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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Providence, located on the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville in Ribeauvillé (Haut-Rhin), is an ancient convent church of the Augustines, built between the 14th and 19th centuries. His choir was built in the first half of the 14th century, followed by the nave completed around 1410. The coat of arms of the families of Ribeaupierre, Guéroldseck and Horbourg, visible on the southern gate and the arch keys, attest to their patronage. The stained glass windows and carved decoration of the portal also date from this medieval period. The church once housed the tombs of the Ribeaupierre, which had been abolished in the early 19th century.

In the 18th century, the nave was vaulted with ridges and decorated with a studded decor around 1744, with a central painting signed Jean-Baptiste Kaess. The wooden campanile, rebuilt in 1699 after that of 1497, houses a historic bell of Zacharia Rohr. The frame was replaced in 1704, as evidenced by a dendrochronological analysis. Major restorations took place in 1996, preserving its mixture of Gothic elements (broken arches, dogive vaults) and baroque elements (stuces, rosace with six lobes).

Ranked a historic monument in 1932, the church is now owned by an association. Its architecture reflects its evolution: nave with three ships, low-sided ceilings, and a choir illuminated by trilobed lancet bays. Outside, a statue of the Virgin and Child surmounts the southern gate, framed by niches and foothills. The site remains a testimony of the links between religious orders, local aristocracy and Alsatian art throughout the centuries.

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