The Strasbourg Cathedral, officially the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, is a gothic cathedral that is just as wonderful as its sister in Paris. With its tower that is 466 feet tall, it was once the tallest building in the world until 1874 and it is still one of the top ten tallest churches in the world. As with many cathedrals, the main entrance is stunning with all of the figures surrounding the doors. Also, the Rose stained glass window is quite impressive as the light streams in from the outside.
Not only can the cathedral tower be seen throughout Strasbourg, it can be seen from across the countryside. In a city that still maintains much of its medieval charm, the Notre-Dame cathedral is certainly a highlight of any visit to the Strasbourg. We happened to visit during the holidays, so we were greeted to a Christmas market outside of the church and there was a wonderful nativity scene inside of the cathedral as well.
Looking up at the front of the Notre-Dame Cathedral is quite impressive, especially when viewed on a clear day with bright blue skies. You can certainly expect plenty of crowds as Strasbourg is a popular destination and the cathedral is on almost everyone’s itinerary, as it should be. Among the features inside of the cathedral are the ornate pulpit, pipe organ, medieval tapestries, and most importantly the astronomical clock. The astronomical clock was built in the early 1800’s and is considered to be especially accurate as it indicates leap years, equinoxes, and most importantly Easter.
We have visited both the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris as well as Strasbourg and they are both beautiful and unique in their own ways. There are so many features to see, both inside and outside, when visiting the cathedral, but unfortunately you may have to follow a line as you work through the inside of the cathedral. Cathedrals are centerpieces to almost every city in Europe and the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is no exception. There are many places to see when visiting the Alsace region, in which Strasbourg resides, such as the Wine Road, Strasbourg’s Old Town, smaller towns such as Riquewihr, and there are plenty of options for tasting food and wine.
