Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 13, rue Saint-Maurice in Soultz-les-Bains is a civil building dating from the 2nd half of the 17th century, more precisely from the 1670s and 1671s, as evidenced by the inscriptions on the entrance door and a window on the ground floor. This logis made of wood, typical of Alsatian architecture, is distinguished by its hump-angle chains, its horn posts carved with grimacing heads, and its Renaissance-style windows decorated with columnettes. The house, located near the medieval church of the village, illustrates the local craftsmanship of the period, mixing decorative motifs and functional structure.

Ranked a historic monument since 1997, the protection specifically concerns facades and roof, highlighting the heritage value of its sculpted decoration (human heads, Renaissance motifs) and its apparent structure. The sprocket wall, especially worked, as well as the engraved dates (1670 and 1671), offer valuable clues on construction techniques and regional aesthetics at the end of the Thirty Years' War. This building also shows the gradual urbanization of the Alsatian villages, where half-timbered houses served both as housing and sometimes as a workshop or trade.

The building is part of a historical context marked by reconstruction after the 17th century conflicts, when Alsace, then under French influence, saw the development of a hybrid architectural style, combining Germanic traditions and Renaissance contributions. The presence of sculpted grimaçant heads may reflect popular beliefs or a desire for symbolic protection, common in border areas. Today, this house contributes to the list of historical monuments of the Lower Rhine, recalling the vernacular heritage of Soultz-les-Bains, a commune known for its thermal springs since the Middle Ages.

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