Construction of the Hôtel d'Ebersmunster

Until the early 16th century, the abbots of Ebersmunster had a barn next to the church of Saint-Georges.

When it was decided to demolish the barn and build a more comfortable residence in its place, it took the intervention of the magistrate and the allocation of an annuity by the abbey by way of compensation for the caretaker couple to leave the premises.

Construction began in 1538 and was completed in 1560. This residence served the abbey of Ebersmunster both as a pied à terre and as a place to store its income in kind.

After the French Revolution, the building passed through various hands. The town has owned the building since 1963.

A jewel of the Renaissance

The Hôtel d'Ebersmunster is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Sélestat. In the Cour des Prélats, the south facade features a central turret housing a typical Renaissance spiral staircase known as the "spiral staircase", the distinctive feature of which is its twisting central section. The mullioned windows are also characteristic of this period.

The most impressive part of the building is located on the north side in the rue de l'église. A magnificent Renaissance gateway resembling a triumphal arch used to welcome passing guests. The north side was the entrance to the building. On the south side, the courtyard was enclosed and had no direct access to the street. The rich decoration of the portal (medallions, shells, candelabras, pilasters, capitals, etc.) testifies to the importance of this building in the past.