Unterlinden-Museum

The sub- Linden-Museum (French: Musée d' Linden ) is an art museum in Colmar in Alsace. It has a large collection of objects from the Neolithic to the present day, especially of the Upper Rhine religious art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. The museum occupies the building of the former Dominican monastery Unter den Linden, which had been built in the first half of the 13th century. After its dissolution during the French Revolution, much of the building was demolished in the subsequent period. 1853 could be opened in the surviving parts of the monastery the museum.

History of the Museum

When the church estates were nationalized in the first year of the French Revolution and it also came to the resolution of Colmar Unterlindenplatz monastery, to citizens of the city offered their services for the preservation of the buildings and works of art, leaving the movable cultural property to store the Collège National (now Lycée Bartholdi ) bring. The monastery building itself went in 1792 finally in the possession of the city of Colmar and over were first used as a military barracks; the south aisle of the church and almost all Klausurbauten were demolished then during the 19th century. Only in 1847 was the city of Colmar archivist and librarian Louis Hugot ( 1805-1864), an effect the end of the crash and rescue church and cloister from destruction by the which he founded " Société Schongauer " a new use of the monasteries called as a museum. The discovery of a Gallo-Roman mosaic in the nearby mountain home, which was stored in the church of the sub Linden monastery, promoted these plans. The new museum was founded on April 3, 1853 then opened in the surviving buildings of the old Dominican convent. A little later (1854 ) received the entire system, the classification as a monument historique.

Since 2012 is an extension of the museum by the Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron in progress in order to show the extensive collection of the Museum of complete and didactic exhibition in a modern design can. In this case, the adjacent former municipal bath is included, also a remarkable architectural construction from 1906 with style elements of Art Nouveau and an imposing neo- baroque facade. The comprehensive redesign of the entire museum complex will be completed in 2014 and cost around € 30 million.

The museum and its collections

The museum has an international reputation, in particular by its main exhibit, the world famous Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald ( created at the beginning of the 16th century ). As is also the excellent collection of paintings and sculptures of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including works of Martin Schongauer, the Master Caspar Isenmann, Cranach the Elder and Holbein the Elder.

The encyclopedic dimension of the museum proves to be a collection of archaeological finds from the Neolithic up to the Merovingian period, as well as in the collection of arts and crafts and folk art from the 16th to the 19th century and in a diverse collection of paintings from the 19th century. The very rich trove of modern and contemporary art is far only irregularly showcased due to lack of space.

The sub- Linden-Museum is honored as a Musée de France. With about 200 000 visitors annually, it takes among the most visited French art museums outside of Paris in second place.

The museum is located in the city of Colmar city center, Rue d' Unterlinden No. 1

Former Dominican convent

Historically and architecturally significant is the former Dominican convent, now located in the preserved buildings, the museum. 1232 had two noble widows from Colmar, Agnes of Mittelheim and Agnes of Hergheim ( Herenkheim ) founded with the support of Dominicans from Strasbourg a monastery Unter den Linden ( "sub tilia " ), which was then incorporated in 1245 in the Dominican Order. During the 13th century, built a large monastery; the 1252 and begun in 1269 by Albertus Magnus consecrated church was exemplary to other monasteries. 1289 was the cloister are completed. Religious and literary history much that is probably the beginning of the 14th century by the Prioress of donor Catherine Weiler ( † 1330/45 ), written in Latin sister book of sub- Linden; influenced by mystical spirituality, it reported hagiographic excessive, by virtue striving hard ascetic practice and the grace experiences of deceased nuns. In the 15th century, the monastery here in 1419 joined the monastic reform movement and participated spiritually and personally in the subsequent period also at reforming other monasteries; to it significantly expanded its library.

Despite an eventful historical events in the following centuries of the modern era, the monastery went through until he was forced cancellation no decline.