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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Keith House is an emblematic building of Kaysersberg, built in the 1st quarter of the 17th century (date engraved 1601 on a corner stone). This wooden building, located at 49 rue du Général-de-Gaulle, illustrates the Alsatian civil architecture of the Renaissance. Its features include a double two-storey corbellation, a gable on street, and a side courtyard closed by a 13th century fortification wall. The facade features carved elements such as gothic curule chairs and geometric motifs, while a German inscription on the corner stone invokes the protection of the Virgin against the scourges (war, plague, fire).

The house, attributed to the style of architect Jean Vollrath, replaced a primitive school attested in 1473. Damaged during the bombings, it was restored after World War II and then in 1994 to its original colours. The ground floor in masonry contrasts with the half-timbered floors, and a low arch carriage door gives access to the courtyard. Inside, a vestibule keeps a wooden panel partition decorated with a mesh similar to that of the city hall. The house, classified as a Historical Monument in 1946, reflects the high social status of its sponsor, probably a notable or rich bourgeois.

The building has undergone modifications over the centuries: the windows of the southwest corner have been narrowed, and initials (H F) and a vintage (1713 ?) have been added later. A wood-pan dependence, joined to the house, completes the whole. Keith House thus embodies the architectural and social evolution of Kaysersberg, between medieval heritage and Renaissance, while at the same time testifying to the construction techniques and beliefs of the era.

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