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Origin and history

The Labourers' stove is a historic monument located in Colmar, in the Haut-Rhin department, in the Grand Est region. Dating from the first half of the 17th century, it resulted from the meeting of two adjoining houses in 1625, one of which had already housed since 1419 the stove of the ploughers, the meeting place of the powerful corporation of the farmers of the surrounding area. This building, modified in 1640, illustrates Renaissance architecture with a three-storey facade and a decorative portal decorated with curved arcades.

It played a central role in the political, military and social life of the region. The labourers' corporation, active until the French Revolution, managed the conflicts of attachment, monitored public morality and denounced rural crimes. After losing its original function, the building served as a synagogue for the Jewish community of Colmar until 1842, before building an administrative restaurant from 1974 to 2009.

Ranked a historic monument in 1929 for its facades and roofs, the Labourers' stove is distinguished by its German inscription on the pediment: "Eh veracht als Gemacht" (1626), translated as "easier to denigrate than to act". This detail reflects the pragmatic and corporatist spirit of the time, where organized trades played a key role in local government.

The building, located at 7 rue Vauban, today bears witness to Colmar's social and architectural history. Its Renaissance style, marked by sill windows and carved decoration, makes it a remarkable example of the Alsatian heritage of this period. The dual vocation of the building, both place of corporatist power and religious space, underscores its importance in collective memory.

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