Ottmarsheim

Visit Ottmarsheim, Alsace

Ottmarsheim is a village at the end of the Rhone and Rhine Canal, 16 kilometres east of Mulhouse and in the Haut-Rhin department of the Alsace region. The main reason that people visit the town is to visit the impressive abbey-church.

Abbey church of Ottmarsheim

Dating originally from the first half of the 11th century, the Church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul originally formed part of a benedictine abbey that was built here by Rodolphe d'Altenbourg, a wealthy local landowner. It is unusual in being octagonal in design*, and a very impressive example of the roman style of church architecture that is almost completely lacking superfluous decoration.

It is also thought to be the oldest church in Alsace (indeed it is also one of the oldest buildings to be found in the whole region). However, two important fires in the middle ages, the Thirty Years War, the revolution and a fire in 1991 have all caused damage to the church - so the many modifications and renovations carried out across the centuries mean that part of what we now see dates from later centuries.

Inside the abbey church, each side of the octagonal body has a large arched opening. There are a series of murals in the church at Ottmarsheim, dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. One of the most impressive features the symbols of the four evangelists (an angel for Saint Matthew, a cow for Saint Luke, an eagle for Saint John and a lion for Saint Mark), while another shows Christ on a rainbow betwen heaven and earth.

In the open square in front of the church you can see two traditional half-timbered houses.

* Note: the octagonal design is usually considered to be a copy of the church of Aix-la-Chapelle (found in Germany),although other sources that suggest the Palatine Chapel in Aachen or the Saint-Vital church in Ravenne, Italy are the inspiration for the design of the abbey church at Ottmarsheim.

See Alsace and Haut-Rhin (the region and department for Ottmarsheim) for more travel ideas...

Tourist classifications for Ottmarsheim: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 2*;

Suggested places to visit near Ottmarsheim, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Neuf-Brisach 26km; Guebwiller 26km; Altkirch 27km; Murbach 30km; Eguisheim 32km; Colmar 35km; Turckheim 37km; Munster 40km; Kaysersberg 43km; Riquewihr 45km; Hunawihr 46km;

Ottmarsheim tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Sausheim - ville fleurie 4* (11km) : Parc Alfred-Wallach - remarkable garden (13km) : Parc botanique de Mulhouse - remarkable garden (14km) : Huningue - ville fleurie 4* (22km) : Parc de la Marseillaise - remarkable garden (26km) : Soultzmatt - ville fleurie 4* (28km) : Thann - recommended detour (30km) : Hirtzbach - ville fleurie 4* (31km) :

See more places and a map at places near Ottmarsheim