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Colmar
Prefecture and commune
The little Venice, Colmar
The little Venice, Colmar
Coat of arms of Colmar
Coat of arms
Colmar is located in France
Colmar
Colmar
Location in France
Colmar is located in Grand Est
Colmar
Colmar
Location in Grand Est
Country France
Region Grand Est
Department Haut-Rhin
Arrondissement Colmar-Ribeauvillé
Canton Colmar-1 and 2
Intercommunality Communauté d'agglomération de Colmar
Area
1
 66.57 km2 (25.70 sq mi)
Population
 (2013)
 67,956
 • Density 1,020.82/km2 (2,643.91/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
68066 /68000
Dialling codes 0389
Elevation 175–214 m (574–702 ft)
(avg. 197 m or 646 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Colmar is the third-largest commune of the Alsace region in north-eastern France. It is the seat of the prefecture of the Haut-Rhin department and the arrondissement of Colmar-Ribeauvillé.

The town is situated on the Alsatian Wine Route and considers itself to be the "capital of Alsatian wine" (capitale des vins d'Alsace). The city is renowned for its well-preserved old town, its numerous architectural landmarks, and its museums, among which is the Unterlinden Museum, with the Isenheim Altarpiece.

Main sights

Mostly spared from the destructions of the French Revolution and the wars of 1870–1871, 1914–1918 and 1939–1945, the cityscape of old-town Colmar is homogenous and renowned among tourists. An area that is crossed by canals of the river Lauch (which formerly served as the butcher's, tanner's and fishmonger's quarter) is now called "little Venice" (la Petite Venise).

Sister cities

Colmar is twinned with:

  • Germany Schongau, Bavaria, Germany, since 1962
  • Belgium Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, since 1962
  • Italy Lucca, Italy, since 1962
  • United Kingdom Hyde, United Kingdom, from 1962 to 1978

Images for kids

  • Colmar (31617330537)

    Part of the old town area

  • Maison Pfister Colmar 2011-04

    Maison Pfister. The house can easily be spotted in Howl's Moving Castle.

  • Martinsmünster Colmar Vordere Seitenansicht

    St Martin's Church, Colmar (Église Saint-Martin)

  • Vierge au Buisson colmar

    Martin Schongauer's "Virgin in a rose-garden" inside the Église des Dominicains

  • FR Colmar 20080828 005

    "Little Venice"

  • Bartoldi-Museum

    Musée Bartholdi

  • Château d'eau, Colmar

    Water tower

  • Maison des Têtes 2

    Maison des têtes

  • ''The Little Vintner of Colmar'' by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (Princeton replica)

    A replica of The Little Vintner of Colmar by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, given by the town of Colmar to Princeton, its sister city, in 1988

  • Colmar capitale vins1

    Colmar: capital of Alsatian wines

  • Liebherr colmar

    Liebherr in Colmar

  • Jean Rapp 3

    Jean Rapp

  • Armand Joseph Bruat, amiral de France (1796-1855)

    Armand Joseph Bruat, amiral de France

  • Auguste Nefftzer 1863 (IZ 40-268)

    Auguste Nefftzer 1863

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Colmar para niños

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