I fell in love with Alsace almost immediately, as soon as I got off the Paris-Strasbourg train at the city's central station in August 2013. This is exactly the case when two countries have formed a region where everything complements each other. The best German and French architects worked on the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg, bringing the best they had and could. As a result, I propose to admire the pinnacle of Gothic art in Alsace - the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Strasbourg - the result of the work of Franco-German masters.

At 142 meters in height, Strasbourg Cathedral has long been the tallest building in the world, and is now the second tallest (after Rouen Cathedral) among all cathedrals in France. The thin spire of the cathedral is visible from any point of the Alsatian plain, as well as from the Black Forest and Vosges - mountain ranges neighboring Alsace.

The modern building is the fourth in a row. The story begins in the 7th century, when the first cathedral was founded by the Bishop of Strasbourg, Saint Arbogast. But already under Charlemagne it was rebuilt and made more spacious. Recent excavations have shown that the cathedral of Carolingian times was a three-aisled basilica with three apses. The Carolingian basilica suffered greatly from fires several times, and in 1015, on the site of the dilapidated building, Bishop Werner I began building a new temple in the Ottonian Revival style. Unfortunately, this cathedral also burned down in a strong fire in 1176, after which the Strasbourg bishop decided to build a new, fourth cathedral; from this moment the history of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg begins.

The first to be built were the choir and the northern arm of the transept, which still belong to the Romanesque style. In 1225, a group of architects from Chartres took on the construction, and after that the construction of the cathedral was carried out in the Gothic style. By the mid-13th century, funds were almost exhausted, and in order to complete the nave, it was necessary to launch an extensive campaign for the sale of indulgences. In 1277, construction of the western façade began. Construction proceeded rather slowly; several times fires damaged the walls of the cathedral, and they had to be restored. The work was finally completed only in 1439; since then the cathedral has practically not changed its appearance.

Several architects worked on the construction of the cathedral, but Erwin von Steinbach made the greatest contribution. He took over the construction work in 1277, when the façade began to be built. His work shows a strong influence of French Gothic: for example, the rose window on the facade is made in the style typical of French cathedrals, and the portals are decorated with reliefs much richer than was customary in German churches of that time. It is believed that after the death of Erwin von Steinbach, work on the facade and tower of the temple was continued by his son and daughter.

In 1277, construction of the western façade began.

The western façade of the cathedral is richly decorated with reliefs, the subjects of which are mainly dedicated to the life of Jesus Christ. The niche of the central portal depicts scenes of the Passion of Christ. In the center of the niche is a statue of the Madonna and Child, reminiscent of the fact that the cathedral is dedicated to the Mother of God, and scenes from the Bible are presented on the archivolts of the portal. The left portal is decorated with figures of virtues fighting vices. The relief in the niche of the portal depicts scenes from the childhood of Jesus Christ. The right portal is framed by the figures of the Wise Virgins and the Foolish Virgins. According to the parable, which is given in the Gospel of Matthew, ten virgins, friends of the bride, went out at night to meet the arriving groom to accompany him to the wedding feast, but only five of them stocked up with enough oil for the lamps. When the lamps of the five foolish virgins went out, they went to the market to buy lamp oil, at that time the groom arrived and a feast began, to which the foolish virgins were not allowed in because they were late. “Watch therefore,” says the parable, “for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man will come.” The figures of the Wise Virgins at the right portal hold lamps and open Tablets in front of them, and the Foolish Virgins hold closed Tablets, and among them is a figure of the Tempter with a forbidden fruit in his hands. As for the niche of the portal, it is dedicated to the theme of Judgment Day.

There are two more portals on the sides of the cathedral. The late Gothic portal on the north side is dedicated to St. Lawrence, one of the most important martyrs in the Christian tradition.

The inside of the cathedral is rather poorly lit, unlike other French Gothic cathedrals, such as Reims and Chartres. The cathedral's nave, at 63 meters in length, is one of the longest naves of all French cathedrals. The nave contains a large number of medieval stained glass windows. The stained glass windows on the north side depict various Holy Roman Emperors, while the stained glass windows on the south side depict scenes from the life of Our Lady and Jesus Christ. The stained glass windows of the triforium depict the genealogy of Jesus Christ as it is given in the Gospel of Luke. Surprisingly, the rose window is decorated only with plant motifs: it is believed that the wheat depicted on them symbolizes the economic well-being of Strasbourg.

The choir, one of the oldest parts of the cathedral, built in the 11th century, features 19th-century frescoes and a modern stained glass window depicting the Virgin Mary. It is noteworthy that since the stained glass window is a gift to the cathedral from the Council of Europe, twelve stars on a blue background, symbolizing the European Union, can be found on the stained glass window.

In the northern arm of the transept there is a niche intended for the altar of St. Lawrence. The capitals of the columns framing this niche are decorated with images of fantastic animals. Now in the niche there is a font, made in 1453 by the famous sculptor of that time Jodoc Dotzinger. Opposite it you can find a monumental sculptural group depicting the prayer of Jesus Christ before his arrest on the Mount of Olives. This sculptural group was originally executed by Nicholas Roeder in 1498 for the cemetery of the Church of St. Thomas, and was transferred to the cathedral in 1667.

In the southern arm of the transept, first of all, it is worth noting the so-called. the pillar of Angels, which is decorated with twelve sculptures: on the lower level there are four evangelists, above them there are angels playing horns, and finally, the upper tier depicts a seated Christ surrounded by angels.

The cathedral's pulpit is a remarkable example of the Flamboyant Gothic style elevated to its absolute level. The pulpit is decorated with about fifty sculptures representing many traditional New Testament scenes and characters.

In the south transept of the cathedral there is an astronomical clock - one of the most famous in the world.

Thanks to a skillfully executed mechanism, this watch shows not only the hour of the day, but also the position of the sun, moon and almost all the planets of the solar system, and also calculates moving holidays, solar and lunar eclipses, and other celestial phenomena. The first hours of the Strasbourg Cathedral, the so-called The clock of the Three Kings was designed in the mid-14th century, but at the beginning of the 16th century it ceased to function and was replaced by a new clock, which was worked on by Conrad Dasypodius (professor of mathematics at the University of Strasbourg), clockmakers the Gabrecht brothers and the Swedish artist Tobias Stimmer, a student of Hans Holbein the Younger. This latter decorated the clock with paintings depicting the Three Moirai, Urania, Nicolaus Copernicus, as well as various biblical scenes. This clock stopped working around 1788, and it was not until 1838 that reconstruction of the mechanism began. The reconstruction was undertaken by Jean-Baptiste Schwilge, a famous Strasbourg mathematician and self-taught engineer, who dreamed of restoring the cathedral clock since childhood (it stopped when he was 12 years old). The clock was equipped with an even more sophisticated mechanism than the previous one, and the 16th century wooden case was retained.

Strasbourg Cathedral is the main attraction of the city, its main pride. It's simply impossible not to love him. I still remember how, as a little girl, I stood at its foot and just couldn’t stop looking. Therefore, without any doubt, when you come to , this is the first thing you need to go and see.

When you see him, you stop noticing everything around you, time stops and so does the crowd around you, because no one can pass by indifferently. And even now, after so many years in Strasbourg, I always stop to admire the cathedral.

A little history

Strasbourg Cathedral began to be built in 1015 by joint Franco-German forces. And this greatly affected his appearance. The entire cathedral is a weaving of cultures, customs and traditions of the different Romanesque tribes that inhabited these territories at that time. It took a very long time to build, more than four hundred years, and throughout this time it was completed by various architects who came from all over Europe.

In 1439, the cathedral finally opened its doors to visitors, and from 1625 it even became the tallest building of mankind, and held this title for 250 years!

Astronomical clock

Built in the 16th century, this clock is a shining example of the Renaissance. When completed, they were named one of the Seven Wonders of Germany, before, of course, Strasbourg once again became part of France. The clock quite accurately shows the movement of many celestial bodies such as the Sun, Moon, Earth, Mercury, Venus... Its main decoration is the Virgin Mary, to whom three wise men come every year at Christmas. The clock also determines the dates of church holidays that are not fixed in the calendar, Easter, for example.

There is a legend that upon completion of their construction, the German authorities did not want the Master to be able to repeat this masterpiece, and gouged out his eyes. The name of the Master, by the way, still remains unknown.

How to get there

By tram

Not far from the cathedral is the largest tram station in Strasbourg called Homme de fer, which translated means Iron Man. You can arrive at this stop by any tram except E.

By bus

Buses numbered 4, 6, 10, 14, 24 stop around the historical center. But due to the fact that traffic in the historical city center is limited, you will have to walk anyway.

A ticket for 1 person for 1 hour costs 1.70€. You can buy it:

• In the bus. You can buy a one-way ticket or a round-trip ticket from the bus driver, which will give you the right to two trips within one day. But be careful! On the bus they will not accept a bank card or a bill larger than 20 €.
• At tram stops. At every tram stop there is a machine where you can buy regular tickets; "set of 10", which will save you an average of 10 cents per ticket; all day ticket for one person; all day ticket for two or three. In these machines you can pay with a bank card or change. They do not have a bill acceptor.

And don't forget to validate your tickets! There are machines for this at tram stops and inside buses. The fine for an unvalidated ticket is 33€, and for traveling without a ticket is 49€.

On foot

My favorite way to get around Strasbourg. How else can you notice all this beauty surrounding you? Strasbourg is a very small city. And walking along it is very pleasant and not burdensome.

Google maps work very well in Strasbourg. They will help you not only plan the optimal walking route, but also easily select public transport with all the necessary transfers, and also provide tram and bus schedules. Be sure to check your route on the maps! The streets of the city are built in an extremely chaotic order and you never know where this cute street will take you!

Also, if you not only know the address of the place you need to get to, but also the name of the stop, the website of the city’s transport company can help you. A simple and intuitive interface, available not only in French, but also in English.

Sightseeing

Inside

The cathedral is open to everyone from 7.00 - 11.20 and from 12.40 - 19.00. Free admission.

It is full of amazing statues and installations, but despite this, I personally always walk with my head held high, because for me nothing will ever compare to the beauty of the stained glass windows of Strasbourg Notre Dame. There, for a modest donation, you can light a candle or buy a small souvenir. But be prepared for the fact that you can buy exactly the same trinket elsewhere in the city much cheaper. The only thing you won’t find anywhere else are commemorative coins with the image of the cathedral, which are sold in vending machines.

Observation deck

Nowhere will you see better than on the observation deck of the cathedral, which is located at an altitude of 66 meters. It offers a wonderful view of the entire old city with its narrow streets and red roofs, and the new one, where the European Parliament and the Court of Human Rights are located. Having overcome only 332 steps, you can enjoy all the beauties of this wonderful, lovely city.

Opening hours

• From April 1 to September 30, every day from 9.30 to 20.00 (last rise at 19.30)
• From October 1 to March 31, every day from 10.00 to 18.00 (last rise at 17.30)

You will have to climb on foot! The elevator is only available for people with disabilities.

Price

• 5€ for adults;
• 2.50€ for children from 5 to 18 years old and students;
• 3.60€ for groups of tourists of 20 people or more.

P.S. One last piece of advice. Approach the cathedral from Gutenberg Square. Then he will suddenly appear in front of you, emerge from behind small houses built in the Bavarian style, and certainly will not leave you indifferent.

Address: France, Strasbourg city, Cathedral Square
Start of construction: 1015
Completion of construction: 1439
Height: 142
Main attractions: astronomical clock, column of Angels, 15th century font, image of the Mount of Olives, St. Lawrence portal, cathedral pulpit, stained glass windows of the 12th-14th centuries, tapestries of the 17th century
Coordinates: 48°34"54.7"N7°45"03.3"E

Content:

Short description

If we try to highlight the most beautiful Catholic churches built at different times in the Gothic style, then Strasbourg Cathedral in France will certainly be included in their number.

Looking ahead a little, I would like to note that previously this temple was not only Catholic: Protestants also attended the services held in this majestic building. The splendor of this cathedral is quite difficult to describe in words, although it, like the Cologne Cathedral, is still considered unfinished. Consider the fact that for more than two centuries this building was considered the tallest on our entire planet!

Northern façade of the cathedral

If you carefully study the written works of historians and architects, you can easily draw a certain conclusion: Strasbourg Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary, is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful and largest Catholic churches of the Old World in the world. Every day thousands of guests of the French city come to him to see with their own eyes the miracle that appeared in the world thanks to the joint work of German and French architects. By the way, Strasbourg itself, although it is part of France, can be called a city where two cultures are surprisingly intertwined: German and French. When talking about this temple, built of sandstone, it should be emphasized that it is the Catholic church of the bishop: these days you will not find Protestants in its huge halls.

Strasbourg Cathedral: history of construction and architectural features

The very first mention of an unfinished Romanesque temple dates back to 1015. However, thanks to archaeological excavations, scientists were able to prove that a Roman sanctuary stood on this site long before this period of time.

View of the western façade of the cathedral from Rue Mercier

Initially, in 1015, the Strasbourg Cathedral was supposed, as mentioned a little above, to be built in the Romanesque style. Moreover, the work had already begun: the order for construction was given by Bishop Werner of Habsburg. For unknown reasons, the unfinished building was almost completely burned down. It was possible to restore the temple, at the cost of incredible efforts and huge investments, only towards the end of the 12th century, and at that time the Gothic style had already become fashionable in Europe. For this reason, most parts of the building acquired more strict “airy” forms, and the decoration was made of reddish stones, which were specially brought to the construction site from neighboring mountainous areas.

The bishop, who paid all the costs of restoring and rebuilding the building, died, and the construction of the magnificent cathedral, which in the future would become the tallest building in the world, stopped for a while. Donations from the bourgeoisie were not enough, so all residents of the cozy city, without exception, began to make their contribution to the construction of the Strasbourg Cathedral.

View of the northern (142 m.) and southern towers of the cathedral

The temple in Strasbourg, dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary, may even remind the inexperienced traveler of Cologne Cathedral. Indeed, they still have something in common. However, in the architecture of the bishop's church in Strasbourg, one can also trace the influence of the Romanesque style.

More precisely, due to numerous reconstructions, the building, erected from Vosges sandstone, is strikingly different from similar buildings, which makes it unique and inimitable. The builders built the eastern part of the cathedral, the southern entrance and the choir in the Romanesque style, but the famous nave, on which you can see countless figures, and the western façade were built in the Gothic style.

It is interesting that the western part was built under the leadership of a German named Steinbach. Some documents even mention the fact that the architect and builder did not regret giving all his property for the construction of the majestic temple. True, all his property at that time consisted of only one horse.

Portal of Strasbourg Cathedral

The most recognizable part of the building, with the exception of the astronomical clock, which should definitely be discussed in more detail below, was the spire, built by Johann Hultz from... Cologne. Probably, it is for this reason that many tourists find similarities between the two most beautiful Catholic churches. The North Tower, whose height reaches 142 (!) meters, was completed in 1439. True, it became the highest in the world only in 1652. This record was broken only at the end of the 19th century. The builders probably “forgot” about the South Tower: they never started building it. For this reason, Strasbourg Cathedral can be called an example of asymmetry in architecture (unless, of course, we take into account the masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi).

Treasures of Strasbourg Cathedral

In Strasbourg Cathedral, every sculpture, every stained glass window and object is a real work of art that cannot be valued in monetary terms. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to describe them all in one material. It is best to see them with your own eyes or look at photos.

It is definitely worth highlighting the sculptures that the traveler can admire above the triple portal: these are realistically made statues of the great Prophets, Magi, who carried messages from higher powers to the people, and symbolic images of worldly vices and virtues.

Inside Strasbourg Cathedral you can see the magnificent font, which was made by the famous Dotzinger in the mid-15th century. Tapestries, the altar of St. Pancras, stained glass windows stunning with their unearthly beauty and, of course, the astronomical clock are just a small part of what can be seen in one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in the world.

By the way, the astronomical clock of Strasbourg Cathedral deserves special attention. The amazing and precise mechanism was developed by the watchmaker Schwilge, and the decorated case for it was made by Tobias Stimmer in the 17th century.

Fragment of the facade of Strasbourg Cathedral

The mechanism of the unique watch has been changed several times: the one that has reached our time is one that accurately calculates the days of Catholic holidays and has the ability to show the precession of the earth's axis. Surprisingly, the slowest revolution in this clock lasts exactly 25,800 years. How it was possible to recreate such an accurate mechanism at a time when there was no computer technology yet is impossible to explain. The astronomical clock of the Strasbourg Cathedral attracts attention and, at times, does not allow you to concentrate on anything else. And the interior decoration of the temple amazes with its splendor: an organ, the oldest part of which was made by a master back in the 14th century, a statue of a priest, whose speech is drawn to the moving figure of a sweets merchant...

Strasbourg Cathedral: modern history and tourist information

Unfortunately, the French Revolution did not spare this temple: many frescoes and sculptures were destroyed. In fairness, it is worth noting that the greatest damage to the Strasbourg Cathedral was caused by the bombing of fascist aircraft and the forces of the anti-Hitler coalition.

View of the western façade of the cathedral

The temple, which was built by the French together with the Germans, was partially destroyed by them... The legendary tower survived, thanks to one talented and resourceful blacksmith, who made a protective cap for it from the strongest metal after the destructive revolution.

Time passed, wars and adversity were left behind: after a thorough reconstruction carried out by the best specialists, the Strasbourg Cathedral appeared before believers and guests of the city in its original form. These days, this asymmetrical building is visited by thousands of tourists who want to see not only the astronomical clock, sculptures and other treasures, but also the amazing combination of French and German cultures.

Anyone can visit Strasbourg Cathedral in France absolutely free of charge. It opens its portals at 7 am and closes at 7 pm. It is worth remembering that there is a break in the temple from 11-30 to 12-40. All tourists who want to get to the North Tower will have to pay 4 euros and 60 euro cents for a ticket.

The Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is a beautiful and majestic structure that has long been considered the tallest building in Europe. The highest part of the cathedral is the North Tower, 142 meters high, which was completed in 1439. It retained the title of the tallest building until the end of the 19th century. The south tower of the cathedral was never built, so another distinctive feature of the already outstanding building is its asymmetry.

Construction of the cathedral began in 1015. Scientists have been able to establish that there was previously an ancient Roman sanctuary on this site. Construction began in the era of Romanesque architecture, so the earlier part of the cathedral is characterized by this style, while the remaining parts are characterized by the Gothic style and an abundance of relief decoration. The construction of the cathedral took place over several centuries, with interruptions in the process caused by fire and the death of the bishop who financed the work (XI-XII centuries). Red sandstone from the Vosges was used as the main material. By the way, the cathedral is recognized as one of the world's largest structures made of this stone.

Among the cathedral's architects was Ulrich von Ensingen, who participated in the construction of Ulm Cathedral. And the spire of the North Tower was built by the Cologne master Johann Hultz - perhaps this is why the features of the Strasbourg Cathedral are similar to the appearance of the Cathedral in Cologne.

Among the decorations of the Strasbourg Cathedral, we note the sculptures of the triple portal depicting Christian prophets and wise men. The cathedral itself houses a 15th-century font, an ancient organ, tapestries, and the cathedral windows are decorated with exquisite stained glass. One of the main attractions of the cathedral is the astronomical clock. The very first mechanism was designed in the middle of the 14th century. In the first half of the 19th century, the clock was supplemented with a mechanism that showed the orbits of the Earth and other planets known at that time.

The Cathedral is located on Cathedral Square; in the summer it takes part in color and music shows.

Victor Hugo called it “a gigantic delicate miracle”, and Goethe called it “the sublimely tall tree of God” - the towering spire of the 142-meter cathedral, visible far beyond the city, on the other side of the Rhine. Strasbourg is the sixth tallest temple in the world.

Myths and facts

The original temple in Strasbourg was built at the beginning of the 8th century on the site of a Roman sanctuary. After the fire in 1007, Bishop Werner von Habsburg laid the first stone for the new cathedral. However, the nave and domes were also built from wood. In 1015, a fire destroyed the temple again, and then the townspeople decided to rebuild the temple, this time, entirely in stone. The sandstone was brought from the nearby Vosges quarry, giving the cathedral its unique pink hue, which inspired Paul Claudel's line: "like a rose-red angel soaring over the city."

The architect Erwin von Steinbach was guided by the French, as can be seen from the doubling of the western towers and the longitudinal nave (like), in contrast to traditionally German churches with three naves (). Steinbach oversaw the entire process. Sincerely wanting to contribute to the restoration of the cathedral, he donated a horse when there was not enough money for construction.

Notre Dame's lone spire is its most distinctive and recognizable feature - for more than four centuries it was the tallest building in the world. Goethe, who studied at the University of Strasbourg, climbed the cathedral's bell tower daily to overcome his fear of heights.

What to see

The western façade, with thousands of sculptures and stone ornaments, is perhaps the most beautiful part of the cathedral, especially during sunset. The cathedral's beautiful stained glass windows were dismantled and taken to Germany during World War II. After the end of the war they were returned along with the paintings.

The astronomical clock is one of the main attractions of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg. This massive mechanism brought together the skills and knowledge of the best mathematicians, astronomers and technicians of the 16th century. The watch accurately calculates church holidays, the dates of which change from year to year. In 1832, a device was added showing the orbits of the Earth, Moon, and then-known planets. The slowest rotating mechanism shows the precession of the earth's axis - one revolution takes 25,800 years.

“Strasbourg is a city that moves the soul,” Goethe once said.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is open daily from 7.00 to 19.00 with a break from 11.30 to 12.40, on Sunday from 12.45 to 18.00 without a break, admission is free. Visit to the tower: from 9.00 to 17.30 in summer and from 10.00 in winter, cost: 4.60 euros, children and students - 2.30 euros.
Official site: