Seventy-six meters high the spires of Église Saint-Paul pierce the Strasbourg sky. A majestic Gothic Revival church it stands at the confluence of the Ill and Aar rivers.
This magnificent structure wasn’t always a house of Reformed worship. Built between 1892 and 1897 during the German annexation of Alsace Église Saint-Paul served as a garrison church. It was designed for the Protestant soldiers stationed in Strasbourg. Its many doors sixteen in total reflected the ranks of the German army. Each door provided access for soldiers of a specific rank.
The architect Louis Müller drew inspiration from the Elisabeth Church in Marburg. He created a neo-Gothic masterpiece. The church’s soaring twin spires dominate the cityscape. The building’s impressive height and design give it the feel of a Gothic cathedral. Its interior boasts a vast space capable of holding almost 3000 people. It has a Greek cross plan with galleries over the side aisles. These galleries provided seating for 2000 worshippers. Two impressive galleries flank the choir. One was reserved for the Imperial couple should they visit Strasbourg. The other was reserved for the Imperial representative the equivalent of a prefect.
The church’s interior features stunning decorative elements. Angels grace the choir’s vaulting. The Tetramorph adorns the transept crossing. Busts of the reformers Luther Calvin Zwingli and Melanchthon are displayed in the narthex. The original altar was exchanged for a large wooden cross more in keeping with the Reformed tradition.
Sadly some original features were lost to history. Allied bombing raids in 1944 destroyed a chapel and many stained-glass windows. A hailstorm in 1958 further damaged the church’s remaining stained-glass windows. However extensive restoration work between 2009 and 2014 has preserved much of the church’s beauty.
Église Saint-Paul houses two magnificent organs. The main tribune organ built by Eberhard Friedrich Walcker in 1897 is one of the largest in eastern France. It’s a testament to both musical and architectural skill. A second organ resides in the transept a more modest instrument installed in 1976.
Today Église Saint-Paul serves as a vibrant community center and university parish. It hosts concerts organ recitals and other cultural events. This building is a symbol of Strasbourg’s rich history. It’s a powerful testament to faith resilience and the enduring spirit of the city. It’s a place where history faith and community converge in harmonious blend.