Saint George Church

The Saint George Church in Sélestat, built between 1220 and 1500, embodies the ambition of the local bourgeoisie in the face of religious power. On the site of an 8th-century Carolingian chapel where Charlemagne prayed in 775, stands today an imposing building often mistaken for a cathedral due to its size. Its choir, enlarged in the 15th century, is adorned with 55 original stained glass windows, some from the 15th century, forming an invaluable artistic treasure. The Renaissance pulpit, carved in 1619 by Jérôme Kruch, is distinguished by its Samson with prominent veins and its painted and gilded stone basin. The Rinckenbach organ, restored in 1975, adds a musical touch to this historic place of worship. The western tower, built between the 14th and 15th centuries, rises to 60 meters and houses six bells, including the bourdon decorated with the lion of Sélestat. In the past, watchmen climbed it to guard against fires and ring the quarter hours, a task that sometimes earned them penalties, such as in 1886. Beneath the church, the crypt, arranged in the 15th century to preserve a public passage around the cemetery, was closed in the 19th century and transformed into a vaulted space with four ribbed vaults resting on a massive central pillar.