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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church Saint-Georges de Haguenau, located in the Bas-Rhin, was founded in the 12th century under the impulse of Frédéric II the Borgne, Duke of Swabia and Alsace. Authorized in 1143 by the Bishop of Strasbourg, it replaces a Romanesque chapel consecrated by Pope Leo IX. The work was completed in 1189, and the building was consecrated by Bishop Heinrich von Hasenburg. From this first phase remains like two stair turrets, the base of the tower and elements of the crypt.

In the 13th century, the church underwent major transformations: the three-vessel nave, originally carpented, was rebuilt around 1200-1220, while the transept and octagonal tower were added between 1210 and 1230. The Gothic choir, inspired by Strasbourg Cathedral, was consecrated in 1283. The cross tower, enhanced in 1268, houses two of the oldest bells in Europe, still in place, cast in the same year by the founder Heinrich. These bells, the Rathsglocke and the Sturmglocke, still mark local life today by ringing at 10 p.m. to recall the historic closure of the city's gates.

The following centuries saw the addition of side chapels, such as that of Saint-Jacques (1496), erected in memory of Véronique d'Andlau by Jacques de Fleckenstein, or the chapel of Saint John (1517-1519). The church, damaged during World War II, was restored between 1958 and 1963, losing much of its 19th century neo-Gothic decor. His modern stained glass windows, installed between 1956 and 1969 by Jacques Le Chevallier, illustrate religious scenes and local history. The building also preserves remarkable retables, such as that of the Last Judgment (15th century) attributed to Diebold Martin.

Ranked a historic monument in 1848, Saint George's Church embodies Alsatian architectural evolution, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and neo-Gothic influences. His furniture, although partially lost, includes notable pieces such as a 1488 crucifix and a 1523 Gothic Custos, carved by Friedrich Hammer. The marks of Romanesque and Gothic taskers, as well as the medieval measuring standards engraved on its foothills, recall its central role in the economic and spiritual life of Haguenau, the imperial city of the Holy Empire.

The building also underwent adaptations in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the addition of sacristies and an introduction to the taste of light under the influence of the local magistrate, patron of the parish since 1535. In 2018, the partial overhaul of its bells, including a peace bell commemorating the centenary of the Armistice of 1918, reaffirmed its anchor in contemporary history. Today, the church remains a symbol of the Alsatian heritage, combining medieval heritage and modern resilience.

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