World City Guide

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
The key attraction of Strasbourg has to be its pink limestone Gothic Cathedral, on place de la Cathédrale. Most of the museums are clustered around this focal point and many are housed in the 18th-century Palais Rohan. This area is easily reached by foot or by tram to the Grand’Rue or Homme de Fer.

The Petite France district (former home of the city’s millers, tanners and fishermen) should not be missed. It has Hansel and Gretel-style half-timbered houses, flourishing geraniums and narrow streets crisscrossed by canals. This is the stuff of fairy tales, so it is hardly surprising that Alsace has given rise to a rich folklore tradition (see Literary Notes). The canals lead to the Ponts Couverts, constructed as part of the 14th-century fortifications – the watchtowers still stand. The Barrage Vauban (Vauban’s Dam), designed to protect Strasbourg from river-bound attack, is nearby.

Other districts for visitors to explore include the imposing European Institutions in northeast Strasbourg, with Richard Rogers’ visually striking European Court of Human Rights and the grandiose German Quarter, constructed during the Prussian occupation of 1870, dominating place de la République. The city’s university is nearby, across the Ill and Aar rivers. Visitors should pay a visit, if only to see the remarkable zoological and scientific collections at the Musée Zoologique, located in the heart of the campus. S

trasbourg’s museums form a close and co-ordinated network and are free on the first Sunday of every month. Information is provided online (website: www.musees-strasbourg.org ) and via a central information telephone line (tel: (03) 8852 5000).

Tourist Information
Office du Tourisme (Central Tourist Office)
17 place de la Cathédrale
Tel: (03) 8852 2828. Fax: (03) 8852 2829.
E-mail: info@ot-strasbourg.fr.
Website: www.ot-strasbourg.fr
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1900, Sun 0900-1800.

Other tourist offices are located at Galerie à l’en-Verre, place de la Gare and on avenue du Pont de l’Europe (route du Rhin).

Passes
The Strasbourg-Pass is available for purchase at the Central Tourist Office and in hotels for ¬9.90. Valid for three days, the pass includes five free offers (to one of the eight museums, ascent to the Cathedral platform, the Astronomical Clock, a boat tour through the Old Town and use of a bicycle for one day) and five half-price offers.

Also available is the Passe des Musées de Strasbourg (tel: (03) 8933 9629; e-mail: info@museumspass.com; website: www.museumspass.com ), which allows free access to all of Strasbourg’s museums and exhibitions. The pass is available for purchased at Strasbourg’s museums for ¬25 and is valid for one month on any four days. Serious culture vultures planning a year’s stay in Alsace may be tempted by the annual pass, valid for one year, which offers access to 120 museums in Alsace, Switzerland and Germany, also available for purchase at participating museums. This costs ¬53 for one adult or ¬92 for two adults.