St. Faith's Church, Sélestat, France

The Church of Saint Faith of Sélestat is a major Romanesque architecture landmark in Sélestat along the Route Romane d'Alsace in the East of France. The church was built over a very short time span (only ten years, from 1170 to 1180) and it appears strikingly homogenous in style and proportions. Some parts have been completed and others modified in a Romanesque Revival style by the architect Charles Winckler between 1889 and 1893. During that restoration campaign, a crypt dating back to around 1085 was discovered and made accessible as well. Like many major buildings in Alsace the church is made of pink Vosges mountains sandstone.

Among the churches many features, the ornate capitals crowning the columns inside and pillars of the windows outside belong to the finest. Saint Faith's two pipe organs (the tribune organ of 1892 and the choir organ of 1880) have been repaired several times since their installation, they do however still show beautifully crafted cases.

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B.D (13 months ago)
Built by the Benedictine monks ?of the Sainte-Foy abbey in Conques, it is a major building of Romanesque architecture in the heart of the town of Sélestat. Its construction in pink sandstone which gives it its characteristic color began in 1170 and was completed in 1180. The baroque style preaching pulpit contrasts sharply with the Romanesque style of the church. This pulpit is one of the vestiges of the modifications made during the arrival of the Jesuits in the 17th century.

Manuel Garcia (2 years ago)
Beautiful building

Aparna Krishnakumar (2 years ago)
Beautifully built romanesque church in the heart of selestat.

Lexie Rem (6 years ago)
You have to visit the Church of St. Foy in Selestat, it's really beautiful.

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The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

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