Colmar, France is a picturesque village in the northeastern part of France, along the Rhine River and the German Border. This historic region of France is known as the Alsace region and reminds visitors of being in Venice. Colmar features cobblestone streets running alongside the canals, which are surrounded by half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings stacked above. The town dates back to 800 A.D. and has been ruled by Germany, Sweden, Italy and finally France. It is also the birthplace of Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who is best known as the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty.
The main attraction to Colmar is the architecture. The Renaissance architecture of the region dates between the 14th and the 17th centuries in Europe. It demonstrates a conscious revival and development of elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material. It stylistically followed Gothic architecture, and was succeeded by the Baroque style of architecture. Renaissance architecture places style emphasis on symmetry, proportion and geometry.
Colmar features secular and religious architectural landmarks that reflect eight centuries of Germanic and French architecture and the adaptation of their respective stylistic language to the local customs and building materials, such as pink and yellow Vosges sandstone and timber frame. The picturesque city’s architecture remains amazingly intact and transports the traveler back to the earliest part of European history. The Old Town is a beautiful historic area and lies between the Rue des Têtes, the Rue des Clefs, and the Rue des Marchands near the Place de la Cathédrale. Admire the rebuilt Gothic church of Collégiale Saint-Martin. Visitors can see the Ancien Corps de Garde, which has been everything from a marketplace to a justice hall to a themed military housing district. One of the oldest buildings in Colmar, The Maison Adolph, was built in 1350 for the Adolph family.
A visit to Colmar will take you back to the earliest history of Europe. There are so many architectural attractions and features, one can get lost appreciating and exploring the grandeur for days.
From the ADG Jobsite
Our ring pendant at a high rise in San Francisco, in collaboration with Triomphe Design
by Gerald Olesker, CEO, ADG Lighting