Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 46 Grand-Rue, located in Bouxwiller (Bas-Rhin, Grand Est), is a historic monument inscribed since October 16, 1930, especially for its richly carved oriel (d-angle logette). This two-body building, with slightly staggered levels, blends 16th century cracked masonry with subsequent additions in wood. A rectangular plan, with a slate arrow, is decorated with symbolic motifs (vine pads, lion, eagle, cock) and decorative elements (leaved masks, angel head). The date of 1613, engraved on the housing, marks a phase of elevation of the southern body, with re-use of older materials.

The origin of the main work dates back partly to 1558, a year attested by an inscription (today altered) on the door of the cellar, raised in 1873 by local historian K. Weysser. The north ground floor, modern, contrasts with the first floor, retaining a 16th century moulure window and traces of sandstone cornice. The second floor, made of crepe wood, bears witness to indacious changes. The semi-detached cellar, restored cellars, and the spirals reveal successive arrangements, reflecting the evolution of domestic uses in Alsace in modern times.

Architecturally, the house illustrates the transition between Renaissance and classical times, with mixed techniques (picked stones, half-timbers) typical of the region. The superimposed shields re-used as lintel evoke a high social status of the owners, possibly linked to the local nobility or to the merchant bourgeoisie of Bouxwiller, then under the influence of the Lords of Lichtenberg and then of the Hanau-Lichtenberg. The inscription in the title of historical monuments aims to preserve this example of Alsatian urban habitat, marked by symbolic decorations and an adaptive structure.

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