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Origin and history

The Dominican Convent of Colmar, also known as the Dominican Church, is a historical monument located in the Upper Rhine in Colmar. Founded in 1289 by the Order of the Preachers (Dominicans), who arrived in the city around 1260, it consists of a church and a cloister. The church choir was built before 1300, while the nave, begun in the early 14th century, was completed in 1346. The cloister, the oldest part, dates from the 13th century but was burned in 1458. The convent buildings, raised around 1300, were rebuilt in the 18th century.

At the time of the French Revolution, the building became an artillery store and was bought by the city in 1807 as a wheat hall. He was given worship in 1898. The church houses major works such as The Virgin in the rose bush, painted by Martin Schongauer in 1473, as well as 14th century stained glass windows illustrating the life of Christ. The wall paintings of the cloister, dating from the late 15th century, represent the cycle of the Passion.

The convent buildings, transformed into gendarmerie barracks from 1795 to 1871, then housed the preparatory school for teachers from 1873 to 1940. Since 1951, they have hosted the municipal library of Colmar. The convent and its church have been classified as historical monuments since November 2, 1948, highlighting their heritage and artistic importance.

The architecture of the church is distinguished by a five-span vaulted choir, an octagonal apse and a six-span nave. The columns, without capitals, support a wooden ceiling, creating a sober yet luminous interior. The cloister, with simple arcades, is organized around an irregular rectangle. These elements reflect the austerity and spirituality of the Dominican order.

The convent illustrates the successive transformations of a religious building: medieval place of worship, revolutionary military building, modern cultural and educational space. Its history is marked by continuous adaptations, while preserving artistic treasures such as the stained glass windows and Schongauer's altarpiece, which bear witness to its prestigious past.

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