Unterlinden Museum

Unterlinden Museum

The Unterlinden Museum is located in Colmar, Alsace, France, within a convent built in the 13th century, situated next to the Chapel of St. John under the Linden Tree — hence its name. It is one of the most famous museums in the region.

The Unterlinden Museum boasts an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures from Colmar and the surrounding Rhine region, dating from the 15th to the 16th century. It is especially renowned for its altar art, often considered masterpieces of European art. The altarpieces on display consist of multi-panel wooden screens that can be opened layer by layer from the outside in, with each panel being a breathtakingly detailed painting. Among them, the Isenheim Altarpiece, created between 1512 and 1516 by Matthias Grünewald — a contemporary of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci — is one of the museum’s must-see highlights and is also listed among the world's top ten altars by UNESCO. Notably, the vivid red pigments used at a time when color materials were scarce still remain a mystery to this day.

Unterlinden Museum

Must-visit reason: The museum showcasing Colmar’s most famous altar artworks

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: France[France]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Alsace Region [Alsace Region]

City where the attraction is located: Colmar [Colmar]