Unterlinden Museum

The Musée Unterlinden in Colmar is built around one of the greatest works of European art, the Isenheim Altarpiece, and it occupies a former Dominican convent in the middle of the old town. The convent was founded in the thirteenth century, and its cloister, chapel and halls gave the museum a calm setting, with stone arches, quiet courtyards and a sense of age. After the Revolution the convent was used for other purposes, and in the nineteenth century it became a museum, which gradually grew into one of the leading museums of eastern France. A recent extension by the Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron joined the old convent to the former municipal baths across the square, and added galleries for modern art, a library and the Café Schongauer.

The altarpiece was painted in the early sixteenth century by Matthias Grünewald for the hospital monastery of the Antonites at Isenheim, a community that cared for people suffering from terrible skin diseases. The central panel shows the Crucifixion in a way that is fierce and moving: Christ's body is covered in wounds, and his skin looks like that of the patients who came to the hospital for comfort. Other panels show the Annunciation, a glowing Resurrection and the temptation of Saint Anthony, in which monsters tear at the hermit in a frightening scene. The carved central shrine, with the figures of saints, is the work of the sculptor Nikolaus of Hagenau. The altarpiece is a polyptych, with wings that opened and closed according to the church calendar, and in the museum its parts are displayed so visitors can appreciate the layers.

Besides the altarpiece, the collections cover a wide range. Medieval and Renaissance rooms show Upper Rhine painting and sculpture, including work related to Martin Schongauer, the Colmar-born master of the fifteenth century. Further galleries display Alsatian art, stained glass, weapons and everyday objects, and the museum has a good collection of modern and contemporary art, with works by painters such as Monet and Picasso. Archaeology and wine-making traditions also have a place.

The museum is a few steps from Colmar's main sights. The Collégiale Saint-Martin, the Maison Pfister with its carved wooden gallery, the Maison des Tanneurs and the canals of Little Venice are all within walking distance, and the Colmar Market sells regional produce. The city is also a centre of the wine route.

Plan on two hours at least, and more if you enjoy medieval art. It suits art lovers, history readers and anyone who wants to see a work that has shaped European painting. The museum can be crowded in summer, so go early; check opening days, prices and booking rules online first.