Strueth can be explored through two specific questions: What forms define its chapels, and what memories do the village crosses tell? The Chapelle Saint-André is located on Rue de la Chapelle; there is also the Chapelle Sainte-Élisabeth and several crosses, each with its own imagery and stories. A cultural-history walk is titled “Promenade dans Strueth à la découverte de ses croix” and focuses on discovering the village crosses. This allows you to view the village through different periods and themes, rather than treating all its historical features as similar attractions.
Chapels: vaults, geometry and glass
At the Chapelle Saint-André, the chancel is a striking architectural feature: it has a ribbed vault whose keystone is carved with a St Andrew’s cross. In a ribbed vault, the ribs meet at the keystone; here, this point also bears a clearly recognisable cross motif. The chapel thus combines a distinctive vault form with a symbol integrated directly into the architecture.
The Chapelle Sainte-Élisabeth makes a different impression. It was built from concrete in 1951–1952 and is characterised by simple geometric forms. Its stained-glass windows were created by Jean Barillet. By comparison, at Saint-André the focus is on the vault and keystone, while at Sainte-Élisabeth it is on the building’s clear design language and the windows. Those interested in sacred architecture will find two different points of interest here: a detail in the chancel, and the interplay between the building’s form and its glass.
Village crosses: symbols and local memory
The Croix près du réservoir is a stone cross dating from 1803. It bears an IHS Christogram; beneath it is a heart from which three nails emerge. This tiered motif of a monogram above a heart is a defining feature of the cross.
The Croix Richert brings together its date of construction and local memory. Xavier Richert and Maria Anna Kaiser erected the cross in 1883. Historically, it served as a stopping point for funeral processions carrying the deceased from Strueth, who were buried in the cemetery at Mertzen. Its significance therefore goes beyond its date: its recorded function connects the cross with a specific burial tradition between Strueth and Mertzen.
At the Croix sous les tilleuls, a religious inscription meets the shade of the trees: according to the inscription, praying five Our Fathers and five Hail Marys grants an indulgence of 30 days. Two old lime trees shade the cross. Here, a precisely quantified prayer formula meets a setting shaped by the trees.
The Croix du Kirchweg adds a practical feature for walkers to these varied stories: a small wooden bench beside it provides a place to rest. In November 2020, the cross was put back in place on the municipal path to the right of the footbridge over the Largue. The date refers to its reinstatement, not the erection of a new cross.
Choose a cultural-history focus
The cultural-history walk “Promenade dans Strueth à la découverte de ses croix” offers a themed way to explore the village crosses. The chapels complement this focus with architectural points of interest: Saint-André draws attention to the vault and keystone, while Sainte-Élisabeth highlights geometric forms and stained-glass windows. If you choose Strueth for its cultural history, you can decide whether architecture, religious imagery or the recorded function of a cross interests you most.
Discover more destinations: Muhlbach-Sur-Munster, Buhl, Village-Neuf, Kientzheim, Mooslargue, Aubure, Illhaeusern, Freland
For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
