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Origin and history

The church of Saint Michel de Weyersheim, located in the Lower Rhine (Great East), is a religious building dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. It underwent major changes in the 4th quarter of the 18th century and in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Its architecture reflects these different periods, including a bell tower integrated into the work. The monument has been on the inventory of historic monuments since 1930, highlighting its heritage and architectural importance.

The reconstruction of the present church began in 1784, according to plans of Nicolas Alexandre Salins de Monfort, established in 1783. A first tower project, considered too expensive, was reviewed and an alternative plan was proposed by renowned architect Pierre-Michel d'Ixnard. In 1785, the collapse of the tower under construction on the nave delayed the work. Despite these hazards, the church was inaugurated in December 1791, although the tower was not completed until 1807 under the direction of architect Reiner.

The archives refer to documents kept in the Bas-Rhin Departmental Archives (reference G 2624) and in the Archives of Historical Monuments, attesting to debates about costs and architectural choices. These sources also reveal the involvement of the municipality in the management of the project, since the church is now its property. The precise location of the building, at 87 Baldung-Grian Street, is documented in the Merimée base, with an estimated geographical accuracy to passable (level 5/10).

The Church of Saint Michael embodies the religious and architectural history of Weyersheim, an Alsatian village marked by centuries of Catholicism. Local studies, such as those of Claude Muller or Joseph Voltzenlogel, highlight his central role in community life, especially in the 20th century. The celebrations of its two-hundredth anniversary in 1984 and subsequent publications (such as Weyersheim, Saint-Michel Church: 200 years of its history in 2007) testify to its anchoring in collective memory.

External references, such as the Mérimée bases, Clochers de France, or the Observatoire du Patrimoine Religiouse, complete the knowledge of this monument. Its inscription as a historical monument in 1930 protects an artistic heritage, with elements such as the bell tower, and historical, illustrating the technical and financial challenges of reconstructions in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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