Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saints-Philippe-et-Jacques of Obermorschwihr rises on the site of a 10th century chapel dedicated to St James. In the 12th century, a Romanesque tower was added, housing the choir of the first church, while the lower part of the bell tower and the baptistery date from the same period. Major transformations took place in 1444, 1718 and 1813, including the addition of a half-timbered bell tower in 1720, a characteristic rare in Alsace.

At the beginning of the 19th century, under the impulse of Canon Fels, the church was enlarged with the construction of the current transept and choir to accommodate the 460 parishioners. Fels partially financed this work, which was considered necessary because of the small size of the building. The building, restored in 1976 and 1979, was listed as historical monuments in 1996. His high altar, dedicated to Saints Philip and James, and his stained glass windows illustrating biblical scenes testify to his rich artistic heritage.

Interior architecture includes symbolic elements, such as the sculptures of the ambons representing the fruits of the earth (human labor) and the eagle (Spirit of God). A restored 18th-century painting honours Saint Leo, the only Alsatian pope. The organ, by François Callinet, and the lateral altars – including that of the Virgin, surmounted by an Immaculate Conception – complete this ensemble. The north side of the transept houses a painting of St.Erasmus, secondary patron saint of the parish, surrounded by episcopal and martyrological attributes.

The exact location of the church, in Place de la République (formerly Rue de la République), and its status as communal property underline its anchoring in local life. Its inscription as a historical monument protects a heritage combining Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles, reflecting the architectural and spiritual evolutions of Alsace over nearly nine centuries.

External links