Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Gresswiller, classified as a historical monument since 1937, is distinguished by its late Gothic architecture, including its bell tower-porch dated 1523. The latter, decorated with a carved tympanum and a sundial, has stylistic features close to the churches of Bischheim and Eckbolsheim, with Gothic windows and picketed corner chains. The date of 1523, engraved on the gate and the dial, marks its construction or reconstruction, while the nave and the choir, with cut panels and windows in full hanger, were rebuilt in 1766 by architect Lemire, as evidenced by the side doors.

Inside, the church houses a stand set up in 1812 to house an organ, with columns bearing the 1766, 1812 vintages and initials of master builders (IN. GG / PF. H.). The rhomboidal arrow, added in 1880 according to the plans of architect Brion, crown the building, mixing neo-roman elements and carved gargoyles. The ground floor of the bell tower, vaulted in a cross-link, has a shield with artisanal symbols (curtain, squares, rule), perhaps reflecting the sponsors or the local socio-economic context.

The building, owned by the municipality, illustrates the Alsatian architectural evolution, from late Gothic to neo-classical and neo-Roman additions. Its inscription in 1937 concerned only the entrance door of the tower, highlighting its heritage value despite subsequent transformations. Sources, such as Georges Schaffner's (1925), highlight the tympanum of 1523, a key element of his artistic history, while local archives document the phases of reconstruction and beautification in the 18th and 19th centuries.

External links