Corps de garde de Colmar, Renaissance guardhouse in Cathedral Square, Colmar, France.
The Corps de garde is a guardhouse facing Cathedral Square in Colmar, featuring a light pink facade with ground floor arcades and an upper floor loggia supported by Tuscan columns. The building connects to Merchants Street through a narrow passage and stands as an example of Renaissance architectural design in the city.
Built in 1575 by architect Melchior Beier, the structure was originally intended as a town hall. It was subsequently converted into a military guardhouse to serve the city.
The grand hall on the first floor still displays its original sixteenth-century decorations, including an ornate pointed arch niche with carved patterns. These details show how important civic spaces looked during that period.
The building is located on Cathedral Square and is easy to reach from Colmar's city center. It stands among other historical structures and monuments, making it simple to visit while exploring the old town on foot.
The structure rests upon foundations of a former thirteenth-century crypt that once belonged to Saint Jacques Chapel. This hidden history lies literally beneath the feet of visitors as they explore the Renaissance building above.
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