Eglise Saint-Maurice

Visible from afar with its long white façade, the church of St. Maurice in Orschwiller stands out clearly against the wooded slope of the Langenberg massif This neo-classical building from the end of the 18th century, designed by the architect Christiani, consists of a bell tower, a single nave and a polygonal choir set back, in accordance with the usual layout of the time. On the small promontory behind the church, an orientation table allows you to discover an exceptional landscape. The church was restored several times, but was demolished in 1780, as it was too small for the village. In 1779 the foundation stone of the present church was laid. For its construction, part of the materials of the old building were used, but also the inexhaustible sandstone mine that constituted the ruins of Haut-Koenigsbourg. Completed in 1781, the church presented its imposing 42m high façade. The interior of the church was entirely restored after the fire of 1985. It houses various paintings and statues of real artistic value. In the choir, you can admire the carved lectern, decorated with the symbols of the four Evangelists. This masterpiece was made by the sculptor Arsène Schirm, a native of Orschwiller. Behind the high altar, you will notice one of the rare paintings by the painter Simon Gasser, of excellent workmanship: the Ascension of Saint Maurice (1803). The ceiling of the nave presents a work of the Strasbourg artist Sylvie Lander, the "Sky", made in 2011 thanks to a popular sponsorship - oil on canvas mounted on wood and gold leaf in an ellipse of 30 m². It is accompanied by an "Angel". The church got its first Birganztle organ from Ammerschwihr in 1805. In 1852, it was replaced by a Stiehr-Mockers from Selz. At the end of the century, its playing was romanized. An opening in the bell tower was necessary to accommodate the enlarged organ. In the 1985 fire, the front of the instrument was badly damaged and many pipes melted. It was restored to its original condition by the Mulheisen factory in Cronenbourg. The building has been registered as a historical monument since 1986, and classified as a historical monument since 1987. The organ, classified as a historical monument, was restored in 1988, following a fire in the church.