Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maison des Bains, located at 103 rue du Général-de-Gaulle in Kaysersberg (Haut-Rhin), is a square plan building built in the early seventeenth century. It is distinguished by its Renaissance decoration, including murals in grey in the large room on the second floor, as well as a Renaissance well dated 1618, decorated with an inscription boasting wine and coat of arms. This well, embedded in the courtyard façade, bears the names of Matthias Huffel and Elisabeth Bircklerin, probably the sponsors of the works of that time.

The architecture of the house reveals typical elements of the Alsatian Renaissance: sill windows, carved murres, and original skylights with preserved pulleys. The building, partially enlarged in 1618, includes cellars, a barn, and a press, reflecting its mixed use (housing and wine-growing activities). The sandstone chambranles, decorated with leafy holidays, and the second floor murals, which inspired the decoration of the 20th century town hall, bear witness to its heritage importance.

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1921, and again listed in 1994 for its well and facade, the house of Les Bains underwent subsequent modifications, such as the addition of an outbuilding in 1822 and a wooden staircase. Today owned by the commune, it is disused but retains traces of its past, including six marks of work on carpentry. Its creneled fence wall and adjacent canal recall its integration into the medieval and modern urban fabric of Kaysersberg.

The interior decorations, including trompe-l'oeil paintings and the Renaissance motifs of the hazes, highlight the artistic influence of the era. The large room on the second floor, with its central octagonal pole, illustrates Alsatian architectural ingenuity. The inscriptions of the well, celebrating the wine and mentioning the names of the owners, offer an overview of the customs and local economy, marked by viticulture.

Although the accuracy of its location is considered mediocre (level 5/10), the house of Les Bains remains a remarkable example of Renaissance civil architecture in Alsace. Its history, linked to figures such as Matthias Huffel, advisor and possible winemaker, and its evolution over the centuries make it a privileged witness to the bourgeois and artisanal life of Kaysersberg.

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