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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Maison Méquilet is an old winemaker's house located in Riquewihr, in the Haut-Rhin, mainly dating from the second half of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, with renovations in the 19th century. It consists of several buildings organized around two courtyards, including a body of sandstone houses with sill windows and Renaissance elements like a wooden curved column. The main building, dated 1509 and 1551, was enlarged in 1609 by an east wing, while another building bears the date of 1526. The ensemble illustrates Alsatian civil architecture, mixing stone and wood.

The building preserves remains of mural paintings and painted ceilings from the early 17th century and 1727, as well as a stone staircase and a press, testimonies of its wine use. The house originally belonged to the Lentz family in the 16th century, then was acquired in 1614 by Mathias Roettlin, seigneurial receiver of the Counts of Württemberg. She took the name of the family Méquillet, owner from 1889, who donated it to the city in 1950. Ranked a historic monument in 1985, it now houses the archives of the Zeyer Fund and the municipal vault.

The northern outbuilding, added in the 18th century, was adorned with the medieval wall of Riquewihr, while the southern building, partly of the 18th century, was remodeled in the 19th century. The façade on the street, with its mutilated cornice and its carriageway door, reflects the successive adaptations of the building. The northern courtyard retains a masonry oven and a closed yard, typical elements of Alsatian wineries. The ensemble, owned by the municipality, is representative of the architectural and wine heritage of the region.

The Maison Méquilet is distinguished by its Renaissance details, such as the crosstowers and painted ceilings, as well as by its facilities related to viticulture, such as the press and cabestan of the attic. Its sundial and lifting windows recall past agricultural activities. The monument, located at 6 rue des Écuries, embodies the social and economic history of Riquewihr, the wine town of Haut-Rhin, and its inscription in 1985 highlights its heritage value.

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