Colmar, Alsace

If you are planning to go to Alsace, France then Colmar visit is a must. Colmar an extremely charming city, is situated on the north eastern part of France, on a plain near the Vosges Mountain, by the banks of the river Lauch, is the chief centre of Alsace. It is also a port linked by canal to the Rhine River. Colmar also happens to be the prefecture of the Haunt-Rhin department.

The History of Colmar dates back to the 9th century when it was founded. It is here that ‘Charles the Fat’ held a diet in the year 884. Later in the thirteenth century the Holy Roman Empire gave this city a status of being a ‘free imperial city’. During the seventeenth century the city also changed hands with the Swedish army which held her for almost two years. From then it was conquered by France under Louis XIV in 1697. In the year 1871 during the Franco- Prussian War the city was annexed by the newly formed German Empire. After World War I it returned to France only to be taken over by the Nazis in 1940. However as a result of Colmar Pocket battle it finally came under the French control.

Colmar is the driest city of France, the climate thus helps in the growing of wine and that is why Colmar is said to be the wine centre of Alsace. One can see many vine yards and wine growing industries located around Colmar.

Main attractions of Colmar are Buildings, Museums, and Old churches. It is also the proud possessor of some extraordinary Gothic paintings like that in the St Anthony's monastery at Issenheim, painted by Mathias Grünewald. Here Museums are home to several imperishable masterpieces from the Rhine renaissance. Some of the known Museums are Musee Unterlinden where the most noteworthy gothic painting of Matthias Grunewald is treasured, Musee Bartholdi, Musee d`histoire naturelle et d`ethnographie (Museum for Natural History and Ethnography) and Musee du Jouet(Toy Museum).
The charm of Colmar is due to the color and atmosphere of streets and alley-ways which has been well preserved since the middle Ages and their ancient houses are reflected in the water which passes through the city.

Buildings in Colmar are of old Renaissance style with crooked, half-timbered and painted houses, balconies, facades with ornate wood sculptures, on crooked lanes– all extremely pretty, and very touristy. Colmar also houses a number of Old Churches among which Collégiale Saint-Martin is the largest and most noteworthy.

Other than vineyards we can also see industries manufacturing Machineries, Vinyl Floorings, and Leather and Processed foods.