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Origin and history

The church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul de Bennwihr, located in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace, has its origins since 777, when a first church is attested on the site. The medieval building, burned in 1494, was rebuilt and consecrated in 1507, and was partially renovated in 1779 according to the plans of architect Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Chassan. The Gothic tower, originally designed as a choir, was preserved as a bell tower and raised several times, notably in 1846 and 1851.

The church suffered major destruction during the fighting in December 1944 during the Second World War. Historical remains, including 15th-century murals and a Eucharistic tabernacle of 1498 (classified Historic Monument in 1931), then disappeared. The current building, designed by the colmarian architects Pouradier-Duteil and Pillon, was erected between 1957 and 1959, with a consecration in 1960. The only ancient element preserved, a sandstone table dated 1779, formerly located above the gate, was relocated to the north wall.

The modern church incorporates contemporary elements while paying tribute to its past, as evidenced by the reuse of the sandstone table. The bell tower, rebuilt in 1959, still dominates the village, perpetuating the characteristic silhouette of the building. Classified as a Historical Monument since 1931 for its ancient elements, the church remains a symbol of the resilience of the Alsatian heritage to conflict.

Architecturally, the church is distinguished by its lateral tower connected to the nave and its cylindrical baptistery, typical of the religious buildings of the region. Its location, rue du Général-de-Gaulle, makes it a central point of the municipality of Bennwihr, in a department marked by a rich religious history and post-war reconstructions.

The site also retains a memorial value, recalling the damage suffered during the Liberation in 1944. Today, the church welcomes the faithful and visitors, while embodying the architectural and historical transformations of Alsace over the centuries.

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