Sélestat

Between Strasbourg and Colmar, Sélestat is a designated Town of Art and History, famous for its Humanist Library, inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.

Getting there

By train: Sélestat station (TGV stop), 5 to 10 minutes' walk from the centre. Ideally located on the Strasbourg–Colmar route.

History

A major centre of Rhenish humanism during the Renaissance, the town retains two important churches — Sainte-Foy (Romanesque) and Saint-Georges (Gothic) — and remains of Vauban's fortifications.

Culture & stories

The Humanist Library holds rare manuscripts, including the oldest document mentioning the Christmas tree (1521). Sélestat is also the gateway to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle and the Volerie des Aigles (eagle park).

Location