Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg

The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is beautiful and fascinating, I was in love and amazed by every detail, inside and out. Climbing the tower by stairs is quite a workout, but it’s totally worth it! The view of the city from up there is splendid! The details and the grandeur inside the cathedral are breathtaking, I was enchanted by the stained glass windows. It was a special visit! ✨

Visiting the Strasbourg Cathedral was an unforgettable highlight of my trip. Awe-inspiring structure is one of the most magnificent examples of Gothic architecture in Europe I guess. The level of craftsmanship in every inch of the cathedral is truly unbelievable. Each carving, statue, and relief on its seems to carry deep meaning and historical richness. It’s not just decorative—it tells stories. You can spend hours simply admiring the exterior, discovering new details every time you look up: scenes from the Bible, mythical creatures, saints, and symbolic motifs, all sculpted with stunning precision. Stepping inside is just as moving. The vast interior, stained-glass windows is just amazing. You can differentiate based on the art the era it was completed in given it took 500 years on an average to complete it. One of the highlights is the astronomical clock. If you’re anywhere near Alsace, this cathedral is absolutely worth a detour. Magnificent is the only word that even comes close.

Just missed closing time, yet was able to get some great views of the exterior, and it is impressive! Incredible detail on this enormous structure, from the spires to the doors to the flying butresses to the astronomical indicators and clock! Definitely a must-see!

Beyond amazing, it’s breathtaking, particularly from the exterior. The rose colored sandstone gives this old world cathedral a remarkable look. The inside is nice for the period it was built. The altar is gorgeous. A must see when you are in Strasbourg.

The size and grandeur from the outside are truly impressive. You can enter for free, and once you’re inside, it feels like stepping into a completely different world. This isn’t necessarily about faith — it’s something that genuinely moves you. Even the smallest painting or detail makes you want to stop and look at it for minutes.

Beautiful cathedral in Strasbourg. Would definitely recommend visiting when you’re in the city- don’t let the queue deceive you, it moves very quickly! Not too crowded inside, but a lot of guided tours to navigate around. The astronomical clock inside is also a wonderful added bonus, with ornate golden details!

This cathedral is seriously epic! The sheer size and all the crazy detailed carvings on the outside are mind-blowing. And definitely make sure to check out the astronomical clock inside – it's super cool and does a little show at noon!

France.....!!!! Crossed the Rhine river from Baden-Baden and entered France for dinner. After a nice meal, drove into the center of the city....and was entertained by a light show on this catholic church. The Holy Spirit was present...

Beautiful cathedral. Very serene. Not as big as others I gave been to in Europe but worth visiting. You can go up the stairs for a wonderful view of the city. It's approx 400 steps give or take. Gothic style looked ethereal specially in the fog the day we were there.

The Strasbourg Cathedral of de Notre-Dame is known for being one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in Europe. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a former roman temple, similar to the Kölner Dom in Cologne. It was built on a little hill above the muddy ground. The first version of the church was started under the direction of Bishop Werner von Habsburg, yep those Hapsburgs in 1015 By the time that cathedral was being renovated in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the gothic architectural style has reached Alsace and would changed to it's now distinct style. It was a labor of love for three generations of architectural family of Erwin von Steinbach, his son of Johannes von Steinbach and his grandson Gerlach von Steinbach. They really developed the church into what we see today. What makes the cathedral so uniquely beautiful I believe, is the use of the red stones from the nearby Vosges Mountains. Clearly magnificent. The project btw also used the same stonemasons who worked on the now famous gothic cathedral in Chartres. Nothing like muscle memory as they say. LOL In 1988 the Strasbourg Cathedral, along with the historic Old City center were added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Cathedral of Our Lady is currently under some minor renovations, but is still open to the public. I've attached several photos, both inside and out, as well as souvenir model to help lend scope of the church.

Update: We went back again today. You really have so much detail to take in. And when I think about the 3 hundred years of construction, I looked for differences. Of course, I perceived nothing. But we also walked around the diameter. Took more pictures.

Well, I would say that this is like a lot of cathedrals, but in reality no two cathedrals are the same, especially those old ones, like this one, that happens to be on the continent. Sure, there is a huge line to enter, but that seems to be the norm when it comes to cathedrals (well, not all of them - there certainly aren't huge lines to enter the ones in Australia, but they aren't over 500 years old). It's pretty good, some absolutely amazing art inside, and a pretty awesome clock as well. Oh, and it is free to enter.

The Strasbourg Cathedral (in English, Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg) started construction in 1015 and was completed in 1439. At 466 feet tall, it was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874. It is an outstanding masterpiece. All sorts of treasures inside and out including the amazing organ, the Renaissance astronomical clock and the stained glass that date back to the 12th and 14th century. The cathedral is simply overwhelming and a centerpiece for this fabulous city. And of course when it's surrounded by the Christkindelsmärik, it's even better! [Review 16444 overall - 78 in France - 1952 of 2021.]

Beautiful gothic cathedral with so much history! Nestled right in the center of Strasbourg, can't miss while you are in town.

During week five in Europe, we decided to take a little excursion from SW Germany into Strasbourg via the tram from Kehl Station. The highlight in this city is the Cathedral, the world's tallest building from 1647-1874. Like all such amazing buildings, there is very little that I could say that hasn't already been said better. And, if I tried, I would use way to many words for this review. If you're planning to be within a day's drive, then it's certainly worthwhile to include the Strasbourg Cathedral in your itinerary.

Un incontournable d'une visite de Strasbourg, la cathédrale est un lieu magnifique, quelle que soit nos préférences religieuses. Évidemment la tour unique fait beaucoup parler, ainsi que la rosace centrale. La richesse de l'art et des sculptures intérieures valent le déplacement. J'aime particulièrement la salle arrière avec l'horloge astronomique. En ce moment pour y rentrer il faut faire la file, il doit y avoir un nombre maximum de personnes autorisées à la fois à l'intérieur.

How can you not be overwhelmed when standing here. The grandeur of this magnificent church is breathtaking. I think you could spend a lifetime looking at it and you could find a new detail that you haven't seen before. It is so intricate in its stone carvings that if is overwhelming. Step inside and it is just as magnificent. Make sure that you make it all the way to the astronomical clock as it is a mechanical wonder. To know that this church has been here for around a thousand years and to think of all the people who have prayed here over the centuries is mind boggling. I hope the small one I said today is not lost.

Really amazing cathedral in the heart of Strasbourg. The outside is magnificent and so detailed. I thought the inside was nice too, but it looks bigger/taller on the outside than the inside. I learned that it was the tallest building in the world from 1647-1874 - crazy! Next time I'm in town, I want to climb the tower plus hopefully the glockenspiel will be working next time too.

Can't go in if you are handicapped and need a wheelchair. Unbelievable in this day and age, feels like discrimination!

HOLY Schmoly, AMAZING! One of my favorite things to photograph are old cathedrals and this has to be one of my favorites. At one time this was the tallest building in the world (1600s - 1800s) and is currently the 6th tallest church in the world. This is also the 2nd most visited cathedral in France, the first being the Notre Dame in Paris. This cathedral is the most incredible example of Late Gothic architecture that I've been lucky enough to see and is truly awe-inspiring. It's really hard to describe just how beautiful this cathedral is. We visited Strasbourg on a Sunday and at first were only allowed a little into the interior since they were preparing for morning mass. Once that finished, visitors were allowed to walk through freely. I'm not sure when the slower "tourist" season would be but during the week of Christmas, I can assure you it's packed. Regardless, this is a must see! You can also climb the stairs to the top of the spire. We didn't have enough time there are 332 steps to climb/descend. One thing to note for photographers... Many cathedrals do not allow tripods due to the danger of people tripping on them but I did see a few tripods being used in this one. I definitely wish I had mine because as with most cathedrals, it's quite dark.

Truly spectacular building both inside and out! In fact, we liked this Notre-Dame better than the one in Paris! It gets extremely busy, so try and hit it in the off hours. I didn't have a chance to go up into the tower, but the Strasbourg pass will get you up for free, and is definitely worth the price. The square surrounding the church has several shops, markets, and restaurants, but most of them are pretty touristy.

My fiance and I were walking into the center of town on the day we arrived, and suddenly came across this beautiful cathedral. It was on our list initially of things to check out while in Strasbourg, but it was wonderful to see it by surprise. The streets in Strasbourg are crooked, narrow, and twisting, so you don't see the cathedral until you are almost just 1 block away. Incredible...it was so beautiful... Take pictures not only during the daytime, but also in the evening. There is something about the way the lights turn on at night to highlight the building that just emphasizes the building's beauty. The inside is beautiful as well and free of entrance. There is an astronomical clock, which is another event on its own, and only strikes at 12:30pm. You must purchase tickets for the clock striking, and I would not recommend the entire experience. It first starts off with a 30 min video (you are packed into the clock viewing area with hundreds of other people, packed like sardines) regarding how they made the clock, and what makes it so special. The video is really interesting and neat. For instance, the clock not only tells time, but also can predict the moon patterns for the next hundred years. There are special grooves in the clock turning that account for the moon & earth's elliptical patterns, therefore the clock is very accurate and only a few seconds off per year. However, once it's 12:30pm, you anticipate this great clock having a fun chime, but all it does is have a wooden priest spin from the front to back, to front again. You wait for more, but that's it....huge bummer. You can visit the clock at any time of the day when the church is open, which I would recommend instead of purchasing tickets to watch it chime at 12:30pm. It's a cool astronomical clock with lots of wooden detailing on it.

Beautiful interior including suspended pipe organ and astronomical clock (1 of 2 in the world). Everything you would expect from a beautiful, old Catholic church. Beautiful side chapels, stained glass, etc. Free admission with security bag check. Staircase was closed July 2019. I was told there is a fee for this. People move in and out quickly so large crowds not an issue.

Magnificent cathedral that represents the historical center of Strasbourg. It is a must-see for those visiting the city and a place to come back to for those living in the area. Construction began in the 11th century and and it took over 400 years to complete! That's twice as long as the Notre Dame in Paris! And it's still not finished according to my tour guide because the church apparently ran out of money to complete the second tower, which is why the cathedral is not completely symmetrical. No idea how accurate that is but it's a reasonable explanation as to why the right tower looks like someone had sliced off the top. Inside the cathedral you'll find an astronomical clock, beautiful stained glass windows, and a ceiling so high it makes your neck hurt simply looking up at it. When there's no construction and the weather is dry, you can pay a small fee of 8 euros for adults to climb up to the platform and guard house at the top of the cathedral. Trust me, the view is worth it!

Gothic to the nth Degree and Stunning. I've seen immense and grandiose gothic churches recently, like the Dom in Cologne, but this one is not. This cathedral smack in the middle of Strasbourg, FR will captivate you hands down with its impressiveness and beauty. It's classic, probably one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen outside of the St. Peter's in the Vatican and La Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de Strasbourg is second to the Notre Dame in Paris. Another cool thing I experienced here-- I was treated to incredible acoustics I experienced in December when I was there. In December the church had evening Holiday carols sung by the most inspiring choir that shook the entire audience to the ground. Not into choirs but this one rocked it solid. Perhaps it was the caliber of the choir member voices... perhaps it was the Gluhwein... perhaps it was the brilliant acoustics (whether it was by design or not) that made my spine vibrate. I walked out of there in the 23 degree evening feeling I wouldn't forget that performance for a long while. Climb up to the top of the spire overlooking the city. To me, the climb up to the top of the spire here was not as dramatic as the Dom in Cologne but somehow more fun and enchanting as the scenery is beautiful in Strasbourg. It's beautiful and spiritual here. You don't have to be Catholic or a church member to appreciate this icon of beauty that radiates brilliant awesomeness. Go ahead go in and feel the peace! Don't forget to exhale. In November/December when it's cold out and you are in Strasbourg, check this place out. The Christmas markets all over this cathedral are really fun and worth the trip. Visits: 1

Great light show at night from 6th July to 1st September starting at 10.30....spectacular :-)) This place is simply amazing. The grand exterior and beautiful interior make it an architectural marvel you must visit when in Strasbourg. You can climb up the spire and get a fabulous view of the Altstadt and admire the history of this gorgeous town.

I can see how living in the shadow of a cathedral would shape everyday life. I loved the feel of it and the angles and the towers and the carvings -- every bit of it erected for the glory of God. Take the time to linger, to light a candle when you don't have words to pray, to stare at a single pane of stained glass until you know its story, or perhaps your own more clearly. Ascend to the observation deck and up at the tower, and down at the flying buttresses. Listen to the carillon chime the hour, or the quarter hour. Look at the city of Strasbourg laid out around you. And if you can, time it so you can see the 12:00 video of how the Horloge Astronomie, the Astronomical Clock, was made and how it tells not only what time it is but also when sunrise is that day, and computes at the turn of each new year the church calendar and feast days. At 12:30 the clock takes action when the sun is highest in the sky in Strasbourg. The angel chimes, death beats its gavel, and the apostles march past Jesus seeking absolution as the rooster crows once, twice, thrice. Then the clock falls silent again. But take your time and look. Look at the carvings of the saints and evangelists. Look at the reader's lectern. Look at the majestic organ. And look up. Those majestic arches reaching towards the heavens, pointing us back to God. Sit a little, inside or out, and bask in the wonder of it all. Back home in North Carolina, USA, our church building is about 15 years old. Notre Dame de Speyer celebrated its millennial anniversary a few years ago, construction having started in 1015. Wow.

What an amazing Cathedral! Felt dizzy looking up at it. Really lovely. Strasbourg is such a pretty city. Will definitely go back to see more. Superb! Nice people and atmosphere.

Attention Catholics: you must attend Mass in grand style at the cathedral on Sunday morning! What a procession at the 11:00 Mass...formal guard in front in full Napoleonic outfit (including hat), tapping a walking stick with one hand while carrying a bayonet in the other. More incense burned in this one Mass than all those in my hometown added up over my entire childhood. Add to that 18 altar boys & girls (seriously that many) and loads of local families, and you have a Mass at this Notre Dame that is more engaged with the community than the other more famous one in Paris. Two additional processions for bringing the gospel and bringing the host. Only disappointment? No wine with communion...in France!

This impossible-to-miss icon of Strasbourg is striking in both size and ornate detail. Here are things to note... 1. Admission is free. 2. They request no photos inside, yet I saw many people snapping no-flash photos on their smart phones. 3. The exterior is especially haunting at night. 4. At some point in the evening (check for time and schedule) they do a light show on one side of the cathedral. This draws a massive crowd on warm weekend evenings, so plan ahead for a good spot. 5. Everything around the cathedral is designed to cater to tourists, though if you head to the backside of the cathedral, you will pick up a bustling courtyard or two with a bit more of a local vibe and fewer shops selling refrigerator magnets. 6. Inside the cathedral be sure to check out the beautiful pipe organ (located on the side and not directly in the back) as well as the astronomical clock. Breathtaking place.

Gorgeous!!! We were all in awe at how big this cathedral is. For 5 euros you can walk about 300 steps up (and 300 steps down) to view the whole city of Strasbourg.

A must see, you won't be disappointed. We parked in the parking garage then walked to the cathedral. We did not go upstairs but enjoyed our time There.

This is a magnificent 11th century Gothic cathedral located in Petite France, a most enchanting neighborhood. Most unfortunately, it was a Sunday morning so there were no tours. We were able to enter between masses. It is magnificent in every way. Look at the posted pictures to get an idea of just how grand this cathedral is. People need to be more respectful, it is a house of worship.

This is hands down the centerpiece of this city. It's imposing and amazing from all angles. You can go inside, not sure about the hours. They have some cool things in their gift shops (I still lament not buying the umbrella featuring their large round window). It also contains the clock, back in a corner with some scaffolding by it. It's huge and hard to get a good photo of, but a must-see.

This cathedral is absolutely beautiful. I saw this on my very first trip to France - a day drive to Strasbourg. The view of the cathedral from afar is awe-inspiring. The detail and antique beauty up-close is breath-taking. Even my 5 year old daughter was amazed and could appreciate the beautiful and intricate details.

I can't believe there's not one single review of the Strasbourg cathedral on Yelp. I mean that's the first thing I saw when I arrived in Strasbourg on two different occassions! Gorgeous beauty, and if you climb to the top you'll also get great views of the city! Please do yourself a favor and come!

Maybe I've seen too many churches; they all look the same after a while. Sure, it's huge inside/outside but really, it's just a Catholic church. We went inside this visit; just didn't do anything for me.

Free and beautiful cathedral riveting that of Notre Dame herself. It's so tall you might get dizzy trying to look directly up to the top of it. It's the center of the city and it marks one of the most notable places to visit in Strasbourg. A holy place that offers an impressive display of stained glass windows and an astronomical clock that is complete with figurines of the Twelve Disciples and Death. It's a hot spot for pick pocketing (outside and inside the cathedral) and tourist traps, be warned. Don't let that detour you from going inside this gorgeous holy place!

By far the best cathedral I have seen! This blows the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris away. It's pretty cool because you can climb to the top and enjoy the view of the city Strasbourg. There is the astronomical clock that is really popular, and you can wait for the showing of it since there are some throughout the day. But it's not very grand, I was disappointed by it. I'm sure last century that astronomical clock show was amazing, but in this modern day and age it looks mediocre. Nonetheless this church is an important piece of history and must be seen if visiting Strasbourg (it's very hard to miss anyway, you can see from almost any part of the inner city).

I'm not entirely sure how to begin reviewing historical or religious establishments. It's hard and near impossible to draw analogies to commodities or restaurants, and it's unfair to equate something grand or beautiful with being "closer to God" even if cathedrals at some point were used as a pissing contest between different cities. So maybe the easiest way to do this is from an artistic perspective. Bear with me, as this approach may blow up in face. Immediate Exterior Wow Factor: 4 out of 5 You do not accidentally "not see" the cathedral when in Strasbourg. The magnificent penrose window is immediately visible, and one look at the artwork that adorns the doors will floor you. I had the very nice fortune of being able to visit while the Christmas Markets were in season, and the mischievous side of me couldn't help but think, "money changers at the temple!" But from a completely aesthetic perspective, the two concepts were very diametric, right? Cute little wooden stalls adorned with Santas climbing up ropes, lots of meat products on grills, ornaments and other trinkets for sale, while in the background - a more somber and grandiose work of architecture and perhaps misguided religious devotion (remember that back in those days, the bishop would turn his back to the common folk and do the service in Latin, which of course...the common folk did not understand). Immediate Interior Wow Factor: 5 out of 5 With the lighting in the interior of the cathedral, there are a few things that you immediately notice: the tapestry in the arches, the organ, and maybe most impressively - the penrose window, which is the largest of its kind in Europe(?). And most of all - even if you have no idea what it does or what it means, the astronomical clock in the rear of the cathedral is quite impressive. My pictures can do all the talking for the penrose window, but suffice it to say that the man-hours of work that went into creating this large piece must have been enormous, and it's beautiful beyond compare to any stained glass piece I've ever seen (including the ones in Cologne). With respect to the astronomical clock - I have a few observations. In a world where we have satellites and GPS and very accurate ways of telling time and predicting and knowing when the solstices are, and when the seasons change and end - it's hard to imagine how people centuries ago would have been able to do the same things with a high amount of specificity and accuracy. It's amazingly got a perpetual calendar, a planetary dial, and I think a display of where the sun and moon are in real time. Visually, the clock is quite awesome, though if I remember correctly - it used to be, or is still offset by 15 or 30 minutes so that tourists wanting to see it in action would not adversely impact the mass-goers. I got to see the main procession at I believe half past noon, or maybe 11:30, so this would align with what my tour guide said about the clock being offset. Speaking of - seeing the clock in action is pretty awesome. Instead of cuckoos which are annoying, there are two mechanized displays worth mentioning: a series of horsedrawn carriages chasing each other; and, more spectacularly - the four stages of man (birth, young, middle age, and death) that signify each quarter-hour. The cherubs are also cute, and I'm sorry that all of my historical knowledge or any type of useful knowledge about the clock ends here. Overall: 5 out of 5 I wish I could find a way to more cogently describe my experience at the cathedral, but I had a wonderful time there. I think part of it was that we had a very excellent tour guide, and it made the educational part about the cathedral very interesting. Check out my photos!

I was fortunate enough to stop in this incredible city and take a walk. I found this AMAZING church and was drawn to it's incurable architecture. It is amazing to read the history. I could have spent hours looking at all of the incredible detail. I was unable to walk to the observation tower as it was closed the day I visited but I am so blessed to have seen this masterpiece and I marvel at the time and creativity invested in this as a glory to God.

One of my favorites, this church is beautiful! It's definitely worth paying and walking to the top. There are a lot of stairs but the views are spectacular!

Absolutely stunning church, an incredible example of a gothic church, I think the oldest gothic church in Christendom. So fabulous, really intricate and beautiful both inside and out. And it's free to go in too! Not to be missed if you're in Strasbourg. Docked a star because, IMO, the Catholic Church is uuugh so can't bring myself to give full 5 stars to any Catholic "attraction", still important for culture of course but a part of me can't help but feel uncomfortable with the whole thing.

This cathedral is crazy amazing! It's a spindly up top and unique looking and you have to see it from all sides. It's so Gothic I could picture creatures hanging out around it. haha Definitely take time to check it out!

A grand Gothic edifice, superb on the inside and outside and always packed with visitors. The nave is rather dark and on a cloudy, rainy day the beautiful stained glass windows and the gorgeous rosette are a little more difficult to fully appreciate. The Pillar of Angels is lit, but also with restraint and sometimes not all the areas are open to visitors. The only problem we had was the line to the spire winding around the entire inside, but other reviewers gave accounts of the breathtaking views, so next time...

Trip of a lifetime I went to Pfetterhouse four years ago on a student exchange. During this trip I had the chance to visit the Cathederal in Strasbourg. This was the highlight of my trip, the atmosphere there was unbelieveable and the Cathederal was like a dream everything seemed to stop and it was so peaceful. I will visit the Cathederal again someday and I believe that I will enjoy it as much the second time as i did the first time.

November 2017 -You have to get in line for a quick bag check before you go in, Take a tour there is so much to see. The stained glass windows are wonderful. But, the astronomical clock is a thing of beauty. Hard to believe I'm in this beautiful cathedral and the clock has me awed but it does. Just the history of the clock and the workmanship- wow! Not to mention that it does not need to be "adjusted" ever. It has days of week; when Easter, Christmas etc. will be each year; planet alignment; moon phase, calendar and more and the little man who comes out every 15 min. and the angels ring a bell. Each day at 12:30 the disciples bow to Jesus. All run with weights. Oh so much more to see and learn. You can go up to the tower and see the city but that is a separate line and the line to see the 12:30 clock action starts lining up early. Tiny gift shop. Bathrooms outside at another building but down stairs and LONG line. Shopping and food in the courtyard.

Simply Stunning!