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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Sandherr House is a historic monument located at 36 Grand-Rue in Colmar, in the Haut-Rhin department. Built in the 3rd quarter of the 17th century, it was rebuilt in 1668 by André Sandherr (or Saudherr according to the sources), replacing an old house called "the red lion". The building is distinguished by its two-storey gable, crowned with an original sculpture representing a "Jumaux" (local personage) in bourgeois dress of the late seventeenth century, pipe in the mouth. Snake windows and banners highlighting the floors reflect the architectural style of the era, while an oriel d'angle, supported by carved consoles, animates the facade.

The history of the house is marked by structural transformations, including the disappearance of the old arcades on the ground floor, later modernized. The building was partially protected as early as 1929, with the inscription of its facades and roofs as historical monuments. The date of "1668", engraved on the oriel, attests to its reconstruction by André Sandherr, figure associated with this colmarian heritage. The decorative elements, such as sculpted ornamentations of the lion, illustrate the local craftsmanship and the social status of its owners.

Architecturally, Sandherr House embodies the 17th century Alsatian bourgeois fascist, a period of prosperity for Colmar, then a free imperial city. Its headpiece and sculpted details (consoles, twins) bear witness to a desire for prestige, typical of the merchant houses of the time. The round bay under the gable and the snout windows recall the Rhine influences, while the unicorn or red lion (old name) may evoke a heraldic or commercial symbol linked to its first occupants.

Today, Sandherr House remains a key witness to the Colmarian heritage, classified among the historical monuments of the Upper Rhine. Its exact address (36 Grand-Rue) and Insee code (68066) are located in the heart of the historic centre, close to other remarkable buildings. Although some parts have been modified (such as arcades), its original structure and carved decorations make it a preserved example of Alsatian civil architecture of the late seventeenth century.

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