Cathedrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg, Alsace
Visiting Strasbourg and not visiting the cathedral (A; GPS: 48.581575, 7.750155) would be odd to say the least. It is one of Europes finest gothic designs. It's really amazing how people hundreds of years ago with only simple tools managed to build this spectacular cathedral - at 142 metres (466 feet), it was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874!
The cathedral was built in the years 1176-1439 on the place of a former building burned in the years 1015-1028, which in turn partially came from even earlier temple built in the time of the Carolingian dynasty.
The cathedral is really beautiful. The local red sand stone carved arches and decorations look so delicate. And the stained glass windows can keep the interested visitor for a long while. Visits are free except the Tower from which you can have magnificent views - 300 steps but worth visiting! However we would recommend a guided tour or a guide book, especially for the absolutely amazing astronomical clock with its numerous details.
Let's compare this ingenious design with sacred buildings created in the 20th or 21st century, and we will surely conclude that despite the lack of modern support in the form of well-ordered knowledge and powerful computing systems, this medieval cathedral has a glittering look despite many hundreds of years.
It is of course also a place of worship, therefore we suggest to dress and behave respectfully. Be also sure to check opening times before you go: there may be a religious service ongoing and visits are not allowed.
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