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Origin and history

The Protestant Church of St John of Wissembourg, located in Place Martin-Bucer, is an emblematic monument of the Alsatian heritage. Initially Catholic parish church, she became Protestant in 1535 after the preaching of the Reformation by Martin Bucer in 1522-1523. Its architecture combines Romanesque and Gothic styles, with a Romanesque tower of the early 13th century, a Romanesque choir of the late 14th century, and a nave rebuilt in the 15th century. The building, which was classified as a historical monument in 1898, underwent major changes, including the addition of a Saint-Stanislas chapel in the 16th century and restorations after war damage in 1945.

The Protestant Reformation marked a turning point in the history of the church: it became simultaneous (Catholic and Protestant) in 1684 before becoming exclusively Protestant in 1803. The tower, the oldest part, dates from the early 13th century, while the choir and nave were rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries. The north side, of Gothic style, bears the date of 1513 and arms of the Schilling family, patron of the works. The sacristy, of uncertain origin (XIV or 16th century), preserves ancient murals, and the archive room, destroyed in 1945, was rebuilt in the 1960s.

The church houses a modern North German Baroque organ, inaugurated in 2015 by the factor Dominique Thomas, replacing an electropneumatic instrument of 1961. This new organ, with 38 registers and LED lighting reproducing the bright colours of baroque organs, is part of a demanding musical program. The visible stain marks on the pink and yellow sandstone construction, as well as the original frame with complex assemblies, testify to medieval know-how. The damage suffered during the Second World War required restorations until 1968, including the partial reconstruction of the lower side and the archives room.

The first records of the church date back to the Carolingian era, linked to the abbey of Saint-Pierre, which had the patronage. Among the oldest remains are a carved lintel of a Lamb of God, a bronze bumper, and a preroman capital found under the nave. The tower, enhanced in the 13th century with the re-use of Romanesque bays, dominates a building with disoriented volumes, reflecting successive reconstructions. The Saint-Stanislas chapel, added to the south of the choir in the 16th century, and the northern collateral dated 1513 illustrate late Gothic additions. The wall paintings of the sacristy, perhaps of the fourteenth century, add to the historic richness of the site.

Classified as a historical monument since 1898, the church of Saint John embodies the religious and architectural upheavals of Alsace. Its status as a Protestant place of worship since 1803, after periods of religious sharing, makes it a symbol of the Reformation in the region. Modern restorations, such as organ restoration or post-1945 reconstruction, preserved its authenticity while adapting it to contemporary uses. Today, it remains a living place, mixing medieval heritage, Protestant history and cultural life, with concerts and regular services.

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