbouring Lorraine Duchys.

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