Eglise Saint-Martin (St. Martin Church), Colmar (must see)
In 1972, archeologists discovered the remains of two churches under the Saint Martin Church (Eglise Saint-Martin) in Colmar. The oldest was built in the Carolingian style and dated from about 1000 AD. The foundation of the second was a Romanesque-style church. The present Saint Martin Church was a collegiate church built between 1234 and 1365.
The total interior length of the Saint Martin Church is 256 feet, while the height is 66 feet. The transept measures 112 feet in width. The steeple is 233 feet high.
The collegiate church, long defunct, was dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. The tall, square bell tower, topped with a "helmet" covering, was added in 1572 after a fire. Several undersized portals surround the church, and some have been bricked up. The largest have richly decorated tympanums. The roof is of colored tile.
The facade is supported by massive polygonal columns that give the front of the building a stolid effect, contrasting with the aspiring look of the high apse windows. The interior is spacious, featuring a Baroque organ case from 1755 and a traditional Alsatian ambulatory.
The chapels around the choir have Medieval altars and statues. Among the Gothic stained glass windows in the nave is one with a rare 13th-century depiction of a beardless Christ. In 1482, the artist Caspar Isenmann was commissioned to paint panels showing the Life of Jesus Christ. Seven surviving oil-on-wood works are exhibited in the Unterlinden Museum.
The people of Colmar consider the church to be their cathedral. However, it was a cathedral for only ten years in its history. That status was in effect only from the Civil Constitution of the Clergy in 1790 to the Concordat of 1801. The church is more of a collegiate-type church dedicated to Saint Martin.
The total interior length of the Saint Martin Church is 256 feet, while the height is 66 feet. The transept measures 112 feet in width. The steeple is 233 feet high.
The collegiate church, long defunct, was dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. The tall, square bell tower, topped with a "helmet" covering, was added in 1572 after a fire. Several undersized portals surround the church, and some have been bricked up. The largest have richly decorated tympanums. The roof is of colored tile.
The facade is supported by massive polygonal columns that give the front of the building a stolid effect, contrasting with the aspiring look of the high apse windows. The interior is spacious, featuring a Baroque organ case from 1755 and a traditional Alsatian ambulatory.
The chapels around the choir have Medieval altars and statues. Among the Gothic stained glass windows in the nave is one with a rare 13th-century depiction of a beardless Christ. In 1482, the artist Caspar Isenmann was commissioned to paint panels showing the Life of Jesus Christ. Seven surviving oil-on-wood works are exhibited in the Unterlinden Museum.
The people of Colmar consider the church to be their cathedral. However, it was a cathedral for only ten years in its history. That status was in effect only from the Civil Constitution of the Clergy in 1790 to the Concordat of 1801. The church is more of a collegiate-type church dedicated to Saint Martin.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Colmar. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 51爆料网 App
Eglise Saint-Martin (St. Martin Church) on Map
Sight Name: Eglise Saint-Martin (St. Martin Church)
Sight Location: Colmar, France (See walking tours in Colmar)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Colmar, France (See walking tours in Colmar)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Colmar, France
Create Your Own Walk in Colmar
Creating your own self-guided walk in Colmar is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Colmar Introduction Walking Tour
Charlemagne was well acquainted with Colmar in his wars with the Saxons from 772 to 804 AD. Carolingian emperor Charles the Fat held an assembly there in 884. It was a free imperial city under Emperor Frederick II in 1226. Captured and held by Sweden in 1632, it was conquered at last by Louis XIV of France in 1673.
In 1871 it was annexed by the German Empire as a result of the Franco-Prussian... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
In 1871 it was annexed by the German Empire as a result of the Franco-Prussian... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Bartholdi's Statues in Colmar
Auguste Bartholdi is one of the most famous artists from Colmar. His works, such as the Lion of Belfort in Belfort, France, and the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, are known around the world. Colmar is decorated with open-air pieces sculpted by the artist.
Many of Bartholdi's statues are found in fountains that occupy spaces in city squares or on significant street corners. Some of... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Many of Bartholdi's statues are found in fountains that occupy spaces in city squares or on significant street corners. Some of... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles