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Origin and history

The Napoleonic bench-rest of Altenheim is an Alsatian public monument of the 3rd quarter of the 19th century, designed to provide a resting place for peasants when they travel to markets. These benches, often located along the roads, allowed to lay the burdens (baskets or hoods) and rest in the shade of lime trees. They were usually accompanied by terminals to facilitate the laying of loads or to assist riders in riding.

These benches were erected in two main waves in Alsace. The first, in 1811-1812, was initiated by the Prefect Adrien of Lezay-Marnésia to celebrate the birth of the son of Napoleon I, the King of Rome. The municipalities were invited to build these monuments every 2.5 km, with trees planted to offer shade. The costs were borne by them, and 125 benches were built that year, although few survived.

The second wave, in 1853-1854, was launched by the prefect Auguste-César West, taking the idea of Lezay-Marnésia to honour a vow of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. This time the department took over the costs, and 448 sandstone banks of the Vosges were erected. These monuments, often damaged by time or indifference, were partially abandoned after 1870, when Alsace was annexed by Germany. In 1906 and 1910, their maintenance was considered obsolete due to the evolution of the modes of transport (disappearance of the port on the head).

The Altenheim Bank, registered as a historical monument in 1988, is one of the few survivors of this tradition. These benches symbolize a time when the peasants' movements were marked by heavy loads and necessary stops, reflecting the rural living conditions in Alsace in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their preservation today bears witness to both a utilitarian and a commemorative heritage.

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