Selestat

Visit Selestat, Alsace

Selestat is in the Bas-Rhin department of the Alsace region, north of Colmar and south of Strasbourg. Slightly less visited than many of the villages in the region, there are several interesting sites and monuments waiting to be discovered in this lively town if you are passing

Exploring Selestat

The centre of Selestat revolves around its two main churches - the Romanesque church of Sainte-Foy and the Gothic Church Saint Georges (with some interesting stained glass windows).

There are also a few streets containing attractive traditional Alsace buildings, for example along the Quai des Tanneurs, and a scattering of grand old houses and historical monuments - a clock tower, a 'Chateau d'Eau' which has a very 'Moorish' look, and an old gateway into the town.

An interesting aspect of Selestat is the way you can walk through a 1000 years of history:

- Among the oldest buildings, the Witches tower and Quai des Tanneurs date back to the early Middle Ages. The witches tower was a part of the original town fortifications and, as the name suggests was also used as a prison for those charged with witchcraft.

- The roman style Church of Saint Foys was built in the 12th century, and the gothic style Saint-Georges church from the 12-15th centuries. The Clock Tower and Franciscan church were added during the 14th century.

- The buildings of the Commanderie Saint-Jean, now home to the Selestat Tourist Office, were also built in the 15th and 16th centuries, as was the 'Hotel d'Ebersmunster'. The buildings from this renaissance period have particularly ornate doorways.

- Moving forward to the 17th century, the ramparts, Porte de Strasbourg and the renaissance style Billex house were built. The Rue des Clefs, mansions and the neo-classical style Town Hall added a century later, in 1788.

- In the 19th century the Wheat Hall and synagogue were built, and then the water tower in the last 100 years.

Humanist Library of Selestat

Perhaps Selestat's most important building is its famous Humanist Library which contains a very important collection of 450 manuscripts and 2000 16th century prints (situated in the Wheat Hall).

Part of the building is an exhibition of books dating back to the 7th century, while the library is also an important research centre for old books that attracts visitors from all over France.

Local attractions

Selestat forms part of the popular 'Alsace Route des Vins' with numerous villages and scenic highlights to enjoy, and the Castle at Haut Koenigsbourg is another popular attraction nearby.

See Alsace and Bas-Rhin (the region and department for Selestat) for more travel ideas...

Tourist classifications for Selestat: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 3*;

Photos of Selestat

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Suggested places to visit near Selestat, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Epfig 11km; Ribeauville 12km; Hunawihr 14km; Mittelbergheim 15km; Riquewihr 16km; Chateau Andlau 16km; Barr 16km; Kaysersberg 20km; Mont-Sainte-Odile 20km; Colmar 21km; Obernai 23km;

Selestat tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Parc du château de Kintzheim - remarkable garden (5km) : Itterswiller - ville fleurie 4* (12km) : Marckolsheim - ville fleurie 4* (13km) : Parc du domaine de Schoppenwihr - remarkable garden (16km) : Diebolsheim - ville fleurie 4* (16km) : Domaine du Windeck - remarkable garden (22km) : Le jardin de Marguerite - remarkable garden (31km) : Jardins de Callunes - remarkable garden (34km) :

See more places and a map at places near Selestat