Saint-Matthieu Protestant Church

The Saint-Matthieu Church in Colmar dates back to the 13th century: the Franciscans, who arrived in the city before 1250, began its construction in 1292. The building was only completed during the first half of the 14th century. Along with the Dominican Church, it represents one of the most remarkable achievements of the mendicant orders in the region. Between 1982 and 1997, several restorations restored its original appearance, notably by restoring the ceilings lowered in 1862 for heating cost reasons. Thanks to its exceptional acoustics, the church hosts concerts every year as part of the Colmar International Music Festival.

In 1543, the Franciscan convent closed permanently and the city bought the premises to establish a hospital. In 1575, the church was assigned to the Lutheran community of Colmar.

In 1715, a wall was erected to separate the Protestant chapel in the nave from the Catholic chapel in the choir, due to the proximity of the hospital. It was only in 1937, with the inauguration of the new Pasteur hospital, that the church became fully dedicated to Protestant worship again. The separating wall was finally demolished in 1987.