Saint Lawrence Church

The first church on this site, built in the 13th century on the left bank of the Bruche River, was surrounded by a water-filled moat. At that time, the inhabitants lived on the opposite bank. Becoming unsanitary and dangerous, it was banned from worship in 1778. A new church and its cemetery were then built on the right bank between 1780 and 1784, on the site of the current church. This building, too small after less than a century, was replaced by the construction of the present church, begun in 1866. A pilgrimage in honor of Saint Pirmin, invoked for the healing of eyes, has been documented at this site since 1597. The oil of Saint Pirmin, kept in a vessel from 1765, recalls this tradition. Formerly, the bells rang every hour, but lightning destroyed the mechanism in the 19th century. Today, small bells placed in the choir no longer function. The church also houses an organ case by Nicolas Boulay, the only survivor in Alsace, decorated with rococo motifs and openwork foliage. A statue of Saint Lawrence the martyr, bearing the coat of arms of Erstein, adorns its façade. Finally, a calvary commemorates the tragic memory of a little girl who died falling into the foundations during the church's construction.