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> Culture and heritage > Religious heritage
the Renaissance and classicism
The Renaissance and classicism in Alsace
Classicism began to gain a foothold in Alsace around the 18th century, at a time when new churches were being built. It was inspired by ancient art and characterised by a preference for sober and symmetrical designs. The Alsatians' tastes during this period quickly focused on baroque art.
A selection of sites from the 18th-century
• The baroque church of Ebersmunster is Alsace's leading baroque art masterpiece. Viewed from outside, its shape is characterised by its three double domed spires, but it is inside the church that we really discover the baroque touches. The church's remarkable nave is entirely covered by domes on pendentives decorated with luxurious paintings.
• The mausoleum of the Maréchal de Saxe in the Church of St Thomas in Strasbourg is a wonderful example of French baroque sculpture. It represents the Marshall standing upright in front of a pyramid and heading towards his tomb. Death awaits him, with an hourglass in its hand, while France tries in vain to drive it back.
• The neo-classical church of Notre-Dame in Guebwiller, features a neoclassical style unique of its kind in Alsace, which never fails to impress visitors thanks to its monumental and well-balanced proportions. The facade with its corner towers is particularly distinctive as a result of the a combination of the Doric and Ionic orders and by its eight huge statues. The choir is richly decorated and includes a marble high altar, stalls carved with low reliefs and a magnificent stucco Assumption of the Virgin.
