Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The city hall of Ammerschwihr, classified as a historical monument in 1965, is an emblematic building of the Alsatian Renaissance, built in 1552 as attests the date engraved on the door of the turret. This building, located Grand-Rue in Ammerschwihr (High Rhine), is distinguished by its facade adorned with Renaissance sculptures: antique medallions, masks, vases, and coat of arms of the city held by two heraldic lions. The materials used, Rouffach's yellow sandstone and pink sandstone, as well as the stain marks on the ruins, bear witness to the work of local artisans and an architect from Colmar, Antoine Fromm, assisted by stone tailors such as Mathis d'Arlo or André de Lindau.

The building, burned during the winter of 1944-1945, today retains only part of its facade and a vestige of the turret. Originally, it had a remarkable structure: a large room on the first floor, illuminated by three sled windows separated by Renaissance columns, a ceiling with caissons, and a 17th century chandelier (1683). The monumental door, off-site, and a second door serving the helical silt staircase tower, underlined its prestigious character. The old photographs reveal partial modifications before its destruction, such as the walling of some windows.

Awarded to Antoine Fromm and his team, the Town Hall is considered one of the first examples of Renaissance architecture in Alsace. The eleven brands of stone tailors identified, including Jost de Saint-Maurice, confirm the collaboration of regional craftsmen. The building, owned by the commune, symbolized the municipal power and prosperity of Ammerschwihr in the modern era, before its ruin in the Second World War. The elements protected since 1965 include the remains of the façade and the turret, classified for their historical and artistic value.

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