Church Sainte-Croix

The church of Kaysersberg, built between 1230 and the 16th century, is dedicated to the Holy Cross, of which it would have had a relic.

Legend has it that the church was commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa. Lacking the financial means to complete its construction, he decided to sell the crown of his wife, the queen. Touched by this pious decision, God sent two angels to buy the crown, and then give it to the emperor. Thus, Barbarossa was able to resume the construction of the church and complete it within a year. The church was heavily altered in the 15th century, so that not much of the original structure remains today, except perhaps the magnificent 13th century Romanesque west portal.

The church houses in its choir a remarkable wooden altarpiece sculpted by Jean Bongart dating from 1518. In front of this church, you can find the superb fountain of the emperor Constantine.

The site is also home to an 18th-century Waltrin organ, a colossal crucifixion group with a Christ over 4.20 metres high surrounded by Mary and John, and 19th-century stained glass windows combined with creations from 1952 by the French mosaic painter Jean Gaudin following the destruction of the Second World War.