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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Laub, located in Munster, Upper Rhine, is an old hall built in the early 16th century. It replaces a first hall destroyed in 1502, erected on the market square thanks to the permission of the Abbé de Munster. The 1503 vintage, engraved on its façade, attests to its rapid construction. This building served both as a covered market and an administrative place for the election of representatives of the Val Saint-Grégoire until the Revolution.

In the 19th century, the Laub was dismantled between 1867 and 1873 to give way to a Protestant temple, then rebuilt about a hundred meters on Rue Saint-Grégoire. This shift partially alters its architecture: arcades are not reproduced identically, and the outer gallery, used for official announcements, disappears. After the Revolution, the building lost its market function and became an exhibition hall for local artists as early as 1911.

Ranked a historic monument in 1991 for its facades and roofs, the Laub retains remarkable architectural elements, such as its rose sandstone arcades and its skylights. Today it houses a conference room and premises of the Val History Society and the City of Munster. A major renovation in 2002 modernized its spaces, while preserving its historic character.

Its inscription in local history reflects Munster's urban and social evolution, from its central role in medieval community life to its contemporary cultural vocation. The founding stone, engraved with the inscription ANO DNI MCCCCC / III DO WART DIS / HUS GEMAHT, recalls its origin and its primary function.

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