Colmar's heritage

The pedestrian zone of old Colmar, one of the largest in Europe, allows visitors to admire the countless treasures of a heritage that is remarkable in every way. The Middle Ages left behind superb examples of Gothic architecture in the old town, such as the Collegiate Church of Saint Martin and the Dominican Church, which bear witness to an art form that is both pure and sober, and very austere. Originally Romanesque in style, the Collegiate Church of Saint Martin was enlarged in 1235, with work continuing for over a century. The choir of the church, designed by Wilhelm von Marburg, was completed in the mid-14th century.

The religious architecture of the mendicant orders occupies a special place: present in Colmar since the 13th century, the Dominicans and Franciscans have left us remarkable architectural ensembles. These are vast churches, such as those of the Dominicans (which houses Martin Schongauer's masterpiece ‘The Virgin of the Rose Bush’) or that of the Franciscans, St. Matthew's Church, where many events and classical music concerts are held today, such as the symphony concerts of the Colmar International Festival.

A few civil buildings bear witness to the architectural splendour of Colmar in the Middle Ages, such as the Maison Adolph, dating from the second half of the 14th century, and the ‘Huselin zum Swan’ house on Rue Schongauer.

The Koïfhus (the Old Customs House), completed in 1480, is the oldest public building in the city. At the time, it played a central role in Colmar's economic life. First mentioned in 1370, the building was used for the storage and transit of all goods imported into Colmar.

The Renaissance is omnipresent in the old town. One example is the famous Maison Pfister (1537), a symbol of Colmar and one of the most beautiful bourgeois residences that has survived to this day.

The ‘Maison des Têtes’ (1609), which owes its name to the 111 grotesque heads and masks that adorn its façade, evokes the ‘golden age’ of merchants and bears witness to the wealth of Colmar's merchant bourgeoisie.

French classicism has endowed Colmar with some beautiful buildings, such as the Palais du Conseil Souverain, whose neoclassical façade dates from 1771, and the Ancien Hôpital (1744), with its sober and balanced proportions, which now houses the new Municipal Media Library.

As you stroll through the streets, you can also admire the many beautiful shop signs and colourful roofs, or stroll along the Quai de la Poissonnerie. Once the nerve centre of fishing and fish sales, this picturesque district is now known as ‘Little Venice’.