What to see in Strasbourg, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Notre Dame Cathedral, European Parliament Building and covered bridges.
Tourist information
City of the Bas-Rhin department in the Alsace region, Strasbourg is located in the eastern part of France, about 4 km from the Rhine river near the Franco-German border.
Its name means the city of the streets and, being on the border with Germany, in the past it has always been in the balance between the Franco and Germanic world.
The city is crossed by the Ill, a tributary of the Rhine river, which branches out into the historic center of the city and also flows into Petite France, a very picturesque neighborhood characterized by half-timbered houses overlooking the canals.
Strasbourg is called the "city of storks", as many specimens of this animal species come to nest on the roofs of houses and on the bell towers of the churches.
In this city, the musician Rouget De Lisle composed the national anthem of the French Republic, entitled "La Marseillaise".
Originally a Celtic village, under the domination of the Roman Empire it became a garrison town called Argentoratum.
Conquered by the Franks in the fifth century, it assumed the name Strateburgum, from which it derived the current one.
The industrial development of this border town began in 1950, despite the fact that there were already industries in the milling and metalworking sectors, as well as cellars producing beer.
Current economic activities include the food, mechanical and electrical sectors, as well as pharmaceutical, electronic and plastic products.
In the industrial port area of Strasbourg, one of the largest in the Rhine, shipments of oil, agricultural products and building materials are managed.
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A flagship is a large plant specialized in assembling cars.
Strasbourg plays a very important role with regards to the world of business and culture.
It is also home to the European Parliament and other bodies linked to a united Europe, such as the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights.
The city also hosts several universities, including the prestigious National School of Administration for civil service and international cooperation.
The city center, with convenient pedestrian walkways, has become a popular tourist destination.
The closest airport to Strasbourg is approximately 15 km away.
Strasbourg is crossed by the Ill river which surrounds the large Big Island on which the old city and most of the most famous buildings are located.
What see
A boat ride on the canals allows you to admire the various palaces of the city.
Notre Dame Cathedral, damaged in 1870 and during the Second World War, has been perfectly restored.
Built in red sandstone from the Vosges, it looks like a harmonious building, although different architectural styles are based on it.
It has an asymmetrical facade, with thin carved portals and a single tower 139 meters high, with a splendid spire on the top.
Some of the cathedral's sculptures, along with artifacts from ancient French churches, are exhibited in the Maison of the Notre-Dame Opera, located near the cathedral.
The Palais Rohan is a remarkable palace, formerly a bishop's seat, which houses the Museum of Decorative Arts, that of Fine Arts and the Archaeological Museum.
Chateau des Rohan, an ancient bishop's palace, houses three museums.
The "La Petite" district is characterized by well-preserved streets, where old wooden houses overlook, and by some very picturesque canals.
The covered bridges, medieval fortifications upstream of the Ill, are characterized by imposing square towers, a testimony of ancient fourteenth-century bastions connected together.
