Issenheim: Art, History and Landscape

Issenheim brings together the history of the Antonines, sacred art and traces of industrial architecture. The town lies at the entrance to the Lauch Valley, in a natural landscape shaped by the Alsatian Plain, the Vosges Massif and its foothills. Both the local architectural history and the landscape setting therefore shape the character of a stay here.

Getting there and the landscape

At the foot of the southern Vosges hills, Issenheim is about two kilometres from the vineyards and the Alsace Wine Route. For road access, you can use the RD83 between Belfort and Colmar or the RD430 between Guebwiller and Mulhouse. These different endpoints provide a guide to the direction of your journey; check the current route before setting out. The nearest train stations are in Bollwiller and Rouffach, each about six kilometres from Issenheim. If you are travelling by train, check the timetable and availability in advance. The approximate distance can help with initial planning, but does not replace checking your specific connection.

The Antonines and the Issenheim Altarpiece

The Issenheim Altarpiece was created between 1512 and 1516 for the Antonine monastery in Issenheim. The original is still on display in the chapel of the Musée Unterlinden. As its exhibition status may change, check the museum’s latest information before visiting. In Issenheim, the Espace muséographique du couvent des Antonins is devoted to the history of the Antonine order and displays a reduced-scale reproduction of the Issenheim Altarpiece. Its panels can be opened and handled. The Espace’s opening arrangements may change, so check before your visit. A gilded Tau cross in the forecourt of the Antonine church marks the altarpiece’s former location. In Issenheim, you can thus encounter both the history of the order and a tangible reminder of where the work was once displayed.

Churches, monastery portal and industrial buildings

The present-day parish church of Saint-André was built in 1826, after the previous parish church was demolished in 1823 because it had fallen into disrepair. Visitors can admire a 19th-century Callinet organ inside the church. The Maison Saint-Michel is also linked to the history of the Antonines: it preserves the portal of the former Antonine monastery. Its history is connected with a preceptory of the Antonine order founded in Issenheim in 1277. The vault bosses depict Saint Anthony and Saint Veronica. Vault bosses form the upper ends of a vault; here, they are also decorated with figures.

The Villa Gast and the Ancienne filature Gast are also part of the area’s architectural history. The villa is one of the homes built for wealthy industrialists, with large gardens. The Ancienne filature Gast has a section of façade with offices in the Neo-Tudor style. The rectangular workshop has a structure of cast-iron columns supporting groin vaults with skylights. The office façade and workshop thus display different architectural features: Neo-Tudor design on the one hand, and a hall structure supported by columns and vaults on the other.

Landscape and regional activities

In the area around Issenheim, the Grand Ballon offers opportunities for hiking, cycling, horse riding and snowshoeing. The range of activities includes options for both summer and winter. If you would like to include these activities in your trip, check route conditions and availability in advance.

When choosing a hotel in Issenheim, you can base your decision on the focus of your itinerary: would you like to concentrate mainly on the history of the Antonines and the area’s architecture, or include more of the regional landscape?

Discover more destinations: Kruth, Bantzenheim, Gueberschwihr, Jebsheim, Aubure, Heimsbrunn, Kaysersberg, Dannemarie

For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.