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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The fortifications of Wissembourg, located in the Lower Rhine in the Grand East region, date mainly from the 2nd half of the 13th century, with major changes in the 18th century. Their medieval path, rounded in shape, is now preserved for about 3 meters high to the west, near Lauter, and up to 6 meters northwest. The Schartenturm tower, square and covered with a roof in the pavilion, dominates the whole with its three floors and thick walls (up to 1.72 m on the ground floor). Its hump-angle chains, moat holes and crows under the roof testify to medieval defensive techniques. A passage through the thickness of the wall evokes an old round road, while walled doors suggest missing access to the enclosure.

The medieval enclosure, which remains the southwest tower and the west wall, originally included a second tower to the east and a gateway to the abbey, founded according to legend by Dagobert. An inscription from the 13th century (reproduced later) recalled the abbatial privileges and the hard fortification undertaken by Abbé Samuel (1056–1098), after 18 years of work. The enclosure was probably redesigned in the 13th century during the urbanization of the fortified nucleus. In the 18th century, the tower was used as a drying place for a military laundry room on its southern flank, illustrating its adaptation to the needs of the era.

Classified as a Historical Monument since 1933, these fortifications reflect the evolution of Alsatian defensive systems, from the abbatial origins (IX century) to modern military adaptations. Their present state, partially preserved, allows to study medieval construction techniques (irregular sandstone apparatus, buttress) and subsequent transformations. The modern wrought iron girouette, representing the keys of Saint Peter, recalls the original link with the abbey, while the foundations of the buildings backed by the wall reveal a continuous occupation of the site.

Historical sources, such as Mérian's plan, place the tower near the present Stanislas Street, highlighting its central role in the defensive apparatus. The remains, owned by the commune, offer a rare testimony of Alsatian urban fortifications, between monastic heritage and military adaptations. Their designation as historic monuments in 1933 allowed the preservation of this heritage, despite some reshaping and sometimes approximate localization (map precision noted 5/10).

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