St Nicholas' Church
St Nicholas' is a Lutheran Protestant church on Quai Saint-Nicolas, on the bank of the Ill in the Finkwiller district. Built between the late 14th and mid-15th centuries, it is best known for having counted Albert Schweitzer among its pastors. A short stop to pair with a walk along the quays.
Sixty years in the making
The present church was built between 1387 and 1454 on the site of an older sanctuary. Its tower and spire were added in 1585, and the interior was remodelled in the 17th century. The facade and sacristy you see from the quay date from 1905 and are the work of the architect Émile Salomon. 15th-century frescoes recall the medieval building. The church has been protected as a historic monument since 1995.
Albert Schweitzer's parish
Doctor, theologian, organist and Nobel Peace laureate, Albert Schweitzer was one of the pastors of St Nicholas'. On 11 April 1908 he celebrated here the wedding of Theodor Heuss, later the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany. The church also once had a 1707 organ by the brothers Andreas and Gottfried Silbermann, dismantled in 1967. Today it hosts a Lutheran community of charismatic renewal.
A stop along the Ill
Quai Saint-Nicolas runs along the Ill facing the Grande Île. It is also home to the Alsatian Museum, which makes for an easy combination. The Church of Saint-Louis, in the same Finkwiller district, is a few steps away. Opening at St Nicholas' depends on services and community activities, so check on site.
Frequently asked questions
Where is St Nicholas' Church?
On Quai Saint-Nicolas, on the bank of the Ill in the Finkwiller district, facing the Grande Île.
What is the link with Albert Schweitzer?
He was one of the church's pastors and in 1908 celebrated the wedding of Theodor Heuss, later president of West Germany, here.
What is there to see next door?
The Alsatian Museum on the same quay, and the Church of Saint-Louis in the Finkwiller.
Wikimedia Commons — DimiTalen
