Église protestante Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune (Young St. Peter's Protestant Church), Strasbourg

Young St. Peter’s Protestant Church traces its origins to the early medieval period, when a Merovingian church stood on this site. The present Gothic structure was built mainly between the 13th and 14th centuries, reflecting Strasbourg’s prosperity as a major free imperial city. For centuries following the Reformation, the church was shared by Catholics and Protestants in a rare arrangement known as simultaneum, until 1893, when it was fully assigned to the Protestant community.

From the outside, the south façade of the church features two doors. The door on the right is of particular interest, as it is protected by a Romanesque arch—one of the oldest surviving arches in Alsace. Its sculpted capitals and surviving fresco fragments hint at the building’s Romanesque past. Today, however, this doorway is no longer in use and is fenced off.

Instead, the left door serves as the main entrance and leads directly into the church interior. As you step into the nave, you can observe a richly carved wooden gallery, with the 18th-century organ positioned behind it. The ornate pulpit is slightly off to the side, set against a pillar to the left of the gallery. Throughout the interior, vibrant 14th-century wall paintings—restored in the 20th century—cover the pillars and choir, offering a rare glimpse into medieval artistic expression.

The church is also known for its intimate cloister garden, remarkably peaceful despite its city-centre location. You can reach it by turning left from the wooden gallery, which brings you to the north side of the church. Walk away from the gallery along the northern wall until you reach an open doorway leading into a secondary room. This room is easily recognized by its ceiling decorated with winged saints and a winged horse. From there, the door on the right leads directly into the cloister.

Young St. Peter’s Protestant Church remains an active cultural venue, hosting a programme of classical concerts that make full use of its excellent acoustics.