Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Colombe in Hattstatt, classified as a historical monument since 1984, is one of the oldest in Alsace. Its three-ship nave, dated the 2nd half of the 11th century, was initially covered with independent roofs, later replaced by a single roof. The high, walled and unobstructed windows no longer allow the light to pass. The western bell tower, added in the 12th century, has blind arches in full circle similar to those of Marbach Abbey. Its arched cradle ground floor and upper floors, remodeled in 1771 and 1882, illustrate the successive transformations of the building.

The Romanesque choir was replaced by a Gothic choir around the 15th century, marked by double-moulded arches of warheads and Gothic windows. An inscription mentions a lady Fridela, having transferred a stone engraved from the Tree of Life into the church on an indefinite date. The coat of arms of Henri de Hattstatt (died 1500) and his wife Catherine de Stauffenberg (died 1531), engraved on a side door, suggest work at the end of the 15th century. Major renovations took place in 1719-1721, including a studded ceiling financed by Jean Daheville, prosecutor at the Conseil Souverain d'Alsace.

The asymmetrical lower sides (the one from the north including the bell tower) and the broken arches of the transept bear witness to medieval changes. The southern sacristy, vaulted with ridges, houses a stone sink with external flow. After major changes in the 18th and 19th centuries (overhang of the bell tower, addition of a neo-Renaissance arrow), a global restoration began in 1987. Although deeply transformed, the church preserves rare Romanesque and Gothic elements in Alsace, reflecting almost a thousand years of architectural and religious history.

Located at 11 rue du Bourgrain in Hattstatt (Haut-Rhin), the building belongs to the commune. Its bell tower, mixing stone and bells, and its nave with eroded cubic capitals, make it a remarkable example of stylistic evolution. The pristine shields on the vault keys and Gothic windows networks (except in the abside) highlight its medieval heritage. The inscription in the title of historical monuments in 1984 protects this heritage, symbol of Alsatian piety and craftsmanship throughout the centuries.

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