Sélestat - Sainte-Foy

Sélestat was probably not more than a village, when Charlemagne stayed here over Christmas 775. Strange enough, that nowadays Sélestat claims to be the place of origin of the christmas-tree, based on an invoice from 1521. All this has nothing to do with Sainte Foy seen here.

The "Église Sainte-Foy de Sélestat" was built in only 10 years between 1170 and 1180, succeeding an earlier ("Holy Sepulcre")church from around 1085 built by Hildegard von Egisheim. Of this church only the rectangular crypt (and some carvings) remained. Hildegard´s grandson Frederick I Barbarossa funded the construction of the new church, that was the center of a benedictine monastery, affiliated to the abbey St. Foy in Conques.

The western facade (westwork), seen here, was (is?) disputed. The whole building had undergone a major reconstruction, as it was changed a lot in the 17th century. It got rebuilt to the romanesque layout within the 19th century. The two high towers dominating the facade today may in medieval times not have existed in this way.

Well, I had been here just 3 months before, but now, I had new literature and the light had changed. So I took many photos again. Here is the link to the older photo:

www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4930539570/