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Origin and history

The Altorf tidal barn is a historic building located in the municipality of Altorf, in the department of Bas-Rhin, in the Grand Est region. Built around 1713 by master Mathias Dieterle, it replaces commons destroyed in 1709. This elongated building, partially preserved with its old structure, was initially used as a tithe barn for the abbatial chapter. Its history is marked by transformations, including a reduction in its length after the French Revolution, from 60 meters to about 40 meters.

In 1747, the abbatial chapter decided to auction another tithe barn, considered superfluous and vulnerable to theft, outside the abbatial enclosure. The current barn, adjacent to the old portery, is represented intact on the cadastral plan of 1817. In the 20th century, it housed a pig farm before being restored and transformed into a municipal library. Since 1993, its facades and roof have been protected as historical monuments.

The tithe barn illustrates the evolution of agricultural and religious practices in Alsace. Originally, tithes — taxes in kind for the Church — were stored there. After the Revolution, the secularization of ecclesiastical property changed its use. Its architecture, with modern bays and a partially apparent structure, reflects the successive adaptations while retaining original elements. Today, this communal monument bears witness to the rural and abbatial heritage of the region.

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