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Origin and history

The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Chapel of Eichhoffen, located in Place de la Mairie, is a religious building dating back to the 11th century. It was originally built as a private chapel for the abbot of the convent of Altdorf, with an alleged consecration in 1052 by Pope Leo IX. The walls of the nave and a carved portal, probably of the twelfth century, testify to this Romanesque period. The chapel was integrated into the abbot's colonger courtyard, serving as a place of worship during his stays.

In 1569, Abbé Bernard Munchberger undertook a major restoration, marked by a commemorative inscription in the choir. This intervention was mainly limited to the reconstruction of the choir and to arrangements, without profoundly altering the Romanesque structure. In the 17th century, new changes took place: opening of Renaissance bays, moving the Romanesque portal, and adding a house adjacent to the north wall, under the same roof. The chapel, disused after the Revolution, later served as a parish hall.

The monument was listed as a historic monument in 1936, recognizing its heritage value. Several restoration campaigns (1905, 1973, 1989) preserved its architectural elements, mixing Romanesque and Renaissance styles. Today, although the chapel is no longer used for worship, it remains a testimony of Alsatian religious and architectural history, managed by a local association.

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