The Romanesque Gems of the Molsheim-Mutzig Region
The four edifices are remarkable testimonies to Alsatian Romanesque art, characterized by its sobriety and Germanic influences.
The commune of Avolsheim is exceptional for housing three Romanesque or Romanesque-inspired buildings on its territory:
1. The Dompeter (Saint Peter and Saint Paul)
Key Feature: This is the most important and well-known building. It is often considered the oldest church in Alsace.
Style: Primarily Romanesque (11th and 12th centuries) with even older vestiges (Merovingian and Carolingian eras). Its plan is simple.
To Highlight: Its isolation in the middle of the fields gives it a unique and mystical atmosphere.
Key Feature: This small parish church possesses a remarkable Romanesque bell tower, often cited for its harmonious proportions.
Style: The choir is Gothic, but the bell tower and the base of the nave clearly follow the Romanesque tradition.
3. Saint-Ulrich Chapel
Key Feature: A discrete chapel, less imposing than the Dompeter, which preserves Romanesque elements in its structure.
Style: Typically Romanesque for the oldest parts (often 11th century), it is more modest and illustrates the rural religious architecture of the period.
4. Saint-Michel de Rimlen Chapel
Key Feature: The sole surviving remnant of the vanished village of Rimlenheim, dating back to the 12th century.
To Highlight: Its powerful historical symbolism and its setting amidst the vineyards, retaining Romanesque structural elements.
Avolsheim