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Holiday Palace à Strasbourg dans le Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin

Holiday Palace

    5 Rue Sellenick
    67000 Strasbourg
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Palais des Fêtes
Crédit photo : © Ralph Hammann - Wikimedia Commons - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1900
2000
1872
Choir Foundation
1897
Building control
1903
Opening of the Palais
1909
Inauguration of the organ
1922
Transfer to the City
2007
Historical classification
2012-2020
Complete renovation
2021
Creation of the Collective
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The Palais des Fêtes in its entirety, including huisseries and building elements by destination (Box 84 43, 44): registration by order of 9 February 2007

Key figures

Richard Kuder - Architect Co-designer of the building with Müller.
Joseph Müller - Architect Author of subsequent plans and extensions.
Albert Schweitzer - Expert and organist Supervised the creation of the organ.
Marie-Joseph Erb - Organist and composer A composed a symphony for the inauguration.
Charles-Marie Widor - Organizational and expert Member of the organ committee.
Édouard Züblin - Entrepreneur Realized reinforced concrete structures.

Origin and history

The Palace of Feasts, originally named Sängerhaus (house of singers), was commissioned in 1897 by the Straßburger Männer Gesangverein, an Alsatian male choir company founded in 1872. This project, supported financially by the German Ministry and private donations, aimed to create a multi-purpose cultural venue including a concert hall of 1,750 seats, a restaurant, a library and rehearsal spaces. The building, designed by architects Richard Kuder and Joseph Müller, became, as soon as it was inaugurated in 1903, a high place in the cultural life of Strasbourg, welcoming notably the musical festival of Alsace-Lorraine in the 1920s.

The Palais des Fêtes is distinguished by its eclectic architecture, combining neo-Gothic, neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau styles, with pioneering reinforced concrete elements in Strasbourg, made according to the Hennebique process. The grand hall, decorated with a concert organ inaugurated in 1909, was designed by experts such as Albert Schweitzer and Marie-Joseph Erb, with 56 games and 3,912 pipes. The organ, electrified in 1958, is now being restored after decades of wear and tear.

Ranked a historic monument in 2007, the Palais des Fêtes underwent a complete renovation between 2012 and 2020, including restoration of the façade, roof and interiors. Since 2021, the Collectif Palais des Fêtes, bringing together some 30 local cultural actors, has organized events to revitalize this place, as a festival in 2023 marking its 120th anniversary. The building also houses the Strasbourg Choreographic Centre in an adjacent wing built in the 1920s.

The history of the Palais des Fêtes reflects the political and cultural transitions of Alsace, moving from the German period (initial order in 1897) to French management after 1918. His organ, designed by major figures such as Charles-Marie Widor and Eugène Gigout, symbolizes this duality, as well as its architecture, a witness to the technical and artistic innovations of the early twentieth century. Today, it remains one of the few French rooms with a concert organ, alongside the Philharmonie de Paris or the Auditorium de Lyon.

External links