Construction of the Sainte-Barbe arsenal

Inauguration of the restoration of the building in 1902

The Sainte-Barbe arsenal was built around 1470 on the site of the old medieval synagogue. Its original purpose was to serve as a goods warehouse and granary for the town.

Some sixty years later, in 1534, the Sélestat Magistrate had the first floor converted into an arsenal, as the Saint-Hilaire arsenal had become insufficient to store the weapons and munitions needed to defend the town. It was at this time that the building was dedicated to Sainte Barbe, patron saint of artillerymen.

In the 19th century, the building was once again used as a warehouse to store wheat, tobacco and hops, before a new project was undertaken to transform the building once again in 1899. The demolition of the old municipal theatre on what is now Square Ehm meant that the 1st floor of the arsenal had to be converted into an auditorium. Municipal architect Jean-Jacques-Alexandre Stamm was commissioned to carry out the work. In addition to the interior work, a double-flight staircase was built above the 15th-century doorway, as well as a porch providing access to the first floor. A balcony was also added to the rue Sainte-Barbe façade at the same time, but this was removed in 1985.

Most recently, in 2013, the Sainte-Barbe arsenal was restored.

Saint Barbara, patron saint of artillerymen

Since the 1950s, a statue of Saint Barbara has stood in the south-west corner of the building, reminding passers-by of the name given to the arsenal.

Saint Barbara, the daughter of Dioscorus, a wealthy pagan, was born in Turkey in the 3rd century. Her father refused to allow her to convert to Christianity, so he had her locked in a tower in which she had a third window cut to evoke the Holy Trinity. However, she managed to be baptised in secret from her father. Her father eventually found out and Saint Barbara fled. Found and tortured, Saint Barbara refused to recant her Christian faith. The governor asked her father to behead her. When the execution was carried out, the father was struck by lightning on the spot. When the Christians came to ask for his daughter's body, as they did not want to use her Persian first name and could not reveal themselves by using her Christian baptismal name, they could only refer to her as ‘the young barbarian woman’, hence the name Saint Barbara (Beard) that was given to her. She can be recognised by her martyrdom attributes (palm and crown) and the three-windowed tower depicted below her right hand.