Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne de Rosheim, located on Rue de l'Eglise in the Lower Rhine (Great East), is a historical monument classified since 1990. Its origin dates back to the 13th century, when the parish was first mentioned. From this medieval period, only the stone tower remains, whose arched ground floor once served as a choir. This vestige bears marks of taskwork, testimonies of the craftsmen who worked on its construction. The engraved lintel door of date 1453 suggests a subsequent re-use or modification, possibly linked to an old sacristy.

The current nave and choir date from the last quarter of the eighteenth century, built according to the plans of architect Nicolas Alexandre de Salins de Montfort (1781). The works, awarded in 1782 and received in 1786, gave the building its neoclassical appearance, with a doric portico and a two-sided roof. The slate polygonal arrow, covering the tower, contrasts with the rounded rump of the choir. In the 19th century, interventions took place after the partial collapse of the triumphal arch (1825, 1827), and a sacristy was added in 1872-1873 by architects Albert Brion and Eugene Haug.

The church illustrates Alsatian architectural evolution, mixing medieval heritage and transformations of the Lights. Its classification in 1990 protects the building with the exception of the 19th century sacristy. The presence of task marks on the tower and nave highlights the continuity of craftsmanship between the two construction periods. Today, it remains a symbol of the religious and historical heritage of Rosheim, managed by the municipality.

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