Hunawihr Fortified Church, Hunawihr, France

Hunawihr village in Alsace is famous for of its fortified church, perched on a hillside on the edge of the village. The fortified church of St. James (the Greater) and the old cemetery are surrounded by a 13th-century wall with only one entrance.

The six original semicircular bastions with ports through which guns could be fired still flanked the ramparts.

Listed as a historic monument in 1929, the existing church was built on the foundations of a primitive church from the 10th century. The square bell tower of the church is as strong as a keep and dates back to the 15th century. The hands of the church clock are decorated with vine leaves, illustrating the vineyards’ importance to the village’s economy.

Inside are famous frescoes named after Saint-Nicolas, which were rediscovered in 1878. The choir gallery, the transept and the nave all date back to the 16th century and the organ case to the 18th century. In the nave, the 16th century pink sandstone pulpit set against the wall contains a small staircase crossing the pillar from which it is formed. This setting is quite rare in France and unique to Alsace.

References:

frenchmoments.eu

User Reviews

Mustafa Gungor AVCI (49 days ago)
The watch is out of order and doors are closed at Saturday 11 am

amit gaharwar (2 years ago)
The church is the most prominent point of this les plus beaux villlage. It is perched on a hilltop, an easy walk from the street. The views of the vinyards and the Alsacian valley and beyond, from the church grounds are quite stunning. This church is shared between catholics and protestants and there are separate cemetries to show for it in the church grounds. The village itself is one main street with old houses on both sides. A half an hour or an hour detour while going from Riquewihr to Ribeauvillé should be enough. Or you could take tourist train from Ribeauvillé which covers this village as well.

Joshua Harvey (2 years ago)
Beautiful church nestled among the grapes. Easy walk from the road through the vineyards. Once up-close, the church grounds are as interesting as the church itself. Worth a stop for 30 minutes if you have the time. Takes great pictures too! ?Please follow for more vids and pics ? ? @destinationeverywhere ? @comeseeitall ? @we_explore_everywhere ? @we.explore.everywhere

Colin Wills (6 years ago)
Gorgeous, historic building with a very peaceful ambience and great views

Frederique Arnold (6 years ago)
Beautiful church, do not miss it, the view from the hill is absolutely stunning. There is a small but convenient car park just a few hundred meters from the church.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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Hunawihr Fortified Church

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