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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The 11 Grand-Rue House in Sarre-Union is an emblematic building of the transition between Gothic and Renaissance styles, built between the 2nd half of the 16th century and the 1st half of the 17th century. It is distinguished by its polygonal oriel hanging on two levels, whose allegations and windows tops are decorated with carved motifs evoking ironwork. The wing in return on the courtyard, with its two floors and two spans, mixes architectural elements of the two epochs, reflecting a pivotal period of Alsatian history.

According to the sources, this house was said to have been the winter residence of Jean Streiff de Laufenstein, baili de Bouquenom, although his coat of arms were staked during the Revolution, preventing any definitive confirmation. His summer residence was the castle of Diedendorf. The building underwent partial alterations in the 18th and 20th centuries, including the transformation of its entrance into a shop. The building is protected by two successive inscriptions to the historical monuments: the Oriel in 1934 and the façades on street and courtyard in 1993.

Architecturally, the house illustrates the stylistic blending typical of the Alsatian Renaissance, where the Gothic heritage persists in the structures, while the decorations are inspired by Italian innovations. Its oriel, a rare and sophisticated element for the time, bears witness to the high social status of its alleged occupants. Subsequent changes, such as the addition of the shop, reflect the adaptation of the building to local economic needs, a common practice in Alsatian city centres.

The location of the house, in the heart of Saar Union, a city marked by its border history between France and the Holy Empire, adds a geopolitical dimension to its heritage interest. The building is part of an urban fabric with Germanic and French influences, characteristic of the Greater East region. Its state of conservation and its successive protections underline its importance in the regional architectural heritage.

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