Thanks for sharing. I cant visit any city without spending at least an hour in the big church. It's hard to keep track unless you're very versed in the iconography. Contact service providers directly before making any arrangements. A side altarpiece, including Saint James the Apostle, (Santiago in Spanish, Saint Jacques in French,) in both of his incarnations as a pilgrim and the Moor Killer. Inside, the long aisle inspires peace and reflection.
Registered Charity (ASBL Belgium) (No. Only fair, I guess, after we broke so much other stuff.
Admire its astronomical clock and the pillar of angels, but also the breathtaking view of the city from the platform of the bell tower. Strasbourg cathedrals slender north tower, designed by Ulrich von Ensingen, was completed in 1439.
Over the centuries the cathedral grew; the bishop who founded today's cathedral wanted it to be more beautiful than Basel's. Also, note the swallow nest for the Silbermann organ high up in the nave. Note: This post and other posts on TravelPast50.com may contain paid or affiliate advertising links. But thats much newer.
The fantastic colors are made even more dramatic when set off against the reds, golds, and blues of the organ hanging on the wall. The altar itself is nothing special. Being able to use the Gothic was quite a coup for the bishopric as it allowed Strasbourgs new cathedral to outshine darker, Romanesque cathedrals in the region. Why she has been portrayed as a whore in the Christian tradition has always been a mystery to me. You know its Catherine because shes always pictured with a wheel. 839 745 430). For some reason, theyre all carrying cups. We can keep you up to date with the latest news from Religiana and religious heritage conservation across Europe. Admission to see the astronomical clock in action starts at 11:20 am at other times the still clock can be seen for free. Id probably say something like, Id be pretty sad and angry if I were a virgin. But Im not a priest. Whether youre captivated by the history that surrounds the Strasbourg Cathedral or the beauty that lies within, one thing is certain this enthralling French landmark is not one to be missed. This is the wall of the apse behind the main altar. Strasbourg cathedral famously has only a single tower. And in contrast to all these pedantic saints and bishops, they provide what most would call comic relief. I have learned that Alsace Destination Tourisme has implemented a personal data protection policy accessible here and that I can unsubscribe at any time via the unsubscribe link in each newsletter. Also pictured below the foolish virgins are the statues of the original wise virgins. Although only one of its towers was completed, this tower was for centuries the highest man-made construction in the world.
Bigger, better, and more beautiful than the cathedral in Basel was a clear, and ultimately thoroughly achieved, the goal of the bishop when drawing up plans for the new cathedral in Strasbourg. Throwing up sculptures of comic animals and demonic looking gargoyles are the height of the gothic art. The cathedral is in the heart of the UNESCO World Culture Heritage-listed old town of Strasbourg and one of the top sights to see in the Alsace region of France. Horaires et dates d'ouvertures susceptibles d'tre modifis en fonction des circonstances. A visit is a must! Thanks. I especially like the unicorn.
In 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, it had its choir stalls and the roof of its nave set aflame.
Stunning in so many ways.
The Church of Saint Paul was built between 1892 and 1897 by the Alsatian architect Louis Muller (1842-1898). Perhaps of wine.
I like Saint Catherine a lot myself.
When you look at a cathedral like this, with all its icons, you have to keep in mind that, in the 14th Century most people couldnt read. Usually the cathedral is the biggest repository of art in almost any city, and Im a sucker for art. Support Europe's heritage by donating to buildings and aiding their conservation. This site is not responsible for the content of linked external sites. The cathedral is built on an ancient Roman sanctuary dedicated to the god Mars. I certainly didnt photograph it all. 67000 Yes it does. The fantastic window is by the French artist Max Ingrand, and was installed in 1956, replacing the original destroyed by American and British bombs in 1944.
May 8, 2009 by Henk Bekker in Alsace, France.
Due to its importance to the citys inhabitants, it has often been a target during times of upheaval and unrest. The entire center of the city is designated a Unesco World Heritage site. Later, mainly under Charlemagne, several churches were built but all were destroyed in fires. Search for the travel insurance from Allianz that best meets your needs, whether it be an annual plan or a single trip.
Pretty stunning, however you look at it. The artistic highlight of Strasbourg Cathedral is its wonderful western faade that inspired Goethe. The other tableaux are altar pieces from smaller chapels.
We did a lot of looking around the town, but I was drawn back to the spectacular masterpiece of Gothic architecture for at least two hours on all three days of our visit. Victor Huge considered the spire the true triumph of the church, while Goethe also famously raved about the High Gothic design of Strasbourg cathedral.
"A prodigy of the gigantesque and the delicate," as Victor Hugo claimed. Its filled with a turbulent history and gorgeous, intricate art and you can experience it all for yourself when you board La Nouvelle Etoile or Panache and embark on one of our luxurious cruises. It is currently listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments. The church Saint-Nicolas of Strasbourg, built between 1387 and 1454, shelters a community of the charismatic movement attached to the Protestant church. The baptistery by Jodokus Dotzinger and the carved sandstone pulpit by Hans Hammer are 15th-century originals. The building was not completed until 1439.
Strasbourg Cathedral is open daily from 7 am to 7 pm but parts are closed for the astronomical clock display from 11:20 am to 12:40 pm (and during services).
Great care is taken in writing these articles but no responsibility is taken for errors or omissions. The windows were recovered and restored to the Strasbourg Cathedral by the now famous Monuments Men of the American and British military. You can help yourself get ready for your own travels by reading our Get Started Planning Your Trip Now page.We love travelingwith the right gear.
As I mentioned above, the stained glass windows were mostly saved by the Germans during the war because they stole them and put them in a salt mine. Also loved the link to the Monuments Men They seem to crop up in our travels so often, especially interesting was the trip to Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, also used to house the artwork the Nazis looted, the locals were unaware that it even happened until the movie was shown! The Strasbourg Cathedral was originally erected in 1015, but was later destroyed by a fire. Ive never been to Strasbourg but the cathedral looks wonderful. It is today the second most visited cathedral in France, after Notre-Dame de Paris, eight and a half million tourists a year. The western faade faces the Place de la Cathdrale, which is lined with historic and half-timbered buildings. Built in a neo-Gothic style, the building stands on a strategic location, located in the center of the new district which developed at the beginning of the century during the German era. It's nice that you can see them a lot better this way. These parts of the cathedral were completed during the thirteenth century and are clearly of higher artistic merit than the third, which was added during the 14th century.
Theyre around the corner from the west faade, so theres no confusion with the saints. The nave alone took more than a century to complete.
Trainline and Omio are generally a lot easier to use and may include searches for competing buses, such as Flixbus, that are price and time competitive with trains on some popular routes. Even at that, I dont feel like I saw it all. Much of the glass is original although the impressive, 15-m (almost 50-ft) rose window in the western faade is a nineteenth-century copy of the original.
The construction of the cathedral began in 1176 and was completed in 1439. Strasbourg cathedrals High Gothic faade and the rest of the exterior are full of intricate, lace-like carved stone details, statues, and gargoyles.
Strasbourg is on the French-German border and several transportation options are available from the rest of Europe.
So, scroll away. You have to pay 2 to see it move, which is kind of fun, except that you have to stand through a 20 minute movie of the most pedantic Christian drivel about the end of time in order to see it. It does its thing, complete with crowing cock and parading apostles at 12:30 every day. We never leave home without our travel insurance.
How does the priest explain these?
Three more random saints. Here are a couple of photos of restored windows that are in the adjacent Cathedral Museum.. Theres a lot of good small stuff in the museum, including many paintings, and lots of gold trinkets made by the local gold workers guild.
Hundreds of sculptures stand out from the wall accentuating the effects of shadow and light. Strasbourg Cathedral houses the famous 18 m (60 ft) high Strasbourg astronomical clock (Horloge Astronomique) in the south transept.
It held this distinction for almost two and a half centuries until the completion of the Nikolaikirche in Hamburg in 1874.
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The French literary giant Victor Hugo (who wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misrables,) called the Cathedral a gigantic and delicate marvel. This Gothic style marvel was built on the site of a Roman temple over the course of more than three centuries.
Chartres in particular comes to mind. I admire your restraint in avoiding a cathedral. I dont really care that Ingrands window doesnt exactly fit with the rest of the medieval windows. In 1625, almost two centuries after its completion, Strasbourg cathedrals spire suddenly became the highest construction in the world after St Olavs spire in Tallinn burnt to the ground.
I usually dont like to use use vertical shots because you cant see them in their entirety on a computer screen. Three high-spots make the visit unforgettable.
When finished, it was the tallest building in the world, and was visible from the Black Forest, across the Rhine River.
On the door to the right of the main door, there is a group of statues called the four foolish virgins. How is Religiana helping to conserve and promote Religious Heritage in Europe and why should you get involved? By checking this box, I authorize Alsace Destination Tourisme to collect my data for the purpose of sending the newsletter Visit Alsace to which I wish to subscribe. Not much you can say about the spectacular rose window, other than its beautiful.
Thats why the cathedral is called La Cathdrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, which means the Cathedral of Our Lady in French.. By the time reconstruction began in the twelfth century, the Gothic architectural style had begun to develop and can be seen throughout much of the church.
You cant be serious and saintly all the time, no? Posts on Travel Past 50 may contain advertising links. These statues have been removed to the Cathedral Museum, where I took their picture.
Oops. With a Latin cross plan, the Church is also characterised by long and large vessels of the nave. Its simply beautiful. Admission to the cathedral itself is free but charged for the astronomical clock and to climb the tower. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I liked the architecture but the interior did not impress me (plus the clock was under restoration .-( Did you see the black forest up from the tower? However, theyve been moved out of the chapels and put on display next to the main altar.
Two of them look rather silly, one of them is angry, and the other seems rather sad. It was begun in the 12th Century and the spire was completed in 1439.
French railway tickets are available online from many resellers Omio and Trainline are generally the simplest to use. Still, after many years, they required restoration, and in some cases, replacement. Order your free copy of our 2022 brochure today! John Calvin first preached at this church on September 8, 1538 and then held services for the small French-speaking community. Copyright 2022 - 2008 - Impressum - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Data Protection - About, Review of the Family-Friendly Van der Valk Avifauna Hotel, See Top Sights in Strasbourg in Alsace, France , Visit the Strasbourg Cathedral in Alsace, France, See Da Vinci and Rembrandt Paintings in the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Transportation by Train, Bus or Airport Shuttle from Schiphol to Amsterdam, Save with an Amsterdam Public Transportation Travel Card Ticket Pass, Save with the I Amsterdam City Card Pass on Transportation and Sightseeing, Transportation by Train, Bus, or Day-Trip Tour to Zaanse Schans Windmills near Amsterdam. The rest of the stained glass of the cathedral was saved, ironically, by the Germans who removed (stole) it from the cathedral and stored it in a salt mine in Germany. All Rights Reserved. We've gathered a lot of the stuff we use to make travel more pleasant and efficient all on one page. The originals are in a basement of the cathedral. The art of the Strasbourg astronomical clock is mostly sixteenth-century Renaissance using some parts from an earlier, fourteenth-century clock. For several hundred years, the Strasbourg Cathedral, at 142 meters (466 feet), was the tallest building in the world. They would be a lot more interesting to me. Of course, France has lots of great churches. I'm only sort of versed.
A pity I did not read your post before my visit to Strasbourg Cathedral, I would have enjoyed it much more if I had paid attention to all those details like you did. This cathedral is filled with breathtaking art. The Strasbourg Astronomical Clock plays daily at 12:30 pm. Trainlineand Omio also sell cross border journeys and tickets for many other European countries. Over the course of its life, it has endured many scars and acts of violence but has always remained standing. Also, try Ouigo for low-cost TGV trains limited choice and routes but low prices. France. She was supposed to be tortured to death on the wheel, but when she touched it, it disintegrated. In the summer evenings, the illuminated scenography is an enchantment. The north tower of Strasbourg cathedral is 144 m (472 ft) high. Like many other Gothic churches, the money ran out and grandiose plans had to be scaled back. But, not to be deterred, the Roman Emperor Maxentius ordered her to be beheaded.
Registered office: Rue de Trves / Trierstraat 67, B - 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel, Belgique/Belgi, Ramp or level access available on request. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2022 Travel Past 50 LLC. Notre-Dame de Strasbourg cathedral was founded in 1015 on the remains of an old cathedral.
The building has been classified as a historic monument since 1862. These figures are all on the south side of the outside of the cathedral, decorating all the flying buttresses. Combining the Romanesque style of its apse and its transept with the Gothic style of its nave and its facade, the church's high spire rises to 143 meters. The High Gothic Strasbourg Cathedral (Cathdrale Notre Dame) in Alsace, France is a single-tower church with medieval stained-glass windows and an impressive astronomical clock. Luckily American soldiers discovered them in a German salt mine in 1945 and returned them to their rightful home.
Strasbourg Cathedral is a typical triple-nave Gothic basilica although the choir and transept still show some Romanesque features from the earlier church. As with so many other European Gothic churches, Strasbourg Cathedral was constructed on the ruins of its Romanesque predecessor.
Two of the most intriguing aspects are the world-famous astronomical clock, ingeniously put together by a team of experts, artists and mathematicians, and a green ray of light that, due to a built-in meridian, marks the autumn and spring equinoxes when the sun shines through the green stained-glass windows. The St. Thomas Church of Strasbourg, built in the 9th century, is nicknamed the cathedral of Protestantism in Alsace, it is the only example of a Hall church in the region. Tickets for short journeys and trains in urban areas (RER & Metro) are usually not sold online. The Astronomical clock is an amazing piece of machinery which you have to see in operation. I love saying that out loud.
The lower two stories of the western faade of Strasbourg cathedral was designed by Gothic master-builder Erwin von Steinbach. Over the main portal are statues of the wise King Solomon, Christs twelve apostles, and twelve lions. We visited Strasbourg, France, for three days in November 2014. The 12th- to 14th-century stained-glass windows and the rose window are not to be missed. Since 1988, it is a UNESCO heritage site. The colour of the red sandstone changes throughout the day depending on the colour of the sky. The main themes of the tympanums are scenes are the childhood and passion of Christ as well as symbols of good and evil. Strasbourg Cathedral (1015-1439) is an absolute masterpiece of Gothic art.
You can see (and buy prints) of most of our travel photos in one place on this page.
The recognisable silhouette of the cathedral looms from the Strasbourg countryside and even from the other side of the Rhine, on the Baden plain. I do like Notre Dame in Lyon, too.
Place de la Cathdrale I wish theyd let you see the internal workings, too.
The true highlight of the Strasbourg Cathedral interior is the magnificent, medieval stained-glass windows. It suffered damages in the three wars that raged around it.
Note the buttresses are topped with lots of bishops and other types of religious figures, so as not to give the gargoyles top billing. If you purchase something from the store, Travel Past 50, as an Amazon affiliate, may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
There was also this small ivory carving of the penitent Mary Magdalene.
Ive also heard Rouen is spectacular.
A detail of the front door. Or, as in Strasbourg, about six hours in and around it. SNCF has several official websites: Oui.SNCF is the main site but visitors may be passed on to other SNCF sub-sites with many non-European-based users ending up at RailEuropesites that often sell only long-distance train tickets. But, theres no other way to show this. Nor should you. I don't know who the guy on the right is. They were a talented bunch. , Strasbourg
The bishop-topped flying buttresses. 2022 Religiana.
Since its creation, it has become a significant cultural and religious monument to the people of Strasbourg. The mechanism itself is from 1842. Even now, its the sixth highest church. From its construction until the 19th century, the cathedral was the highest human construction in the world. Trains and buses are often the best options and although Strasbourg Airport (SXB) is conveniently located, cheaper flights are usually available to nearby Basel or even Baden-Baden, Filed Under: Alsace, France Tagged With: Cathedrals, Gothic Churches, Strasbourg, Straburg.
There's a detail of the window at the top of this post. Share your best experiences in Alsace with #visitalsace. Imagine a priest standing in front of this door explaining, Ok, the one in the middle is the Virgin Mary, Our Lady, and the mother of Jesus. Fortunately for Strasbourg, the Romanesque church burnt down in 1176, and reconstruction dragged on sufficiently for the bishop to mostly use the newly fashionably Gothic style.
Outside, the facade is the greatest "book" of images the Middle Ages has to offer. One of the goldsmiths was named Bartel, by the way. These are replacement statues for the ones damaged over the ages. Strasbourg Cathedral is the top attraction in Strasbourg but many other sights in the old town are worth seeing.
It saw all but one of its bells removed during WWI and, during WWII, Hitler ordered its priceless stained-glass windows be dismantled and squirreled away. Thanks, Gary. ".
" Many legends surround this not-to-be-missed monument of Alsace's heritage, discover it for yourself! Despite a spell as a protestant church in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the cathedral lost little of its art. Tickets to see the working clock are available from the postcard stand from 9 am. The monumental organ has a remarkable cabinet decorated with automated figures. Great post we visited the Cathedral when we visited the Christmas Markets again this year (we were there in 2007 but skipped the cathedral then.)