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Strasbourg

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Strasbourg
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Strasbourg Travel Guide

  • About Strasbourg
Set on the Franco-German border, and at various times a part of both countries, Strasbourg has more claim than most to be the symbolic heart of modern Europe.Over the centuries, the culture of the city and of the entire Alsace region has been shaped by Germany as much as by France. The result is a fascinating blend of influences on everything from the architecture and cultural scene to the language and food. And despite past hostilities, Alsace thrives thanks to the strong collaborative links between the two countries. The most potent symbol of this is the Jardin des Deux Rives just east of Strasbourg, an international 60-hectare (148-acre) garden straddling the border and the Rhine, linked by a friendship bridge.Today, Strasbourg mixes medieval charm with a dynamic, contemporary and international feel. At its heart is Grand Île, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed island in the River Ill. It’s a fortified medieval town packed with ancient relics, from Place Kléber (the main square) to Place Gutenberg. This area is lively throughout the year, from the warm summer months when everyone congregates on the café terraces, to December, when stallholders sell Glühwein and festive handicrafts at Christmas markets.At the centre of the island, soaring over everything, is the Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral, notable for its pink sandstone façade and unique tower. And nearby La Petite France is the medieval quarter’s stunning crown jewel. Its picturesque bridges and canals, half-timbered houses and charming narrow streets contrast sharply with the modern clean-cut lines of the European institutions in the northeast of the city.Culturally, Strasbourg has an Opera House, National Theatre and a Conservatory of Music, and hosts various music and cinema festivals. Academically, it has one of France’s largest universities, with more than 42,000 students, while environmentally it welcomes cyclists and pedestrians alike, and has an extensive public transport network.That network extends well beyond the urban area, and TGV high-speed trains connect Strasbourg to other cities across Europe, reaffirming its pivotal role as a capital of Europe, and a guardian of human rights.
  • Strasbourg History
Strasbourg, or ‘the town at the crossroads’, has always occupied a strategic position in >Europe.Originally a Roman camp called Argentoratum, it served as a defensive fort. The streets of this small, fortified area built on a marshy island on the Ill river would later become the city of Strasbourg.Strasbourg became a free city of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire and, behind its fortified walls, power gravitated around the emblematic Pfalz, or town hall.Strasbourg was annexed to France in 1681 as Louis XV realised its strategic importance.The 18th century witnessed the start of a burgeoning court of nobles and wealthy bourgeois, who built numerous mansions such as those in rue Brûlée and rue de la Nuée Bleue.The French Revolution in 1792 left the city in a terrible state; many churches and cloisters were destroyed or damaged.However, after 1830, Strasbourg consolidated its position as a major European crossroads and began to modernise.With the growth of industry, the city’s population tripled in the 19th century. The sewage system was built, streets were paved, and the Rhone-Rhine Canal and Marais-Vert railway station opened.In 1871, after the Franco-Prussian war, Strasbourg was annexed to the newly established German Empire. The city was rebuilt and developed on a grand scale (the Neue Stadt or ‘new city’).Strasbourg returned to France after WWI. The war had not notably damaged the city and between the two wars, Strasbourg continued to prosper.But after the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, the entire city was evacuated. With the Fall of France in June 1940, Alsace was annexed to Germany.After liberation in 1944, Alsace was returned to France and Strasbourg became the symbol of reconciliation between France and Germany.Strasbourg is now the seat of several European institutions including the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the European Parliament.
  • Did you know?
‘La Marseillaise’ was composed in Strasbourg in 1792. Strasbourg’s historic centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. Strasbourg Cathedral celebrated its 1,000th birthday in 2015.
  • Weather in Strasbourg
Due to its location in the Alsace plain, Strasbourg has continental climates, ranging from very cold with snow in the winter to warm and hot in the summer. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Strasbourg as, like in many cities, tourists can benefit from outdoor activities and navigate through town on a bike.Temperatures are close to freezing in the winter, and can cause disruptions on the roads. However, December and the run up to Christmas are also magical times to visit the city when its Christmas market opens.

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