Can a church be born from a city’s growth? Église Saint-Matthieu in Strasbourg can. In the 1950s, Strasbourg expanded. New neighborhoods like Rotterdam, Quai des Belges, and Esplanade sprang up. People flocked from the countryside. The existing Protestant parishes struggled to accommodate everyone. The Église de la Confession d’Augsbourg d’Alsace et de Lorraine (ECAAL) realized a new church was essential. They established a branch of the Saint-Guillaume parish in a building owned by the Chapter of Saint-Thomas. This aimed to gather Lutherans, identify Protestants among newcomers, and build a new community. This marked the beginning of Église Saint-Matthieu.
By 1961, this small branch transformed into a separate parish under Pastor Ernest Mathis. He and his team surveyed surrounding areas. They identified around 3,000 Protestants. The need for a dedicated space became clear. They envisioned a parish center. It would house the church, meeting rooms, living quarters, garages, and a two-unit presbytery. The “Association de construction de l’église protestante Saint-Matthieu” was formed. The city donated land at the end of Boulevard d’Anvers for a symbolic franc. Fundraising proved more challenging. Teams traveled throughout parishes, gathering donations. Two inspections, Colmar and Wissembourg, also sponsored the project.
An international architectural competition was launched. The brief, defined by the construction association and the presbytery, attracted 25 entries. Zurich architect Carl Hintermann’s contemporary design won. However, administrative issues led to Strasbourg architect Willy Grossmann executing the plans. Construction, handled by Ernest Jockers et Cie of Koenigshoffen, began a year later than planned. The site, a former quarry, presented challenges. Seventy concrete pillars, each over a meter in diameter, were needed to stabilize the structure.
Despite this, the Église Saint-Matthieu rose. The first service, a confirmation ceremony, took place in the unfinished building at Pentecost 1966. The official consecration followed later that year. Dignitaries included Inspector Edmond Basset, President Étienne Jung, Pastor Mathis, Mayor Pierre Pflimlin, and representatives from the World Lutheran Federation. The presbytery wasn’t finished until the following year.
Église Saint-Matthieu’s building stands as a testament to modern design. Concrete dominates, reflecting the era of its construction. The ground floor houses meeting rooms, garages, and living quarters. The main level holds the church itself, two large halls, a kitchen, an office and restrooms. A 30-meter campanile, with four concrete columns and three bells, stands slightly apart. The church interior features a high wooden ceiling, white walls, a stained-glass frieze, and a Resurrection-themed vitrail by Tristan Ruhlmann. The altar, carved from a single block of Euville stone, anchors the space. Moveable partitions allow the main hall to expand into the adjacent halls, increasing capacity from 100 to 400. Église Saint-Matthieu is more than just a church building. It embodies a community built on faith, resilience, and the changing landscape of Strasbourg.