Sainte Richarde Church Marlenheim

Perched on a hill in the heart of the old village of Marlenheim, the Sainte-Richarde Church stands out for its architectural unity despite several phases of construction. The most notable, between 1823 and 1825, was the work of the departmental architect François Reiner, whose mother was from the town. The 19th-century bell tower, attached to the west facade, did not erase the classical portal of 1716, still visible in the vestibule.

Inside, the church reveals a rich heritage. The baptismal fonts, dated 1671, testify to Marlenheim's growing autonomy from the parish of Kirchheim. The Baroque pulpit, dating from the early 18th century, stands alongside neoclassical side altars and choir paneling, made around 1840, which illustrate the life of Jesus. The organ, rebuilt in 1925 by Edmond-Alexandre Roethinger, incorporates elements from an 1842 instrument.

The south facade preserves two medieval bas-reliefs of great value. The oldest, Romanesque, decorates the tympanum of a side door and dates from around 1190. It represents the institution of the Church as a universal community of believers, a common theme in the imperial lands under the Hohenstaufen, to which Marlenheim belonged. The second, dated 1653, depicts Jesus' night on the Mount of Olives before his crucifixion, a frequent motif in Alsatian cemeteries, recalling that Marlenheim's cemetery extended around the church until 1822.