Court of Appeal of Colmar, Historical courthouse in Colmar, France.
The Court of Appeal building features a central structure with two wings, a ground floor with rusticated facades, and a three-door entrance framed by drum columns. The design includes multiple stories with symmetrical proportions typical of early 1900s judicial architecture.
Built between 1902 and 1906 as a German courthouse, the building became the French Court of Appeal in 1919 following World War I. This transformation reflected the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France and the reshaping of its judicial systems.
The interior displays mythological figures and folk motifs in the hallways and ceremonial staircase, showing regional artistic styles of the early 1900s. These decorative choices reveal what people valued in public buildings during that period.
The building is open Monday through Friday from 2 PM to 5 PM for visitors to explore its architectural features and interior spaces. Keep in mind that this is an active courthouse, so appropriate dress and respectful behavior are expected during your visit.
The city paid 400,000 marks to keep the courthouse in Colmar rather than move it to Strasbourg, ensuring it remained the highest regional court. This financial commitment reveals how important the city considered its judicial role.
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