First station of Colmar 1840 (≈ 1840)
Commissioned by the Strasbourg Company in Basel.
1905-1906
Construction of the current station
Construction of the current station 1905-1906 (≈ 1906)
Under German administration, Art Nouveau style.
1er mai 1907
Inauguration of the current station
Inauguration of the current station 1er mai 1907 (≈ 1907)
Replaces the old station of 1842.
1918
Return under French management
Return under French management 1918 (≈ 1918)
End of World War I.
1944
Destruction of original stained glass windows
Destruction of original stained glass windows 1944 (≈ 1944)
Explosion of an ammunition train.
28 décembre 1984
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 28 décembre 1984 (≈ 1984)
Protection of the passenger building.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Main building (E.O. Box 48): registration by order of 28 December 1984
Key figures
Jean Le Gac - Contemporary Painter
Author of the 1991 glass windows.
Ignace Wetterle - 19th Century Entrepreneur
Builder of the station of 1842.
Origin and history
Colmar Train Station is an iconic railway monument built in the early 20th century. Inaugurated in 1907 under the German administration, it replaced a first station put into service in 1840 by the Strasbourg Railway Company in Basel. Its architecture, inspired by Dantzig railway station, combines Art Nouveau, Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance styles, with an impressive 36-metre belfry.
The current station, built in grey sandstone and red bricks, is decorated with original sculptures and stained glass, now partially destroyed. It symbolizes the German influence of the time, with elements like imperial eagle replaced after 1918 by the city's weapons. The building, registered as a historic monument in 1984, underwent several renovations, notably in 1991 with contemporary glass windows by Jean Le Gac.
The station played a key role in the Alsatian railway network, serving lines to Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Basel and other regional destinations. It was also a node for narrow-track lines, now missing. After World War I, she went under French management (SNCF), then German during World War II, before returning to France.
The passenger building, with its classed waiting rooms and its historic buffet, reflects the social and economic importance of the station. The original stained glass windows, destroyed in 1944, represented local symbols such as the town gate or the village of Eguisheim. Today, the station remains a major railway hub, served by TGVs and TER, while maintaining its architectural heritage.
The Colmar depot, built in 1878 and enlarged in 1907, is a testament to the intense railway activity of the time. Bombed during World War II, it declined with electrification of the lines in the 1950s. The freight station, which was put into service in 1904, also experienced a gradual decline, with some of the installations unused since the 2000s.
The Colmar station, with its remodeled square in 2004 and its west pavilion built between 2005 and 2007, combines historical heritage and modernity. It remains a symbol of the turbulent history of Alsace, between French and German influences, and a central place for travelers and local life.
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