Strasbourg
To visit Strasbourg, our Viking cruise ship docked at the city of Kehl on the German side of the Rhine River. The river separates Germany and France’s borders. Viking provided a motor coach across the river and into the city of Strasbourg with a local guide on board to give his perspective of the city.
Strasbourg was my favorite stop of the cruise because of its unique nature and the beauty of the city and its cathedral. It is also the capital of Europe and the seat of European Parliament. The city is located in the Alsace region, an area known for excellent white wine, combined French/German culture, sauerkraut, medieval walls, storks, castles, and Christmas markets.
Strasbourg also has many bridges, including three arched bridges built in thirteenth century that cross the Ill River, a tributary of the Rhine.
Changing Nationalities
Today, Strasbourg is a French city, but it changed hands multiple times between France and Germany during WW I and WW II.
In 1618, Strasbourg was a French city, but it became a part of the German Empire from 1870 to 1918. However, after the first world war, it reverted back to France under the Treaty of Versailles. During the second world war, it again became a German city. Lastly, it returned to France at the end of the second world war. A local guide said that during those years, its citizens could only speak the language of the country that was in control. He quoted his grandfather regarding the difficulty it created. But, I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been.
A Unique City
Our local Viking guide, Caroline, laid out her plans to show us parts of the city using the model below.
The city is a beautiful blend of both French and German culture and architecture. At over 465 feet tall, the cathedral looms high in the model. From 1647 to 1884, it was the tallest building in the modern world.
Christmas
Strasbourg began the tradition of the Christmas tree. For instance, a document in the museum dated in 1492 states that they put up fir trees throughout the city to celebrate the renewal of winter. They simply decorated them with fruit and pretzels to brighten the darkest of winter. By the 18th century, they also brought the trees into the homes as a celebration of Christmas. The custom was then brought around the world as Germans migrated.
Strasbourg has been holding a Christmas market since 1570 and it is one of the oldest in Europe. It is also known as the Capital of Christmas.
The Cathedral
As in most European cities, the ancient cathedral is the main attraction. The Cathedralis made of sandstone. While primarily Gothic, it actually combines both Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles. Furthermore, it stands on the site of an ancient Roman Temple.
While originally built in 1015, it was subsequently destroyed by a fire. All that remained was the crypt and footprint. They began reconstruction in the 12th century and the building was strongly influenced by the Gothic style of the time. It was completed in 1439. Interestingly, the cathedral only has one spire. It appears that financing was a major factor.
For a time starting in the 1500s, the cathedral became a Protestant place of worship because of the popularity of Martin Luther’s teachings. However, the French King restated it as ‘Catholic’ in 1681. It as listed a a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.
The entrance is on the west side of the cathedral and there are statues of Old Testament prophets on each side. Its door has many carvings. The 49 foot tall Rose Window shines from above. It represents the city’s commercial power in the Middle Ages.
The Interior
Of all the cathedrals we visited on our trip, the interior of this one was the most beautiful and interesting. It is enormous and very ornate. The nave (worship area) of the cathedral is 107 feet tall, 202 feet long and 52 feet wide.
The stained glass windows are from the twelfth to fourteenth centuries. We saw an interesting movie on our cruise ship, “The Monuments Men”, a true story about a group of soldiers searching for art hidden by the Nazis. The soldiers recovered the cathedral’s stained glass from a German salt mine in 1945. It was a very good movie and it is coming to Netflix October 1.
Rose Window
The Rose Window is above the door on the exterior. It appears small in the photo, but it is actually 49 feet tall. Hopefully, that will serve to show the epic size of the interior.
Silbermann Organ
Johann Andreas Silbermann, noted Alsace organ builder, created the ornate musical instrument in 1741. It has both German and French characteristics. They rebuilt it several times going back to 1298. It has three keyboards and a moving figure of Sampson and a trumpet player.
The Astronomical Clock
The astronomical clock is a masterpiece of the Renaissance. Artists, mathematicians, clockmakers, and sculptors contributed the creation of this beautiful timepiece. They installed the mechanism of the present day clock in 1842 and for first clock in 1354.
There is a lot more going on than timekeeping. The four stages of the life of man parade in front of death at the upper level, which symbolizes time’s effect on man. The twelve apostles parade before Christ. The days of the week are also a component of the clock.
We saw its movement on the half hour and it was pretty cool.
Other City Sights
Restaurants
Lovely restaurants and cobbled streets surround the cathedral. We had a cappuccino at the restaurant below and enjoyed watching the people going by with the cathedral in the background.
It would have been nice to have a meal at one of the restaurants, but we wanted to be sure to not miss our ride back to the ship.
Old Customs House
The Old Customs House is an ancient building that has been repurposed. It was built in 1358, but was heavily damaged during bombing raids of WWII. So, they rebuilt it almost twenty years later, based upon the original medieval plans. Today, it houses a restaurant and a market for fresh produce.
Storks
Storks are the symbol of the Alsace region and Strasbourg. They symbolize fertility and residents also believe they bring luck and wealth. The image of storks are visible all over the city. Stork nests are encouraged on top of buildings and houses. A folk tale of the 9th century depicted storks a a symbol of peace.
The Oldest House
The brown and orange half-timbered Kammerzell house below is considered the most beautiful house in the city. It has five-stories and was built in 1427. The house is named for Phillipe Kammerzell, a grocer. Today, the building is a restaurant and hotel.
Museum
The Musée de l Oeuve is another ancient building. They constructed its left wing in 1347 and the right wing in 1739. The museum houses art that dates from the Middle Ages to 1681. I understand the museum has a large collection of statues, stained glass, and art. But, we did not have the time to visit.
In Conclusion
I’m afraid that our stop in Strasbourg just wetted my appetite to see and do more in the city because we were only there for a few hours. However, it was my favorite stop on our Viking cruise. Now that I’ve seen it, perhaps I may return someday.
Lastly, check out my post, Spyer Germany to see another magnificent cathedral.
