Visiting the Notre Dame of Strasbourg Cathedral - Strasbourg, France

December 2023

Visiting the Notre Dame of Strasbourg Cathedral – Strasbourg, France

The Notre Dame of Strasbourg Cathedral is an icon of not only Strasbourg, but the Alsace region and even France itself. While it may not be as well known as the Notre Dame in Paris, the Strasbourg Cathedral is the second most visited cathedral in France with 4 million visitors a year. Due to its incredible Gothic architecture, UNCESCO World Heritage inducted the Strasbourg Cathedral in 1988. The completion of the Cathedral dates back to 1439 after construction started in 1015, and for over 200 years was the tallest structure in the world at 142 meters / 466 feet. There are a few activities at the Cathedral so we dedicated a few hours to explore. There is the cathedral itself, the astronomical clock, and the viewing platform.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral is a spectacular display of Gothic architecture, stained glass windows, and artistry.

Since our visit coincided with the Christmas season, there was a beautiful nativity display that took up almost an entire side of the cathedral.

The Astronomical Clock

The astronomical clock is a mechanical marvel that displays the planetary calendar. This third version of the clock dates back to 1842 with the first dating back to 1352. There are several mechanics that make up this enormous and intricate clock. There is a demonstration at 12:30 each day that requires tickets to attend for a small fee. Due to our late start this morning, we missed the 11:30 entrance to be able to see this but you can see the clock by entering the church at any other time. Every day at 12:30 the rooster crows and apostles move around the clock.

The Viewing Platform

Many cathedrals allow guests the ability to climb up high and get a view of the surrounding areas. For a small fee, guests are given entrance to a spiral staircase that ascends 330 steps and 66 meters high to reach a viewing platform for the best view of Strasbourg. As we climbed through the spiral staircase, windows gave little peeks into the market squares for a great view.