Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Our Lady of Riquewihr was built around 1337 on the initiative of Ulrich of Ribeaupierre, Rector, to house a miraculous image of the Virgin transferred from Bilstein Castle by Count Ulrich of Württemberg. This place became a pilgrimage known for healing possessions by evil spirits. The Gothic-style building initially featured three carpentry vessels and a probably vaulted choir, with northern foothills and column pillars in the abside. The large arched arcades, the Gothic windows, and the sandstone interior doors bear witness to this period. Medieval and Renaissance paintings remain, as well as a partially preserved Gothic structure.

After the introduction of the Reformation in 1534, the church was disused and its choir, unused but preserved for the Württemberg burials, became an abandoned space. The nave was transformed into a Protestant presbytery to house two pastors: the superintendent west and the deacon east. It was partitioned on three levels (cave, ground floor, floors), with destruction of the south side replaced by a courtyard. The Gothic windows and arcades were partially walled, while a new window dated 1573 was pierced to the west. The north side, backed by the wall of enclosure, was enhanced in wood. The whole was sold as a national property in 1797, after serving as a dwelling with kitchens, stoves, and bedrooms.

In the 19th century, the ruined choir and the campanile were destroyed, replaced by an operating building that became a dwelling house in the 20th century. Under this construction still remains the lower part of the abside with cut strips, with three pillars and a base. The church, classified as a historical monument in 1930, preserves traces of its past: Renaissance gates, remains of paintings, and a Gothic structure. Its history reflects the religious upheavals (Catholicism, Reformation) and political (Revolution) that marked Alsace.

The building is distinguished by its sprocket, exterior foothills, and networked windows, blending Gothic and Renaissance styles. The west door in the middle of the hanger, redone, replaces the Gothic primitive entrance. The site, located Place des Trois-Églises, illustrates the architectural and cultural evolution of Riquewihr, an Alsatian village marked by its medieval heritage and its post-Reform transformations.

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