Strasbourg Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Strasbourg is the first thing every visitor sees and the last thing they forget. Built from the red-pink sandstone of the Vosges over nearly three centuries, it rises out of a square of tall half-timbered houses with a single lacework spire that reaches 142 metres, for centuries one of the tallest buildings in the Christian world. Inside, the nave glows with stained-glass windows from the 13th and 14th centuries, and during Advent a set of 17th-century tapestries is hung along the nave, which makes a December visit special. The star of the interior is the astronomical clock in the south transept, a towering Renaissance case filled with dials, planets and automata. Every day at half past noon its figures are set in motion, with the apostles filing past Christ and a cockerel crowing. For the best view in Alsace, climb the 330 steps to the platform at 66 metres, where the old town, the Black Forest and, on clear days, the Vosges spread out around you. This page links to the official tourist office page for the cathedral.

How to visit: the cathedral stands on the Place de la Cathédrale in the middle of the Grande Île, a short walk from every central hotel and from the Langstross Grand Rue tram stop. The nave is open to visitors outside services and is free to enter. For the astronomical clock show, buy a ticket at the south portal on the Place du Château from about 11:35, because places for the 12:30 show are limited. The platform has its own entrance on the Place du Château; in winter (October to March) it opens daily from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 13:30 to 18:00, with the last climb 45 minutes before closing. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January, there are no reservations, and access can be suspended in bad weather or when it is too crowded. The climb costs a few euros, with reduced rates for young people and free entry for under-6s.

What to expect: the platform climb is a steady spiral of 330 steps, so you need to be in reasonable shape. On top you walk around a broad terrace beside the base of the spire, with the treadwheel cranes once used to lift stone still in place.

Making the most of it: come back after dark, when the facade is lit and the square is calmer. During the Christmas market (27 November to 24 December 2026) the cathedral square is the busiest place in the city, so plan the clock and the platform for a weekday morning.