Colmar lies between the Vosges and the Rhine, in the heart of Alsace wine country. Its half-timbered houses look German, its pride in the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi is entirely French, and its old centre was largely spared in the Second World War. Here are the facts and stories behind it.
10 fun facts about Colmar
- The Statue of Liberty's hometown: Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty, was born in Colmar on 2 August 1834, at 30 rue des Marchands. The house has been the Musée Bartholdi since 1922.
- Lady Liberty at the town gate: a 12-metre replica of the statue stands on a roundabout at the northern entrance to Colmar. It was unveiled on 4 July 2004 to mark 100 years since Bartholdi's death.
- A hero in a barrel: Bartholdi's Roesselmann Fountain (1888) honours Jean Roesselmann, a provost of Colmar. The story goes that in 1261 he slipped back into the city hidden in a barrel, and he died defending it in 1262.
- A fountain that inspired a Nobel laureate: Albert Schweitzer wrote that the face of the African figure on Bartholdi's Bruat Fountain (1864) spoke to him of Africa's suffering. He later worked as a doctor in Gabon and received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize.
- 106 faces on one facade: the Maison des Têtes (House of Heads), built in 1609, is decorated with 106 heads and grotesque masks. The cooper on its gable is by Bartholdi, from 1902.
- The oldest public building in town: the Koïfhus, or Ancienne Douane, was completed in 1480 as the customs house. In 1354 Colmar had joined the Décapole, a league of ten imperial towns in Alsace.
- A painting made for the sick: the Isenheim Altarpiece (1512–1516), painted by Matthias Grünewald, was made for a monastery hospital that treated victims of St Anthony's fire. It is the star of the Unterlinden Museum, a former 13th-century convent.
- A Madonna that was stolen: Martin Schongauer painted the Madonna of the Rose Bower for St Martin's Church in 1473. It was stolen in January 1972, recovered in June 1973 and now hangs in the former Dominican Church.
- A cathedral without a bishop: St Martin's is often called a cathedral, but Colmar has never had a bishop. It was built between 1234 and 1365.
- One of the driest cities in France: sheltered by the Vosges, Colmar receives only about 600 mm of rain a year, which suits the vineyards that surround it.
Bartholdi: from Colmar to New York
Auguste Bartholdi grew up mostly in Paris, but Colmar stayed at the heart of his work. His first public monument, a statue of the Colmar-born General Jean Rapp, was unveiled in 1856, when he was barely in his twenties. He went on to fill his hometown with fountains and statues, including one of Lazarus von Schwendi, who, legend says, brought Tokay grapes from Hungary to Alsace. His most famous work, the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States, was inaugurated in New York on 28 October 1886.
Little Venice, explained
Little Venice (La Petite Venise) is the name given to the river Lauch as it runs through Colmar. Wine-growers, market gardeners and boatmen once lived here, in houses built right on the water. Next to it, the Fishmongers' Quarter is named after the fish trade that once lined the river. Today flat-bottomed boats glide along the canal, and the bridge on rue de Turenne gives the classic view.
What to eat in Colmar
- Choucroute garnie: Alsace's sauerkraut, slowly cooked in white wine and served with sausages, smoked pork and potatoes.
- Tarte flambée (Flammekueche): a very thin crust topped with crème fraîche, onions and bacon, baked in a hot oven and shared at the table.
- Baeckeoffe: a casserole of marinated meats and potatoes, traditionally baked for hours in a pot sealed with a strip of dough.
- Munster: a strong washed-rind cheese from the valley just west of Colmar, often served with cumin seeds and a glass of Gewürztraminer.
Good to know before you go
- Colmar's Christmas markets run from late November until around the end of December; book accommodation early if you come then.
- Little Venice is quietest early in the morning. Short boat trips on the Lauch leave from the Fishmongers' Quarter; in high season, expect a queue.
- Colmar calls itself the capital of Alsace wine; villages such as Eguisheim, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr are a short trip away.
Explore Colmar with World City Trail
Our Colmar scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 33 minutes of walking: St Martin's Church, the Unterlinden Museum, the Théâtre Municipal, the Parc du Champ de Mars, the Roesselmann Fountain, Little Venice, the Fishmongers' Quarter, the Ancienne Douane, the Église Saint-Matthieu and the Musée Bartholdi.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
Play the Colmar scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.