Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house of the 20-22 rue de la Laine in Wissembourg, classified as a historical monument in 1929, is a remarkable example of Alsatian civil architecture of the Renaissance. Built in 1598-1599, it features a T-shaped plan with a housing body along the street and a wing back east. Its west, south and north facades combine sandstone on the ground floor with wood panels carved on the floors, decorated with motifs such as curule chairs or cross-of-Saint-André. A semi-outwork staircase turret, dated 1599, and a lodge on street mark its elevation.

The building, originally designed for Hausgenossen (members of the Wissembourg City Council), included two courses probably originally communicating. The coat of arms of the sponsors, visible on the turret door and a window dated 1598, suggest their high social status. The subsequent division into two properties led to changes, such as the addition of an external wooden staircase for No. 20. The original well, built under the lodge on the street side, has since disappeared.

Protected elements include wood panel facades, interior carpentry (such as 1st floor cladding lintels), and frame. The Renaissance door of no. 20, with its curved column, as well as the bays of courtyards closed on the floors, testify to the spatial organization of the era. The 1599 vintage, repeated on the arrow wheel and the turret door, confirms the precise dating of its construction.

The 1929 classification covers the entire house, highlighting its heritage value. Although the outbuildings have been redesigned, the main body retains rare architectural details, such as carved horn posts or salient chambranle windows. The building illustrates the know-how of local artisans and the social status of its first occupants, linked to the city's administration.

Today divided into two properties, the house retains a central location in Wissembourg, rue de la Laine. Its state of conservation, assessed as fair (note 5/10 for location accuracy), makes it a tangible witness to the Alsatian urban planning of the late 16th century, marked by the influence of guilds and the city council.

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