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Origin and history

The Protestant church of Fouday, located in the Lower Rhine, is a building whose origins date back to the twelfth century, with a characteristic Romanesque tower. This monument, built in stoneware, presents a vaulted tower of warheads and a unique nave with three spans, covered with flat tiles. The tower, the only medieval vestige, was probably erected at the end of the 12th or early 13th century, while the arch of warheads on the ground floor dates from the second quarter of the 13th century. The Protestant reform was introduced in 1589 by Count Georges Jean de Deux-Ponts-Veldenz, transforming the building into a place of Protestant worship.

The present nave was rebuilt in 1776 under the direction of Pastor Jean Frédéric Oberlin, financed by Baron Jean de Dietrich, lord of the Ban-de-la-Roche. This project, marked by a great sobriety, differs from the original plans inspired by the architects of the Bridges and Chaussées. The choir tower was then enhanced by one floor. The church became an independent Lutheran parish in 1860, bringing together the communities of Fouday, Blancherupt and Solbach. A major restoration took place between 1904 and 1905, led by architect Henri Salomon, while interior furnishings and liturgical furniture (altar, pulpit) date from this reconstruction.

The building, inscribed in historical monuments since 1938, preserves remarkable elements like a tombstone of 1486 in the nave and traces of the ancient medieval nave against the tower. The tower, of square plan, has twined bays and an outer band, testimonies of its Romanesque architecture. Inside, the corner columnettes support vaults on veins, while sandstone cambranles and a larmium highlight the sobriety of the style. The church, a communal property, remains a symbol of Alsatian Protestantism, linked to the heritage of Jean Frédéric Oberlin and the history of the Ban-de-la-Roche.

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