The Schini Houses

In the villages around Bouxwiller, the influence of Swiss craftsmen who repopulated the region after the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) is still evident in the local architecture.

A family of carpenters, the Schini, established in this part of Alsace since 1522, left a lasting mark on the built landscape with a distinctive half-timbered house style. Their architectural signature is a double loggia, or more precisely two levels of balustrades, considered the most spectacular of its kind in Alsace.

Nearly thirty of these loggias can be found on houses built between 1776 and 1839. These homes also stand out for their detailed ornamentation: finely carved balusters, often molded beams decorated with cartouches indicating the construction date and owners' names. Protective or decorative motifs, such as hearts, flowers, solar wheels, or swastikas, adorn both the houses and their outbuildings, adding a symbolic touch to these creations.