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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 40, rue du Bain-aux-Plantes is an emblematic Alsatian half-timbered house, built in 1566 by tanner Michel Wittich in the historic district of Petite France in Strasbourg. This area, once populated by tanners, millers and fishermen, exploited the Ill canals, now classified as UNESCO World Heritage since 1988. The house, typical of the Strasbourg Renaissance, is distinguished by its carved beams, its corbellation, and its roof in Alsatian tiles.

Located at the corner of Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes and Rue des Moulins, it has a facade on the canal and an individual dock near the bridge of Faisan. The date of construction (1566) was engraved on the cornel post, while a 1742 inscription on the lintel showed subsequent modifications. Sold and restored on several occasions, it was the property of the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Foundation between 1965 and 1995, which housed students there.

The architecture combines medieval and reborn elements: oriel, sled windows, and stained glass windows. The letters "A N" accompanied by 1742 suggest partial renovation. The former industrial district is now a major tourist destination, preserving the Alsatian heritage. The house next door the famous house of Tanneurs and covered bridges, symbols of Strasbourg.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, although not living in this house, is associated with it via the eponymous foundation. He briefly studied law in Strasbourg (1769–71) and lived there an idyll with Frédérique Brion, immortalized by his work. The foundation, created in 1968 by entrepreneur Alfred Toepfer, restored the building to a luxurious student housing before its resale.

Ranked a historic monument since November 10, 1927, the house illustrates the architectural and social evolution of Strasbourg, between medieval craftsmanship and reborn prestige. Its location on the Grande Île, classified by UNESCO, makes it a privileged witness to Alsatian history, between Germanic heritage and French influence.

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