Église Saint-Matthieu de Colmar (Saint Matthew Church), Colmar

The Église Saint-Matthieu de Colmar (Saint Matthew Church) (former Franciscan church, then Saint-Matthieu Protestant church) is a historical monument located in Colmar. Because of its remarkable phonic qualities, it hosts an international music festival every year.

The nave of the old Franciscan church was built in 1292. The city became the owner in 1543 and set up a hospital in the conventional buildings.

Following the Lutheran Reformation, this building was made available to Protestants in 1575.

Lutheran worship was banned by the Jesuits between 1627 and 1632 , the year in which Gustaf Horn , general to the King of Sweden, seized the city of Colmar and drove them out.

The arch between the nave and the choir was walled up in 1715 by order of the King of France. This choir was returned to the Protestants in 1937 but the separation wall was only destroyed in 1987.

This same nave was restored between 1991 and 1997.

The old church has been classified as a historic monument since November 2, 1948.

Of the buildings of the time, only the chapel remains, assigned to Protestant worship. It consists of a choir 30 m long and 23 high, narrow but largely lit by large windows. The nave , 43m long, and the aisles, reserved for the faithful, are separated from the choir by a rood screen.

This same rood screen houses a wooden Christ dating from the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century.

The large organs are a work of Silbermann created in 1731 and are classified as an object to historical monuments, the September 23, 1986 for its instrumental part and theJune 23, 1988 for its buffet.

The panels of the balustrades and the stands are decorated with oil paintings.

Its remarkable acoustic qualities enable it to host an international music festival every year.