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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The ancient St Andrew's Catholic church, now called the cemetery chapel, stands in Meistratzheim, in the Lower Rhine. Its origins date back to at least the 1st quarter of the 13th century, as evidenced by the remains of the early Romanesque church: a bell tower, a square choir and a carved tympanum slab dating back to the 2nd half of the 12th century. These elements suggest an earlier foundation, perhaps as early as the 11th century, although this date remains uncertain.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the building underwent major changes. Between 1720 and 1722, a nave was added to enlarge the church, while the bell tower was raised in 1724 by stone tailors Mathias Solhart and Jean Riederer, as evidenced by an inscription. This work campaign marks the transition to a baroque style, visible especially in the tabernacle of the eighteenth century still preserved today. The sacristy, destroyed around 1960, and four funeral slabs of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries recall its subsequent use as a funeral chapel.

Ranked a historic monument by decree of 5 February 1924, the church lost its parish function after the construction of a new building. Protected elements include the tower, choir, side altars and panels of the organ stand. Owned by the municipality, it illustrates Alsatian architectural evolution, mixing Romanesque heritage and Baroque transformations.

Its current location, 282 Church Street in Meistratzheim, and its Insee code (67286) place it in the department of Bas-Rhin, in the Grand East region. Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its heritage role, although the accuracy of its location is considered poor (note 5/10).

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