Top Sights in Strasbourg, France
Cathedral, Museums, Half-Timbered Houses, Ilz River, Covered Bridges
Jan 11, 2008
Strasbourg in Alsace, France is a city of around 270,000 (700,000 in the larger metropolitan area). It is a major industrial center but is more famous for its Gothic cathedral, lovely old town, and European Union institutions.
- Hotel prices in Strasbourg can vary widely depending on conferences and activities of especially the European Union institutions. Drivers may find staying in hotels in smaller Alsace countryside towns more pleasant.
Strasbourg Cathedral
The main tourist sight in Strasbourg is its Gothic cathedral (Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg). Its characteristic single, off-center spire can be seen long before the traveler reaches the city itself.
The High Gothic western façade impresses most when close up to the cathedral. It is an absolute masterpiece of thirteenth century art. The locally sourced reddish-pink sandstone is intricately carved giving the stone façade an almost lace-like appearance.
- Inside the cathedral is the famous Strasbourg astronomical clock. This 18 m (60 ft) high, mostly Renaissance, mechanical clock plays daily at 12:30 pm.
Sights near the Strasbourg Cathedral
The Maison Kammerzell on the Place de la Cathédrale is one of the loveliest medieval-Renaissance houses in Europe. Its ground floor is from the fifteenth century while the more interesting half-timbered floors were added a century later. Note the details of the carvings on the corner stones and window frames.
- The Maison Kammerzell now houses a pricy restaurant. Both the historic rooms and outdoor seating with views of the cathedral are popular.
The Palais Rohen is to the south of the cathedral. Inside this early eighteenth-century palace are three museums: decorative arts (Arts Décoratifs), archeology (Archéologique), and fine arts (Beaux-Arts).
The adjacent Musée de l’OEvre Notre-Dame has many original statues from the cathedral as well as other medieval, religious works of art. The building has a Gothic core but received a Renaissance external makeover during the sixteenth century.
On the banks of the Ilz River are the History Museum (Musée Historique) as well as the huge Ancienne Douane (Former Customs House) – a large trading house from the fourteenth century. On the opposite bank of the Ilz is the Musée Alsacien with arts and crafts from the Alsace region.
La Petite France
The most picturesque part of Strasbourg is La Petite France (Little France). This area is on islands in the Ilz River and full of postcard-perfect scenes. Most buildings have half-timbered structures with balconies where ample geraniums flower to add color to an already far from bland area. Inviting restaurants adds to the appeal of this area.
The Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges) are a series of bridges over the four arms of the Ilz River just south of the La Petite France. Three watchtowers survived from the original medieval town defenses.
- The best views of the bridges and old town is from the terrace at the Grand Ecluse – a late seventeenth-century (but frequently changed) dam built to update the town defenses.
The nearby Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Art Moderne et Contemporain) has a noteworthy collection of works from the nineteenth century to the present.
See Also:
- Strasbourg Cathedral
- Flying to Strasbourg Airport (SXB)
- Transportation to Strasbourg in Alsace, France
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