Monuments

Studying the Middle Ages makes more sense when you are surrounded by medieval buildings.

The Cathédrale of Strasbourg is one of the most beautiful and most spectacular medieval churches, offering endless research possibilities.  Also in Strasbourg, the churches of Saint Thomas or Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune, but also Saint Guillaume, Saint-Pierre-le-Vieux … continue to merge the Middle Ages with the present.  There are also numerous medieval churches around Strasbourg such as the Abbey of Marmoutier, the church in Rosheim, the churches of Colmar ...

There are without a doubt more castles (although often not as well preserved) than churches.  The most well-known is the Castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg, even though this castle is more of a representation of the "imagined Middle Ages" from around 1900 than actually from the medieval period. (That being said, studying the survival of the Middle Ages and Medievalism are also things we look at.)  Nevertheless, the Vosges (and the Black Forest, not too far away) harbor dozens of castles: the Fleckenstein, in Haut-Barr, the castles of Andlau... and many more!

In the towns and villages, there are still examples of medieval homes: the so-called “Tower of Pagans” in Rosheim, and the houses of Strasbourg and Colmar ...

The Rhine River Valley sheltered very dynamic Jewish communities in the Middle Ages.  One can still see the Ritual Bath in Strasbourg.  But the most beautiful and best preserved ensemble north of the Alps is certainly the Jewish Heritage sites in Speyer, Germany (only two hours from Strasbourg!) Or, if you’d prefer a different genre, there is also the Ottonian-influenced Cathedral of Speyer.