Sélestat, Medieval commune in Alsace, France
Sélestat sits along the Ill River, 42 kilometers from Strasbourg and 17 kilometers from the German border at an elevation of 173 meters (568 feet). The town counts around 35 protected monuments, including St. Faith's Church and St. George's Church, which display different building styles from several centuries.
The settlement gained status as a free imperial city in the 13th century, which gave it the right to collect its own taxes and build defensive walls. In the 17th century it passed to France and lost its independence, while the town walls were later partly torn down.
The Humanist Library holds manuscripts and printed books from the Middle Ages and Renaissance and joined the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2011. Visitors can view the collection, which shows the intellectual life of a town that once attracted scholars from across Europe as a center of learning and humanist thought.
Markets run every Tuesday and Saturday in the town center and offer regional products, fresh fruit and vegetables, and Alsatian specialties. The old town is easy to explore on foot since most sights stand close together and the paths are level.
The town celebrates a large Christmas festival every December, with a giant fir tree set up on the main square and vendors selling local crafts. The tradition stretches back over 600 years and counts as one of the oldest Christmas celebrations in Alsace.
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