Element of architecture Grès des Vosges Grand Est 15th century

This very beautiful architectural element is sculpted in pink sandstone called Vosges sandstone. This material is emblematic of Alsace and Upper Rhineland. Its name comes from its place of extraction, located in the sandstone Vosges region. Many buildings are built in this stone, including the very famous Strasbourg Cathedral. Its rosy tone and very fine grain is indeed very popular for construction.

It is most likely part of a column, as suggested by the beginning of the shaft, more precisely a piece of its capital. The latter is provided with a vegetal decoration with in its center a coat of arms. We can also guess the body of an animal on the left side (front view), probably a dog.


The shield left with on its left an animal raised on its two legs which show its claws and its teeth: in heraldry, it is a rampant greyhound. The greyhound is a graceful-looking hunting dog that carries a symbolism linked to loyalty. He faces a hunting horn, an instrument that represents courage and ardor in heraldry. It seems that behind the coat of arms passes a pastoral stick, symbol of the prior's stick, the end of which would be missing today.

In the Grand Est region, between the towns of Colmar and Mulhouse, a church bears the emblem of the greyhound: Murbach Abbey. One of the villages surrounding Murbach has the emblem of the hunting horn. This information added to the location of the building tends to prove a link, close or distant between the place and our architectural element.