Sights of the city of Strasbourg in France. The best attractions of Strasbourg with photos and descriptions

One of the most famous and beautiful cathedrals in France, the main attraction of the city. Construction began in 1277 and officially completed in 1318. However, looking at the cathedral you will see that nothing has been completed yet: it has only one tower, and the second has not yet been built. In the summer, in the evenings on the walls of the Strasbourg Cathedral you can see a light and sound performance (starts at 21:00).

The cathedral is also famous for its clock, which is located inside the church. The masters did their best and the clock shows not only the time or year, but also the signs of the zodiac and the location of the planets and much more. And every hour there is a small “puppet” show.

At the top of the cathedral there is Observation deck, where anyone can go up and admire an excellent view of both the city and a classic example of late Gothic architecture.

Address: Place De La Cathedrale

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 7-11:40 am and 12:40-7 pm. Sunday from 12:45 to 18:00

Little France

This is a very beautiful area of ​​Strasbourg near the canal. Entire streets of medieval half-timbered houses and elegant buildings in the Baroque style have been preserved here. The area received its name at a time when the Germans owned Strasbourg. The reason for the name is not at all architectural feature. At first, many girls of easy virtue “worked” here. And this type of occupation in Germany was considered “originally French” (it’s always fun to attribute vices to your opponents). Today, Petite France is just a very nice tourist place where you can take a ride on the water bus, eat in a cafe on the terrace by the canal, or just take a little walk through a fairy tale.

Covered bridges

A cascade of three tower-fortified bridges built in the mid-13th century, they were once an important part of the defensive system of the Free City of Strasbourg (then essentially an island). The entire complex is perfectly preserved; you can walk along the bridge.

Kleber Square

The Kleber area is central area. This is the largest square in the city center and is located in the heart of the commercial district. The square is named after General Jean-Baptiste Kleber, who was born in Strasbourg in 1753. There is a statue of the commander in the square, and his remains are buried under it. Kleber Square is surrounded by former barracks, and in the old days it was more than once turned into a parade ground for military parades and reviews.

Address: Place Kleber, 67000 Strasbourg, France

Modern Art Museum

The Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1973 and opened in a new building in November 1998. One of the largest of its kind in France. The museum houses an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, drawings, multimedia art and design created between 1870 (the era of impressionism) and the present day. They always pass here international exhibitions. And the museums of contemporary art have a library, multimedia classes, a cinema and a cafe.

Address: 1 place Jean-Hans Arp

Opening hours: Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday from 11 to 19:00, h Thursday from 12 to 10 pm, atSunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Guttenberg Square

The square is named after the pioneer printer Gutenberg. Every nation, both the French and the Germans, consider him their inventor. It even got to the point that the book in the hands of the monument changed during the wars: first it was “printed” in German, sometimes in French. Today it is the common heritage of Europe and the world.

There are many shops around the square, which attracts not only lovers of architecture, but also shopping.

European institutions

Strasbourg, along with Luxembourg and Brussels, is the capital of the European Union. And here are several institutions of United and Continental Europe.

Everyone is hearing about the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. It was created under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1950 to monitor compliance by Contracting Parties. The European Convention on Human Rights is one of the most important conventions adopted by the Council of Europe. All 47 member states of the Council of Europe are contracting parties to the Convention.

The Council of Europe is located right there, not far away. There is also a Russian flag here, since the country is a member of this body.

Christmas market

The largest and oldest Christmas market opens every year in Strasbourg. You can read more about it in our article “Strasbourg – the capital of Christmas. "

In addition to all of the above, Strasbourg is full of other places and museums to suit all tastes. For example, the beer museum. We have focused your attention on the main and main attractions of Strasbourg. As for the rest... Walk around and enjoy the city. This is not France or Germany. This is a separate Dreamland- Alsace!

And also look video about the sights of Strasbourg and download the city plan with tram lines and attractions in our application.

Strasbourg is a very old city and at the same time very beautiful. It is not for nothing that its entire center, located on an island on the Ile River, is included entirely in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Ile River is a tributary of the Rhine, and the border with Germany is only 3 km from Strasbourg. The city's border location determined its appearance. Throughout its history, the city often moved from Germany to France and vice versa, and absorbed all the best from these countries - German neatness and French charm, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Many people have probably heard that the European Parliament sits in Strasbourg and the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights is located. For these power structures, an ultra-modern quarter was built on the outskirts of the city. You can even visit the European Parliament building, but due to the limited time we had, we only visited the sights of the historical center of Strasbourg.

This is very easy to do on foot as you can cross the island from one end to the other in just 15 minutes on foot. But under no circumstances should you rush. The island is home to an amazing collection of architectural masterpieces. Among them is the Cathedral, Covered bridges, Roan Palace and other vivid evidence of the secular and spiritual life of the city with more than two thousand years of history.

Grand Rue and Gutenberg Square

First of all, we went to Strasbourg Cathedral. It is the heart of the city. On the way we walked along Grand Rue, in many French cities There is a street with such a simple name. We looked at the magnificent half-timbered houses.

Grand Rue

Most of the streets in the historical center of Strasbourg are pedestrian and narrow; modern car traffic has nothing to do on such streets; you need to walk along them and enjoy the walk, looking at old houses and very modern, but at the same time harmoniously designed shop windows.

Textured door on Grand Rue

It is difficult to photograph Strasbourg, because the streets are very narrow, there is absolutely nowhere to go. Therefore, the house can only be captured in parts, alas. There are many houses in Strasbourg with such intricate bay windows, this is just one of them as an example.

Bay window on the same house

The beams of many half-timbered houses are very old and worn. Strasbourg, of course, suffered in World War II, but to a much lesser extent than Cologne, Dresden or Warsaw.

Half-timbered houses

Plants and flowers add special picturesqueness to the houses.

House in Strasbourg

Alsace is generally a very flowery place.

Flowers of Alsace

We crossed Gutenberg Square. He invented the method of printing books using typeface. In 1455, the first Bible printed by printing was published in Strasbourg. The invention of printing contributed to the prosperity of Strasbourg. Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the city was the capital of book printing, playing a decisive role in promoting the ideas of the Reformation.

Monument to Gutenberg at Gutenberg Square

Next to the Gutenberg monument there is an old children's carousel, almost the same one we saw in Avignon at the beginning of our year.

Carousel at Gutenberg Square

The Cathedral Square is decorated with the Kammersell House with its seventy-five carved windows. This is the biggest and most beautiful house of all the half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg. There is a restaurant there, and later we had dinner there.

House of Kammersell

Strasbourg Cathedral

Strasbourg Cathedral is simply huge, before the cathedrals in and were completed. Strasbourg Cathedral was for more than 200 years the tallest cathedral in the entire Christian world. It was built, as expected, over two and a half centuries, from 1176 to 1439. The finishing took even longer.

It is not possible to photograph it entirely with my camera, so I stole a photo of the general view of the cathedral from the Wikipedia website for clarity. Here it is photographed in the rays of the sun and therefore has a slightly yellowish tint, in fact it is pink, I even thought at first that the cathedral was made of granite, but no, it turns out it was built from local pink sandstone.

Strasbourg Cathedral, general view of the western facade

The following photographs are mine and better reflect the true color of the cathedral. Compared to Cologne Cathedral, Strasbourg Cathedral looks almost clean; the dust of centuries has not ingrained itself into it. By the way, for some reason there are a lot of gypsy beggars in Strasbourg. There they are sitting on the porch just under the sculptures of Virtues conquering vices.

Side portal of Strasbourg Cathedral

The stone carving is, of course, colossal.

Central portal - Passion of Christ

The interior of the cathedral is no less interesting than its intricate facade.

Strasbourg Cathedral Pulpit from 1485 by Hans Himmer The lower part of the pulpit.

When visiting the cathedral, you are immediately struck by what is preserved in it. most of authentic stained glass windows. The oldest stained glass windows from the 13th century depict successively the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation

Stained glass

Most of all visitors to the cathedral, of course, are attracted by the astronomical clock. A whole team of Swiss watchmakers took part in the creation of this wonderful watch; they completed their work in 1570. The watch shows not only the time, but also the day, month, year, zodiac sign, moon phase, planetary positions and some astronomical data (for example, the watch accurately predicted the lunar eclipse of March 28, 2006). Every 15 minutes there is a mini show of moving figures, but the fullest show starts once a day at 12:30.

Astronomical clock with moving figures

I was amazed by the trick with the paid lighting of some parts of the cathedral, I have never seen anything like this. For example, to get a better look at the astronomical clock, you need to put a 20-cent coin into a special apparatus and the light will turn on. In summer the cathedral is quite light, but in winter you will definitely have to fork out some money.

In general, European economy amazes me, in the winter we visited, they turned off the lights there immediately after the end of the service, this despite the fact that we paid for the ticket, what a waste.

Theatrical performance at the walls of the cathedral

We got to see a whole performance at the walls of the cathedral quite by accident. At first it seemed to us that the guard was about to be removed, because music started playing, a flag on a pillow was brought out, and the guard’s attire of course raised some doubts.

But what happened next was simply enchanting and very funny, the artists played great, despite the heat and their non-summer clothes.

Theater show at the cathedral walls

At the walls of the Stasburg Cathedral, they raised the English flag with jokes and jokes, and later the Queen of England herself arrived in a rare car. The action took place on English language.

Artist

The Queen took a tea set from her purse and drank her five o'clock tea, as befits a queen, made a speech from the throne and washed it all down with champagne. We laughed for probably 40 minutes, all these simple actions were so comical.

An officer pours the Queen a cup of tea

Roan Palace and houses along Morocco Street

The Roan Palace is located opposite one of the facades of the cathedral. Cardinals from the Roan clan lived in the palace at one time, as many as 4 generations. Now within its walls there are three museums - Archaeological Museum, Museum of Decorative Arts, Museum of Fine Arts.

Not only the kings of Europe imitated Versailles, the cardinals also built themselves a palace in the spirit of Versailles, and they received Louis XV and Marie Antoinette there.

Roan Palace

Gothic garden of the 13th century, designed according to the instructions of Albertus Magnus

On Safyanovaya Street, the former Shoemakers Street, you can photograph every house. The photo below shows a house with carved beams.

Many windows are decorated with flowers, and almost all houses have restaurants and cafes on the ground floors.

Half-timbered houses on Safyanovaya Street

Again a house with a bay window and flowers.

Half-timbered house on Safyanovaya Street

Hot in Strasbourg

We headed along the picturesque embankment to the Petite France area.

Embankment of Strasbourg

Petite France

The Petite France district is probably the cutest in all of Strasbourg. The name is very romantic until you read the guidebook. In fact, in the area there was a hospital where they treated the “French disease”, or syphilis, which spread at the end of the 16th century due to the fault of the soldiers of the army of Francis I. The hospital no longer exists, only one name remains, which to this day bears this old quarter rugged with canals tanners.

Petite France Quarter

There are numerous water buses running along the river as there is plenty to see along the embankments. There is a drawbar ahead pedestrian bridge ik. In the photo below, the bridge has already been opened for the passage of one of the trams.

There are cozy cafes throughout the city center

Classic meat tartare

We had dinner at Kammersel's house near Strasbourg Cathedral. Dad was ordered cabbage with sausages, I was given a salad, and Pasha was ordered French fries with meat. It seemed like you couldn’t imagine a more conservative dish, but it was with this dish that we were in trouble. The meat turned out to be just raw minced meat; it never occurred to me that you could eat or even serve raw minced meat in restaurants.

Classic meat tartare

The menu was in English and there was nothing wrong with it; there was definitely the word meat and something about sauce. Now I googled it and it turns out that French-style meat tartare is raw minced meat, so beware of tartare in France.

Covered bridges

This is another one of the most picturesque places in Strasbourg.

After dinner, at dusk, we went to the Covered Bridges and the Vauban Dam. Previously, there were 24 such towers on the river, now only 3 remain. The towers were built from 1230 to 1250 for the defense of the city. Previously, the bridges between the towers were fortified structures like the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence.

Medieval towers remaining from the city fortifications

Covered bridges opposite the towers

At about 10 pm we went to look for a tram stop and saw a disco near the walls of the Church of St. Thomas. How can people want to dance when it’s +39 outside?

Disco at the Church of St. Thomas

And in Strasbourg the fun continued, an evening light show was shown at the Strasbourg Cathedral, musicians walked the streets of the city, and theatrical performances were staged in the squares. Crowds of people continued to wander through the streets of the hot city.

Despite the terrible heat, we really liked Strasbourg, very picturesque city. I would also like to see the Orangerie Park, but we no longer had the strength, and it was late. If you have a whole day in Strasbourg, you can probably have time to cover all the sights of Strasbourg: the city center, the Orangerie park and the European Quarter. It would be nice to visit Strasbourg before Christmas; they say they have one of the best Christmas markets in Europe.

This was almost the end of our journey; the next day we went to Travemünde to board the

The French city of Strasbourg is located in the eastern part of the country and is the historical capital of Alsace. It is home to almost 273 thousand inhabitants. It was built on the banks of the Ile River near the border with Germany. The border location of the city determines the spread of the culture of both border countries in it. It is natural that after the Second World War it is considered a symbol of their reconciliation. As a result, France and Germany became the founders of the European Union.

Since 1992, the city has the status of the parliamentary capital of the continent. Meetings of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament are held here. Strasbourg plays a significant role in financial and banking activities. Innovative projects in the field of medicine and engineering technologies are implemented here. It is visited by millions of tourists who get acquainted with objects of unique historical heritage.

Being the second most important museum archaeological finds France, it is second only to National Museum antiquities. The collection of the local museum has been collected since the end of the 18th century.

The exhibition includes unique well-preserved artifacts from different historical periods. She reveals in a fascinating way ancient history Alsace, on whose territory people lived many thousands of years BC. The museum's funds are constantly replenished, including through numerous excavations and gifts from admirers of the country's history.

Location: place du Chateau - 2.

The station building of this ancient city amazes with its futuristic design. It resembles a huge flying saucer made of glass and metal that covers the station, built back in 1883. At that time Alsace belonged to Germany.

The modernized station became part of the modern national railway network. And it is the most important transport hub in western France. It has the most powerful computerized control center. Many amenities have been created for passengers, the floor is equipped with central heating.

Location: Place de la Gare.

An important element of the defense of Alsace in the Middle Ages was a unique dam, named after the outstanding military engineer Marshal Sebastian Vauban. The dam was built after Strasbourg became part of France in 1681.

It is a bridge with a covered gallery on which you can cross the river. It was designed in such a way that in the event of an attack on the city, an elaborate system of locks would block the water that would flood low-lying areas. In this case, the enemy’s attack was impossible. The dam is fortified with watchtowers.

This luxurious palace Baroque style built in the 18th century on palace square in the very center of Strasbourg. It was designed by the chief royal architect de Cotte, who created a palace similar to those in Paris.

It was the residence of the all-powerful Cardinal de Rohan-Soubis, in whose hands religious and secular power was concentrated. An entire block of buildings was demolished for its construction. Throughout its existence, the palace has seen many outstanding personalities. In 2008, it hosted a meeting between the presidents of France and the United States.

This medieval mansion is built on a wooden frame. However, it is so luxuriously and sophisticatedly finished that it does not look like a half-timbered structure. Being late Gothic in architecture, this house is classified as Renaissance due to the careful artistic carving of its wooden elements.

The unusually beautiful stained glass windows with original shaped glass are amazing. Each of the 75 windows is decorated with elegant carvings with sculptural images of biblical characters and zodiac symbols. Here you can see marvelous mythological creatures and amazing allegorical stories.

Location: 16 – Place de la Cathédrale.

In the Petite France quarter, a medieval half-timbered mansion hanging over the water is noteworthy. It is called the House of Tanners because it was here that members of the tanning workshop gathered. Under its roof, skin was dried in special openings. The house was a kind of center of the artisans' quarter, who met here with leather craftsmen to discuss common problems. After World War II, a restaurant serving Alsatian cuisine was opened in the house.

Location: 42 - Rue du Bain aux Plantes.

The city has a European Quarter, characterized by unique buildings in which pan-European structures operate. First of all, these are the buildings of the Palace of Europe and the European Parliament. The highlight of the first is the famous semicircular hall under a dome in the shape of a sea shell.

It has hosted plenary meetings of the Council of Europe since 1977. In addition, there are almost a thousand offices for secretariat workers and 17 smaller meeting rooms. The European Parliament building was built in 1999. It looks like a huge wing made of steel and glass. It is crowned by a symbolically unfinished 60-meter tower.

This incredibly beloved corner by the French and numerous tourists became an object in 1988 World Heritage UNESCO. It represents French Alsace in a concentrated form.

It may seem that it was created specifically for tourists. In fact, his story is not simple and not always rosy. In the Middle Ages, artisans and fishermen settled here. It's confirmed appearance beautifully preserved timber-framed houses. This is a favorite photography spot for tourists.

This museum appeared in the city in 1801, when the revolutionary government decided to organize such museums throughout the country. Works of art requisitioned from the homes of the aristocracy, as well as those seized from the church, were to be exhibited here.

Since then, the museum's funds have been constantly replenished through the acquisition of new works and the donation of several large collections from private individuals. Part of these funds consists of paintings received from the Louvre in Paris. Among the largest collection of Italian paintings, a portrait of a young woman by the great Raphael stands out.

Location: 2 - Place du Château.

Strasbourg is famous for having one of the largest such museums in France. In addition, it stands out for its building of an original design, similar to a glass cube. The museum moved there in 1998. All conditions have been created here for storing valuable objects of art and making it easy for you to get acquainted with them.

The Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art arose from a large collection of works of art donated to the city by one of the local collectors. Today, the museum’s holdings include almost 19 thousand works of various styles and genres, including those made by world-famous masters.

Location: 1 - Place Hans-Jean-Arp.

This folk art museum stands out for its originality. It is here that everyone can see with their own eyes the details of the life of the inhabitants of the region, local traditions and customs, the rich history and beauty of the city and its surroundings.

The public first became acquainted with the museum in 1907, when it was opened in several notable houses of traditional architecture in the city. Their location on the river bank in the city center gives them a special charm. All buildings are connected to each other. The interiors contain furniture, household utensils, icons, toys, folk costumes and other unique exhibits.

Location: 23-25 ​​Quai Saint-Nicolas.

This square, elongated like a boulevard, is considered the most respectable in the city. It is surrounded by beautiful buildings built in Art Nouveau and Neoclassical styles. One of them was built for the Bank of France in 1925. Here you can also see the town hall building, built in 1730, and the building of the Rhine Opera. The square is decorated with a monument to Marshal Leclerc, whose troops liberated Strasbourg from the Nazis in 1944.

It was in Strasbourg that Johannes Gutenberg launched the first printing press. This made the city the educational capital of Europe for many years. In 1840, one of the squares was named after him. A monument to the master was built on it. Gutenberg's facial features were invented by the sculptor due to the fact that not a single portrait of this printing pioneer has survived. The monument depicts him holding the first printed page of the Bible in his hands. The square is also decorated with the ancient building of the Chamber of Commerce.

The square is named after a native of Strasbourg, a famous French general who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic wars. Located in the very center of the city, it is the largest of the city squares. There is a monument to the commander erected on it, under which his remains rest.

Place Kleber is famous for the fact that the main Alsace Christmas tree is placed there, and the surrounding houses are decorated with rich illuminations on holidays. Her interesting object is a former guardhouse with images of prominent musicians.

In the center of this square you can see a monument to the dead residents of the city. It symbolizes the tragedy of its history, when its inhabitants were forced to fight for different countries. This is emphasized by the sculpture of a grieving mother holding her dying sons in her arms.

One of them died for France, the other for Germany. The current appearance of the square was formed at the end of the 19th century. It is decorated with the Rhine Palace, former residence Emperor Wilhelm I, the building of the university library and the National Theater.

This is one of the tallest temples in the world, striking in its size and decoration. It was built from sandstone almost a thousand years ago. Its surface gives the impression of lace, into which a huge number of decorative details are woven.

Among them are sculptures of saints and patrons of the city, mythical images and allegorical subjects. The patterned windows and magnificent ornaments amaze with their richness of colors and careful finishing. Its medieval North Tower reaches a height of 140 meters. The carved western façade dominates the building.

A trip to Strasbourg for those who love architecture, ancient buildings and the beauty of quiet streets. Mention of it dates back to the first century. The first name was Argentorat, it was a border city. Over the course of history, due to the constant transitions of the city from Germany to France, the cultures of the two peoples became intertwined. This left a peculiar imprint on Strasbourg.

Location

The city is located in northeastern France. It was located on the Ile River near the banks of the Rhine River. Rivers are connected to each other by canals. The Rhine River is the border between France and Germany.

The climate in this region of France is continental. The city is located between mountain ranges which protect it from the wind. In summer it is hot and polluted, and in winter it is cold. At the beginning and end of summer there are heavy rains with thunderstorms.

Traveling on your own is twice as economical and much more interesting. Can be ordered tourist package, where everything is inclusive.

The French city of Strasbourg is located on the border with Germany

How to get to Strasbourg

I decided to go to Strasbourg on my own. First, go to Paris by plane (Charles de Gaulle airport) with the airline " Air France", from Paris to Strasbourg from Gare de l'Est by high speed train, distance 500 km, time 2 hours 20 minutes.

You can fly to Frankfurt or Karlsruhe in Germany and travel to Strasbourg by train or bus. You can fly with a transfer to Prague or Amsterdam, then by plane to Strasbourg airport. It is located near the city. Then I go to the city by express bus or taxi.

You can stay at a hotel or private hotel. Payment from 50 euros and above.

Thousands of tourists come to Strasbourg. The hotels are similar to the palaces and castles of the French nobles. They are built in the style of the entire city.

What is the best way to get around in Strasbourg?

I advise tourists to walk along this magnificent city on foot, and if you decide to stay here longer, I recommend using the trams. And so that you do not get confused in the direction of movement of tram lines and branches, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the map.

Tram lines in Strasbourg

The tram in Strasbourg is probably the easiest way to get to any point in the city. All trams are equipped with comfort for passengers, and wall-to-wall windows will give tourists with cameras the opportunity to photograph local attractions on the go and will not let you get bored and you will be able to admire the city!

In total, the city has 5 tram lines and almost 60 stops. Trams start running from 4:30 in the morning until 00:30 at night. Tram lines are called letters of the Latin alphabet, each line is indicated by its own color:

• Tram A- from Illkirch Lixenbuhl station to Hautepierre Maillon
• Tram B– from Hoenheim Gare station to Lingolsheim Tiergaertel
• Tram C– from Neuhof station to Elsau
• Tram D- from Rotonde station to Aristide Briand
• Tram E– from Robertsau station to Bagersee

Tariffs (as of 2010):

• One way ticket = 1.3 €
• Return ticket = 2.5 €
• Package of 10 one-way tickets = 11.5 €
• Package of 30 one-way tickets = 32 €

Subscription:

• For one month – 40 €. Gives access to the tram/bus network for an unlimited number of trips from the first to the last day of the month.
• For one year – 400 €. Gives access to city transport for an unlimited number of trips for 1 year from the date of purchase of the subscription.

Tickets and passes are available from every machine at every stop in the city.

Old city

First of all, I went to Old city. It occupies several blocks, which are located around the Cathedral.

This part has the most architectural monuments. The cathedral is a Catholic church and is a masterpiece of Gothic art. It is laid on Cathedral Square in 1176, it took almost 300 years to build. The cathedral is also called by another name Notre Dame, together with the lace spire (142 meters) was considered the most tall building medieval Europe. The cathedral has an observation deck (332 steps), the cathedral and the platform are open for visits every day. From above you can see the entire city.

The cathedral's antique stained glass windows and biblical images delight you. There is an astronomical clock with figures that move. Organ music sounds in the cathedral. Notre Dame is made from local pink limestone. In the rays of the sun it shimmers with multi-colored shades. Cathedral Square itself is small, with narrow streets radiating from it.

Opposite the Cathedral stands the Episcopal Roganov Palace(built for the Cardinal Rohans), which houses the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Museum visual arts. Napoleon, Louis, Marie Antoinette visited the palace.

Kammerzell House

Kammerzell House located on Cathedral Square, it belongs to half-timbered architecture (special building structure). The house was built in 1427. The lower floor is built of stone, while the upper floors are made of wood and decorated with carved sculptures. Alsatian artist Leo Schnug designed the house.

The windows of the building are framed in the form of figures that depict musicians, zodiac signs, mythical biblical heroes, and a little organist. On the corner side there are three female figures carved, symbolizing virtue.

On the 2nd floor there is a figure of Love with two children and a pelican (an allegory of parental love). On the 3rd floor there is a figure of Nadezhda holding a Phoenix bird (a symbol of immortality and rebirth). On the 4th floor there is an image of Vera with a griffin (a symbol of faith in Christ). The lower floor is built in the Gothic style, the upper floors in the Renaissance style, because the house was rebuilt. It is named after its last owner. On the ground floor there is a restaurant with excellent Alsatian cuisine.

I walk from the cathedral along Galantereynaya Street, there are many souvenir shops. You can buy something as a keepsake. On the street corner there is Olenya's pharmacy, the first mention of the building dates back to 1268. The house is decorated with frescoes by Leo Schnug. On the lower floor there is decoration on medieval themes, on the second floor there are frescoes using the grisaille technique. The ceilings are decorated with stucco in the form of allegorical figures.

At the corner of the pharmacy there is a column that extends from the front of the building. It was jokingly called the “belly meter”. Tourists, having fun, check the slimness of their figure by squeezing through the gap.

I turn off and end up on the street of the Old Fish Market to the Crow Bridge. After crossing the bridge, I find myself on Crow Square. The court used to sit on this square and pass sentences on criminals.

To the right is St. Nicholas Embankment, from which you can see the Old Hospital Square. The surviving tower and gate are the remains of an ancient city fortification and date back to the 14th - 17th centuries. There is a historic wine cellar on the hospital grounds, which offers tours and wine tastings. I pass by the Alsace Museum (museum of folk culture). The embankment of St. Nicholas turns into the embankment of Charles Frey. The architecture of the houses deserves special attention. Here are Mill Square and St. Martin's Bridge.

It begins. Beautiful place for walking, you can take a boat trip along the Il River water bus. From here you will have a view of the watchtowers and Petite France. This is a small area where artisans, fishermen, and tanners used to live. For example, the “tanner's house” was built back in 1572.

Further, they were part of the city’s fortifications. Initially, they were covered with a wooden roof, hence the name covered. They had walls and bars with loopholes. The towers on the bridges were intended to protect the branches of the Il River. The bridges were rebuilt because they no longer had defensive status. Today, Covered Bridges consist of a cascade of bridges and square towers. The two central towers have bastion fortifications. Each tower had its own function.

A separate tower is called the Executioner's Tower, where the sentence was carried out. There were five towers in total, the tower of chains (women's prison) burned down. Henry's Tower served as a civil prison. Hans von Altheim's Tower and the French Tower served as a military prison.

From the panoramic platform called "Vauban Dam" you can see the Covered Bridges, Petite France and downtown beyond. A dam is a structure (fortification) on the Il River in the form of a system of sluices designed to flood southern lands in case of enemy attack.

Museums and other attractions

The city of Strasbourg is small in size. You can see it Art Museum in the Aubett Palace, which has about 850 valuable paintings by masters dating back to the 14th century (Raphael, El Greco, Flemish masters and others). The first art museum was destroyed during the war in 1870. A new museum was created by Wilhelm von Bode, and Hans Gogh continued the work.

From the cathedral, along one of the streets you can go to the square with a monument to Gutenberg, who created the first printing press.

Located in the city center, there is a statue in honor of General Jean-Baptiste Kleber. Nearby is Iron Man Square.

Republic Square, Botanical Garden with a pond, a park with enclosures for animals.

Strasbourg historical Museum tells about the history of the city; the building dates back to the 16th century.

The European Quarter in the north of the city is designed in a modern architectural style. It houses the European Parliament and the Council of Europe.

We can talk about Strasbourg for a long time, but it’s better to see it for yourself.

Sights of Strasbourg - VIDEO

We will be pleased if you share with your friends:

You, of course, have repeatedly heard about Strasbourg as the city where the headquarters of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights are located. But Strasbourg is also beautiful city in the western part of France and in the heart of Europe, with a long history and an interesting selection of attractions. The city belongs to Alsace - now only historical region, and earlier (until 2016) - to the administrative region of France.

Unique Strasbourg, its heritage and attractions with photos and descriptions

An area called "Petite France"

Ancient architecture

• The most famous of Strasbourg's attractions is its historical Center– an area called “Petite France”, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a charming place, full of romance, with the unique architecture of half-timbered (frame with characteristic paneling on the walls) houses, with covered bridges across the channels of the local Il River. There are many flowers here - in the flower beds and on the balconies of houses. What remains from the ancient defense structures of the 13th-17th centuries are four towers and Vauban's dam (dam) that are interesting for tourists.
• Strasbourg Cathedral is a delightful structure built during the 12th-15th centuries to replace the ancient Roman altar that was located here. The building is unusual in its asymmetry - only one of its two towers was completely built, and thanks to its height (142 m), the Cathedral was considered the tallest in Europe for a long time (until the 20th century). Inside there are magnificent interiors with sculptural ensembles, tapestries, multi-colored stained glass windows and an astronomical clock showing the signs of the zodiac and the orbits of the planets. Unforgettable impression produces the sound of an 18th century organ.
• Next to the Cathedral is the Rohan Palace, the residence of the Bishop of Strasbourg - a characteristic example of the Baroque style of the 18th century. The building was later used as the residence of the King of France. Now there are museums here - archaeological, fine and applied arts.
• Next door you can see the half-timbered Kammerzell House of the 16th century, which stands out for its unusual architecture: the ground floor is stone, the next three floors are wooden, and then there is a three-level roof, with frescoes and wooden sculptures located along the facade.
• In the center of Strasbourg on the embankment is the Church of Saint Thomas, owned by architectural style to the Gothic of Alsace. In the church there is a crypt with the remains of the French military leader Maurice of Saxony, as well as an ancient organ, the keys of which were touched by the hands of the great Mozart. If you're lucky, you can catch one of the organ concerts that sometimes take place here. The church is a large active Protestant parish. On the Republic Square there are interesting buildings of the Opera, the Prefecture and the Rhine Palace.

Rohan Palace

Monuments of Strasbourg

• The statue of General Jean Baptiste Kleber is installed in the square named after him, which is the central and largest in Strasbourg. The commander himself is buried here. Place Kléber traditionally hosts all official city events.
• On Gutenberg Square there is a monument to the first printer Johannes Gutenberg, who lived for some time in Strasbourg, invented and launched a machine for casting type (letters) for printing here. The City Hall building is also located on the square.
• The monument to the fallen in the center of Republic Square is buried in magnolia flowers in the spring.
• The installation “With Europe in the Heart” by artist L. Cerin is located in front of the headquarters of the European Parliament.

Museums of Strasbourg

• The Strasbourg Historical Museum, located in a former 19th-century butcher's shop;
• a museum dedicated to the construction of the Cathedral;
• Alsace Art Museum;
• Modern Art Museum;
• Archaeological Museum;
• Museum of Applied Arts (porcelain, earthenware, ceramics);
• Museum of Fine Arts (works by Raphael, Gioto, Botticelli, Goya);
• museum of cartoons by Tomi Ungerer.

Modern Strasbourg

Strasbourg is one of the centers of the European Union; the offices of its main institutions are located here:

• European Court of Human Rights;
• Council of Europe;
• European Parliament.

All of them definitely attract attention with their unusual Art Nouveau architecture and the brilliance of their glass facades.
You can also take a tour inside these buildings by registering in advance.
On the neighboring streets there are embassies of some countries, which can be seen while walking.
Unique geographical location Strasbourg - in France, but practically on the border with Germany, became the prerequisite for the construction here of the symbolic "Bridge of Europe" across the Rhine River, connecting the banks of France and Germany - along it you can walk from one country to another. Modern Strasbourg is rightfully considered one of the educational and intellectual centers of Europe. The second most important and level university in France operates here, one of the oldest - Goethe, for example, studied here. The number of students studying here is about 40 thousand people.

Parks of Strasbourg

The city is famous for its delightful parks, including:

• the Orangerie park with beautiful landscapes, built by order of Napoleon for Josephine;
• Citadel Park;
• park with storks, next to the PACE building;
• Botanical Garden near the University;
• a beautiful park on Republic Square;
• parks on both sides of the “Bridge of Europe”.

What can a tourist see in Strasbourg in 1 day?

Cathedral

It is better to immediately plan to spend this day without a car - most of the streets of the center of Strasbourg are pedestrian, it is very pleasant to slowly walk along them, observing the local attractions.

So, I advise you to examine (in this order):

• covered bridges, watchtowers and the Vauban Dam with a panoramic platform at the top;
• Tanners' house;
• Church of Saint Thomas;
• Gutenberg Square;
• Cathedral with inspection of the interior of the building and ascent to the observation deck;
• Kammerzell's house;
• Rohan Palace;
• City Hall building, Republic Square;
• buildings of the headquarters of the European Institutes, a pedestrian bridge over the Rhine;

If you have time, you can see one of the city’s museums, take a walk in the park, or go on an excursion along the canals of the Il River on a pleasure boat.

Where to go with children in Strasbourg

• Visit children's center Le Vaisseau in the Neudorf district.
• Ride the big, colorful carousel at Gutenberg Square.
• Check out the astronomical clock at Cathedral with figures of the apostles leaving every hour.
• Take a ride on a river bus.
• Rent bikes and ride around the city center, there are many bike paths.
• Take a walk near the turtle pond in Ciutadella Park.

In addition, throughout the city you will find children's playgrounds and sports grounds, and most restaurants and cafes will offer a separate menu for children.

Video review of Strasbourg attractions

Especially for you, we have selected a short but vivid video about the main attractions of Srasbourg.

https://youtu.be/PqrfV9Xru2M

Having seen the sights in Strasbourg, it’s time to get acquainted with its surroundings, because they are conducive to an interesting and eventful holiday. Alsace is a predominantly wooded and quite picturesque area for. There are many small cozy towns here, you can easily go on a trip to one of them. Along the route there are private wineries with vineyards, most of which will gladly offer you a tour with tasting. Tours of the surrounding castles are very interesting, despite the fact that some of them are in a destroyed (completely or partially) state. Small boat cruises along the local rivers Ile and Rhine will also be interesting.
This is what Strasbourg is like. The center of European politics, a city of history and at the same time homely cozy city for which you will surely remember for a long time. Did you like it in Strasbourg? What interesting things did you see?