Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Wissembourg

The border to Germany is just about a kilometer to the north and the Alsace had german and french periods over the centuries. So it is no wonder, that the most names carved around the portal of the former abbey-church "sound" german. These kind of graffitis are often done, when the churches are "unattended", what was e.g. often during the Wars of Religion or after the French Revolution. So it is surprising, that Mr. Vogt had the time to carve in his name so prominently already in 1783.

Outside the choir of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul is this kind of "plaque". The graffiti is the hand. Via the words below it is tried to find an explanation for this pointing hand. It reads "HIE VOR IST DISS GEMICHET", what means "here it was done" or "here it happened". Actually nobody - today - knows what ever has happened here.

The former village Altenstadt is now part of Wissembourg. The church St. Ulrich is on the graveyard, a place that was fortified in medieval times. The church was built over the ruins of a roman temple and was dedicated to Martin from Tour originally. The building was constructed during the 11th century. The tower, with some nice blind arcades, was added 100 years later. Dating back about a thousand years, makes the little church to one of the oldest existing in the Alsace.

The village Altenstadt is now part of Wissembourg. The church St. Ulrich was built over the ruins of a roman temple. The building was constructed during the 11th/12th century, is one of the oldest existing churches in the Alsace. Here, seen from the back, one major change is visible. The original church ended at the fifth window, but was enlarged later. The sacristy in front of the semicircular choir was added within the 20th century.

The church St. Ulrich in Altenstadt (now part of Wissembourg) was built over the ruins of a roman temple within the 11th/12th century. Here the portal with it´s tympanon and lintel. The tympanon depicts an "Agnus Dei" carved into a yellowish stone. The reddish lintel below is rough, but very delicate. There are seven medaillons. The hand of God in the middle, two sheep ( = Peter and Paul) on the sides. Followed by complex symmetrical floral ornaments and kind of carolingian knots - on both sides. All seven medaillons are embedded into a floral layout. Robert Will in "Alsace romane" (Zodiaque) describes this as a kind of carved "embroidery". Well, actually he believes that the "master" of this carving was a coptic (!) embroidery. The inscription on top of the lintel is cryptic. Before entering this church Luithard, abbot in Wissembourg 1002 - 1023, should be asked, - but this church never belonged to the abbey. It was a parish church from the very beginning.

The church St. Ulrich in Altenstadt (now part of Wissembourg) was built over the ruins of a roman temple within the 11th/12th century. Standing in the the central nave, looking towards the choir. This is a classical basilica, with a higher nave - and two lower aisles on the sides, separated by rectangular pillars. The church was never vaulted, but has a flat wooden ceiling, which got just renewed. The choir, added in the 15th century, has a gothic vault.

The church St. Ulrich in Altenstadt (now part of Wissembourg) was built over the ruins of a roman temple within the 11th/12th century. Another early graffito et the entrance of a church (see nearby Wissembourg). " A(N)NO 1772" - seven years, before the French Revolution took place, but - obviously the person, who craved in his or her name here, was not very popular. Somebody erased the name later with some effort.