Sélestat, Humanist City at the Heart of Alsace
Sélestat is a city of 20,000 inhabitants located in the heart of the Bas-Rhin, halfway between Strasbourg and Colmar. Founded in the Carolingian era, it reached its peak in the 15th century as one of the most important intellectual centres of Rhenish Europe. It was here that Beatus Rhenanus, friend of Erasmus and great humanist of the Renaissance, spent much of his life and bequeathed his personal library to the city, now listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
Despite this exceptional past, Sélestat remains one of the least visited destinations in Alsace by foreign tourists. This discretion is paradoxically one of its greatest assets: one discovers here an authentic, lively city where the inhabitants have managed to preserve their heritage without turning it into a set for visitors.
The Humanist Library, Sélestat's World Treasure
The Humanist Library of Sélestat is one of the most important Renaissance libraries preserved in the world. It houses around 450 manuscripts and 550 incunabula (books printed before 1500), some of exceptional rarity and value. Among its most precious treasures is the Cosmographiae Introductio by Martin Waldseemüller, printed in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges in 1507: it is in this work that the name "America" appears for the first time to designate the New World.
Inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register since 2011, the personal library of Beatus Rhenanus forms the heart of the collection. This exceptional collection, bequeathed by the humanist at his death in 1547, has remained intact since then - an extremely rare continuity for a collection of this age. Since 2021 the library has been housed in a remarkable contemporary building designed by Kengo Kuma, a world-renowned Japanese architect.
The Two Medieval Churches: Sainte-Foy and Saint-Georges
Sélestat has two remarkable medieval churches that bear witness to the richness of its past. The church of Sainte-Foy, built in the 12th century in the Rhenish Romanesque style, is one of the finest Romanesque churches in Alsace. Its sober and powerful nave, massive columns and semi-circular apse testify to the architectural mastery of the period. The church is now a listed historic monument.
The church of Saint-Georges, built between the 13th and 15th centuries in the Gothic style, is the main parish church of Sélestat. It houses remarkable stained glass windows, some dating from the 14th century, as well as a very fine 15th-century Virgin and Child in pink sandstone. The Gothic bell tower, 60 metres high, dominates the city's rooftops and is a landmark visible from afar across the Alsatian plain.
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The Historic Centre and the Ramparts
The historic centre of Sélestat has retained much of its medieval ramparts, including the Clock Tower and the Strasbourg Gate. These well-presented remains of the 14th-century city walls allow visitors to appreciate the strategic importance of the city in the Middle Ages. Sélestat was then one of the ten free imperial cities of Alsace, the Décapole, a confederation founded in 1354 to resist the ambitions of local princes.
The lively and commercial city centre has retained its Alsatian character without falling into tourist excess. Half-timbered houses stand alongside Renaissance facades and 19th-century buildings in a pleasant urban harmony. The Place du Marché Vert and the Place de la République form the two poles of local life.
Sélestat and the Christmas Tree Tradition
Few people know it, but Sélestat claims the first known written mention of a decorated Christmas tree. In the city archives, held at the Humanist Library, there is a register from 1521 mentioning the purchase of fir trees for the Christmas festivities. This historical trace makes Sélestat one of the symbolic cradles of the Christmas tree tradition, now celebrated worldwide.
The city celebrates this tradition every year with its Christmas market, which takes place in the historic centre in December. Less crowded than those of Strasbourg or Colmar, it offers a more intimate and authentic atmosphere with many local craftspeople and regional producers.
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Visiting Sélestat: Practical Tips
Sélestat is easy to explore on foot. The compact and well-signposted historic centre can be covered in two to three hours for a complete visit including the Humanist Library and the two churches. Allow an extra half-day if you wish to explore the ramparts and museums.
The city is ideally situated for trips to the finest Alsatian villages: Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr are 15 minutes by car, Haut-Koenigsbourg 20 minutes. Sélestat thus makes an excellent base for exploring central Alsace.
By train, Sélestat is accessible from Strasbourg in 25 minutes and from Colmar in 15 minutes. The station is a 10-minute walk from the historic centre. Free car parks are available on the outskirts of the centre.
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The Surroundings of Sélestat: Between Vineyards and Forest
Sélestat is surrounded by exceptional natural and cultural surroundings. To the west, the Sélestat forest and the first Vosges slopes offer fine hiking trails. The Haut-Koenigsbourg castle, perched at 757 metres altitude and magnificently restored at the beginning of the 20th century on the orders of Wilhelm II, is one of the most visited sites in Alsace with nearly 500,000 visitors per year.
To the north and south, the vineyards of the Wine Route flank the city. The villages of Kintzheim, Orschwiller and Saint-Hippolyte produce renowned wines, notably a Pinot Noir that benefits from the favourable exposure of the Vosges slopes. The plain to the east, with the Alsatian Ried and its wetlands, is a paradise for birds and nature lovers.
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