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Origin and history

Flaxlanden Manor House is an iconic 17th-century building in Durmenach, Upper Rhine (Great East). Reconstructed in 1694 on the left bank of the Ill, he reused elements of an earlier mansion destroyed by fire. This first building, which was cited in 1580, had traces of remodelling in 1624, as evidenced by a dated door in the cellars. The commemorative inscription above the entrance door, in German and Latin, famous Christophe Hannibal de Flaxlanden and his wife Marie Anastasie de Reinach, sponsors of the reconstruction.

The manor house, of sober but elegant style, includes vaulted cellars in cradle and a staircase with balusters, elements protected since its inscription to the Historical Monuments in 1988. Sold as national property after the Revolution, it served as a farm before being acquired by the commune after the Second World War. An 18th century faience stove, now moved to the castle of Hegenheim, recalled its aristocratic past. Its architecture reflects the transitions between late Renaissance and Alsatian classicism.

The site, located at 15 rue du Château, preserves sandstone dangle chains and ground chambranles, although some of them have been made of wood. The Arms of the Flaxlanden, associated with the date of 1694, underline the importance of this noble family in local history. The manor also illustrates the strategies of post-fire reconstruction in Alsace, where the reuse of materials was common. Today, communal property, there remains a testimony of the links between architectural heritage and seigneurial memory.

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