Strasbourg

The St. Paul church in Strasbourg © Jean-Marie Stocker

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH

Place Eisenhower
Where the river Ill runs into the river Aar, you’ll find St-Paul’s church, built between 1893 and 1897 as a Protestant garrison church. Designed in a Neo-Gothical style and with a Greek-cross basilical plan, it can seat over 1000 people. Today it is used by a Reformed parish. It has beautiful modern stained-glass windows, thanks to Brother Eric de Saussure from the Taizé community, as well as two outstanding pipe organs.

THE SAINT-PIERRE-LE-VIEUX PROTESTANT CHURCH

Place St. Pierre le Vieux
The church was built between 1381 and 1428. The flamboyant chancel, built in 1475 and given to the Catholics in 1682, was destroyed at the end of the 19th century and replaced by the present Catholic church, built perpendicular to the former building’s axis. The Protestant church, however, still has its Gothic jube with seven bays. Inside, you will see several different works of art, particularly a big relief carved in multi-coloured wood.

THE ALSATIAN MUSEUM

23-25 quai Saint Nicolas
A museum of local art based in a number of former private residences in Strasbourg, the Alsatian Museum presents a fascinating snapshot of traditional Alsatian life including painted furniture, costumes, local ceramics, toys, and religious or nonreligious images. Among the different themes, beliefs – and particularly the Protestant faith – form a large part of this museum. A number of rooms feature reconstructions of the interiors of homes typical of the various regions of Alsace (including the farms on the plains, the vineyards or the valleys of the Vosges), or craftsmen’s workshops (such as the forge and the carpentry shop, etc).

THE DEACONESS' CHAPEL

Rue St. Elisabeth
Built in 1904, the Deaconess’ chapel stands just next to the clinic of the same name. Inside, you will find 8 stained-glass windows made by Clément Heaton. Each of them has a central panel illustrating a story from the Bible, topped by a pattern evoking a piece of architecture. The overall work shows scenes from the Old and New Testament and ends by the altar with two themes on the resurrection. The woman and the child have a special place in this iconography that is in keeping with the feminine community’s sensibility.