Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 46 Grand-Rue in Bouxwiller, Bas-Rhin, is an emblematic building of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is distinguished by its corner lodge in sandstone, richly carved with plant motifs, animals (lion, eagle, cock) and symbolic (leaved masks, angel's head). This monument illustrates the Alsatian civil architecture of the Renaissance, with its angle chains in pricked sandstone and its wood-paned elements.

The building combines two buildings with slightly staggered levels. The southern body, raised in 1613, is home to this year's lodge, while the north body preserves traces of the original structure, including a 16th century molded window. The cellar, partially buried, bears an engraved date (1558 or 1557, altered by a clumsy restoration), attesting to the seniority of the work. Subsequent changes, such as the addition of a wood-paned floor, testify to its architectural evolution.

Classified as a historic monument since 1930 for its oriel, this house reflects local constructive techniques and artistic influences of the time. Its location at the corner of the Grand-Rue and Rue des Seigneurs underlines its importance in the medieval urban fabric of Bouxwiller. The materials (stones, crepy masonry) and carved decorations reveal a craftsmanship typical of the pre-modern Alsace.

The sources mention architectural uses, such as a superimposed shield lintel, and subsequent modifications (modern ground floor). These details, coupled with the precision of the sculptures, suggest an easy sponsor, although not identified in the available documents. The house thus embodies the transition between late Gothic and Renaissance styles in Alsace.

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