Strasbourg, Petite France
The Cathedral is the heart of Strasbourg. This Gothic masterpiece built between 1015 and 1439 of red Vosges sandstone with a single spire 142m high, was the highest building in the world after the Great Pyramid of Egypt until the 19th century.
Don’t miss the filigree stonework of the Pillar of Angels, the 12th – 14th century stained-glass windows or the astronomical clock and its automatons. Climb up the 332 steps to the viewing platform for a 360° view of the city, the Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest.
At the foot of the Cathedral stands the Palais Rohan built by Cardinal de Rohan-Soubise, Prince-Bishop of Strasbourg. The palace is a remarkable example of regal lifestyle in the 18th century with its facade overlooking the River Ill and its sumptuous apartments : the King’s Bedchamber, library and Bishops’ Hall. Next to the Palais Rohan is the Museum of Œuvre Notre Dame which houses statue masterpieces from the Strasbourg Cathedral and fine examples of 15th and 16th century Rhenish art in an exceptional architectural setting. Its little Gothic garden is a little gem too. After the museum, why not enjoy the shops and ‘winstubs’ in the neighbouring streets and lanes.
A short distance away is the district of Petite France, the most famous part of old Strasbourg, surrounded by two channels of the Ill. Stroll beside its canals past locks and weirs, across the swing-bridge which alternates between pedestrians and boats to the Place Benjamin Zix and Rue du Bain aux Plantes to admire the medieval facades of old houses once occupied by fishermen, boatmen and tanners. The district originally specialised in tanning because of its proximity to the river and the houses have open lofts under the eaves where animal hides were hung to dry. Petite France is one of the oldest parts of Strasbourg and one of the few where a particular trade has left its mark on the buildings.
To the east of Grande Île, the Musée Tomi Ungerer in the Villa Greiner is the ‘centre international de l’illustration’. The illustrator donated part of his works to his home town : a collection of 11,000 drawings, 160 sculptures and 6,000 toys. The museum presents the different faces of the artist : a cartoonist with a black sense of humour, a graphic artist and designer of advertising posters, an illustrator of children’s books and a creator of erotic works. The museum is near the Place de la République, at the heart of the Neustadt or German Imperial district which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. After coming to power in 1870 the Reich decided to make Strasbourg a showcase of the Empire, the town flourished and tripled in size. The Place de la République is designed as a garden (amazing ginkgos and magnolias) with unique Neo-classical buildings representing power (Palais du Rhin) and knowledge (Library and the Palais Universitaire) which can be seen in a remarkable perspective from the Avenue de Liberté.
A tour of Strasbourg ends in the European district which was born during the Franco-German reconciliation of 1949. It features buildings of amazing contemporary architecture : the Palace of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights. The Parlamentarium Simone Veil is a free, dynamic, interactive exhibition which gives a practical insight into the role of the European Parliament, its political groups and the work of its Members.
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Citybreak
Le nid de la cathédrale 1
in STRASBOURG - Bas-Rhin
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