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72-689: Located in Strasbourg's historic center, the Grande Île ("Large Island"), the area was classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, the first time such an honor was placed on an entire city center. The first name of the Place Kléber was Barfüsserplatz ('Square of the Barefoot Nuns' in German ) because a Franciscan monastery was standing along the square). In the 17th century,

144-484: A monument to the Unknown German Soldier . On 1 March 1941, General Leclerc made the " Oath of Kufra " ( serment de Koufra ), stating he would "rest the weapons only when our beautiful colours fly again on Strasbourg's cathedral". During the war, the stained glass was removed in 74 [storage] cases. and stored in a salt mine near Heilbronn , Germany. After the war, it was returned to the cathedral by

216-400: A central tower and whose precise authorship is unknown. The octagonal north tower was the combined work of architects Ulrich Ensingen (shaft) and Johannes Hültz of Cologne (top). Ensingen worked on the cathedral from 1399 to 1419, taking over from Claus von Lohre, and Hültz from 1419 to 1439, completing the building at last. The building of the second tower was often discussed, and

288-662: A municipal museum located in the Foundation's buildings, displays original works of art from the cathedral, such as sculptures and stained-glass, but also the surviving original medieval buildings plans. In 1988, the Strasbourg Cathedral was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the historic centre of the city (called the " Grande Île ") because of its outstanding Gothic architecture. The history of Strasbourg's cathedral

360-438: A pointed roof with a pair of dormer or skylight windows, a small window above a large one, on each side, which brought light to the choir below. The medieval crossing dome's aspect was altered several times over the centuries. The currently visible, much higher crossing dome was designed in grand Romanesque Revival style by the architect Gustave Klotz, after the original dome had been heavily damaged by Prussian shelling during

432-641: A strategic point where bridges crossed the Rhine and two of its tributaries. It became a major trading center for wine, grain, and later for textiles and luxury products. Christianity was first imposed in 313 by the Edict of Constantine . The first recorded bishop, Amand, participated in the Councils of Cologne and Sardique in 346 and 347. A paleochristian church or cathedral is believed to have been founded by an edict of Clovis I , but its exact location and appearance

504-408: A tower, and was flanked by two chapels. The transept of the cathedral was 55 meters long, the same length as the nave and choir. The nave and choir were composed of three vessels, each with two traverses. The central vessel was higher than the two collaterals. The new building, with its wooden roof beams, was unfortunately prone to fire; it suffered from fires in 1136, 1140,1150, and 1176. The church

576-464: Is "an old quarter that exemplifies medieval cities". Strasbourg was the first city to have its entire city center be listed as a World Heritage Site. The Grande Île is sometimes referred to as "ellipse insulaire" because of its shape. It measures some 1.25 kilometres (0.78 mi) by 0.75 kilometres (0.47 mi) at its longest and broadest. At the centre of the island lies the Place Kléber ,

648-507: Is inconceivable without prior drawing. Strasbourg and Cologne Cathedral together represent some of the earliest uses of architectural drawing. The work of Professor Robert O. Bork of the University of Iowa suggests that the design of the Strasbourg façade, while seeming almost random in its complexity, can be constructed using a series of rotated octagons. In the late Middle Ages, the city of Strasbourg had managed to liberate itself from

720-459: Is known, until 1382. He was followed by a Michael von Freiburg (also known as Michael von Gmünd, or Michael Parler, from the Parler family of architects), recorded as magister operis in 1383–1387, who was then succeeded by Claus von Lohre (1388−1399). The three men completed the bell tower over the central part of the façade, in a design that moved away from Gerlach von Steinbach's initial idea of

792-436: Is placed above the rose window. The west front takes its distinctive appearance and sense of verticality from the dense network of lacelike pointed gables, pinnacles and tall, slender columns that cover it. The columns are purely decorative, and are so thin they are compared to the strings of a harp. The visual effect of the façade is enhanced by its unusual darkish red stone. The cathedral has three portals, corresponding to

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864-529: Is similar in theme and style to that of the sculpture of Reims Cathedral made between 1250 and 1260, though the Strasbourg sculpture shows greater realism. The arched tympanum over the doors of the central portal is crowded with sculpture, as are the voussures, the stone arches around the door. The central figures depict the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, and the Crucifixion and Passion of Christ, all with exceptional expression and detail. The portal of

936-400: Is surrounded and supported by four more slender towers containing circular stairways. The walls of the tower have tall lancet openings, which show the bells and bring light into the interior, and are decorated on the exterior with interlocking pointed gables. Between the lower tower and spire there is a balustrade, almost hidden by pinnacles and other architectural decoration. The spire above

1008-470: Is unknown. The first cathedral built on the present site was erected by the bishop Saint Arbogast in about 550–575. Under Charlemagne , the Bishop Remi consecrated the altar and built a funeral crypt in about 778. This Carolingian church is believed to have had an apse flanked by two chapels and a nave covered with a wooden beamed roof, but no trace remains today. In 1002, following the death of

1080-489: Is well documented thanks to the archives of the Notre-Dame Foundation, the city of Strasbourg, and of the diocese . Archaeological excavations below and around the cathedral have been conducted in 1896–1897, 1907, 1923–1924, 1947–1948, between 1966 and 1972, and finally between 2012 and 2014. A Roman settlement called Argentoratum , twenty hectares in size, existed on the site since about 12 B.C., at

1152-592: The Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg ( French : Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg , or Cathédrale de Strasbourg , German : Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg ), also known as Strasbourg Minster ( German : Straßburger Münster ), is a Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, Alsace , France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture , it is widely considered to be among

1224-587: The French Revolution , on 2 November 1789, all church property was seized by the French state and was soon vandalised by the most ardent revolutionaries, the Enragés . The Director of public works of Strasbourg, Gérold, quickly took down and protected the statues of the portal, but 215 statues of the voussures over the portals were smashed with hammers, as were the angels atop the gables on the facade, and

1296-790: The Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the United States military. The cathedral was hit by British and American bombs during air raids on the centre of Strasbourg on 11 August 1944, which also heavily damaged the Palais Rohan and the Sainte-Madeleine Church . In 1956, the Council of Europe donated the famous choir window by Max Ingrand, the "Strasbourg Madonna" (see also Flag of Europe Biblical interpretation). Repairs to war damage were completed only in

1368-523: The Siege of Strasbourg . Klotz's dome was in turn heavily damaged by bombing raids during World War II , and restored between 1988 and 1992. The chevet, at the northeast end of the cathedral, close to the transept, has vestiges that go back to the Romanesque cathedral, particularly at the lower levels. It looks over the former cloister of the canons of the cathedral. It is the least decorated side of

1440-573: The choir screen (built in 1252) was broken out to expand the choir towards the nave. Remains of the choir screen are displayed in the Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame and in The Cloisters . The main or high altar , a major work of early Renaissance sculpture, was also demolished that year. Fragments can be seen in the Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame. A round, Baroque sacristy of modest proportions

1512-686: The city of Strasbourg in France . Its name means "Large Island", and derives from the fact that it is surrounded on one side by the main channel of the Ill river and on the other side by the Canal du Faux-Rempart , a canalised arm of that river. The Grande Île was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. At the time, the International Council on Monuments and Sites noted that the Grande Île

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1584-559: The 20th century and are today kept in the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame . The tympanum was destroyed in the French Revolution and replaced by a work by the sculptor Jean Vallastre  [ fr ] (1765–1833). It presents a virtual theater of late Gothic flamboyant architecture and decoration, including three interlocking arches over the doors, containing a statue of the Saint during his martyrdom. The supporting buttresses on either side also have very expressive sculpture representing

1656-499: The French state, and it is administered by the Mayor of Strasbourg. A series of major reconstructions and restorations were carried out in the second of the century Gustave Klotz  [ fr ] from 1837 to 1888. This included rebuilding the crypt and the addition of new stained-glass windows. The choir was given its multicolour painted decoration, by Édouard Steinlé and Charles Auguste Steinheil, finished in 1879. Construction of

1728-511: The Holy Roman Emperor Otto III , a battle broke out between his potential successors. When Bishop Werner I supported the winning candidate, Henry II of Germany , one of his Henry's rivals, Hermann of Germany, raided Strasbourg and burned down the cathedral. The Bishop appealed to the new Emperor, who granted one eighth of his revenues in the province toward the construction of a new Cathedral. In 1015, bishop Werner laid

1800-583: The Neo-Romanessque dome over the transept was begun, and new bronze doors were installed in 1879. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the city was under siege. The roof was set afire and the cross at the top of the spire was bent by a German artillery shell. After the French defeat, Alsace was ceded to the new German Empire until 1918. Following the war, Klotz took German nationality so he could continue his work. He reconstructed

1872-452: The Romanesque vaults of the north transept were replaced by the pointed Gothic rib vault , which were stronger and shifted the thrust of the weight outwards, reducing the need for massive pillars in the interior. This was then carried out in the south transept. The next major step toward Gothic took place with the raising of the vaults of the south transept, creating thinner walls and more space for high windows. The Gothic style also appeared in

1944-470: The Saint-Lawrence portal (Portail Saint-Laurent) outside the northern transept in a markedly post-Gothic, early- Renaissance style. As with the other portals of the cathedral, most of the statues now to be seen in situ are copies, the originals having been moved to the Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame . Like the city of Strasbourg, the cathedral connects German and French cultural influences, while

2016-677: The Virgin Mary and the three Magi on one side, and a group of Saints on the other, both sheltered beneath lacelike flamboyant sculpture and pinnacles. A balustrade crosses the face of the transept, and above is a wall of two bays filled with stained glass. The south portal, or Portal of the Virgin, dates to about the 1220s, the same time as the Pillar of the Angels and the Astronomic clock in

2088-586: The body of Jean-Baptiste Kléber, general during the French Revolutionary Wars , born in Strasbourg in 1753, was repatriated to France. Napoleon , fearing that his tomb would become a symbol to Republicanism , ordered it to stay at the Château d'If , on an island near Marseille . It stayed there for 18 years until Louis XVIII granted him a burial place in his hometown in Strasbourg. He was buried on 15 December 1838 below his statue located in

2160-653: The building suffered some damage from iconoclastic assaults . After the annexation of the city by Louis XIV of France , on 30 September 1681, and a mass celebrated in the cathedral on 23 October 1681 in presence of the King and prince-bishop Franz Egon of Fürstenberg , the cathedral was returned to the Catholics and its inside redesigned according to the Catholic liturgy of the Counter-Reformation . In 1682,

2232-581: The cathedral, the Grande Île is home to four other centuries-old churches: St. Thomas , St. Pierre-le-Vieux , St. Pierre-le-Jeune , and St. Étienne . Being the historical center of Strasbourg and the seat of local secular power, it also houses the city's most imposing 18th-century hôtels particuliers and palaces, including the Palais Rohan , the Hôtel de Hanau (now the City Hall), the Hôtel des Deux-Ponts (birthplace of Ludwig I of Bavaria and now home to

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2304-458: The cathedral. A large arched bay occupies the central portion, just below a balustrade. Above that are three narrow windows and then a triangular gable with a small circular oculus window and blind arches. The face is flanked by two cylindrical towers with narrow lancet windows and pointed roofs. The walls are pierced with narrow slits, like a medieval fortress, giving it a very military appearance. Two chapels, devoted to Saint Andrew and Saint John

2376-442: The city's central square. Further south is Strasbourg Cathedral , the world's fourth-tallest church and an ornate example of 15th-century Gothic architecture . At the western end of the island is the quarter of Petite France , the former home of the city's tanners , millers and fishermen , and now one of Strasbourg's main tourist attractions. The Grande Île also houses the former fluvial customs house Ancienne Douane . Besides

2448-579: The city's military governor), the Hôtel de Klinglin , the Hôtel d'Andlau-Klinglin, and the Hôtel de Neuwiller, among many others. The island is also home to the Episcopal palace of the Archdiocese of Strasbourg . To mark the Grande Île's status as a World Heritage Site, 22 brass plates were placed on the bridges giving access to the island. Strasbourg Cathedral Strasbourg Cathedral or

2520-467: The crowns and sceptres of the statues of the kings. The sculpture over the central tympanum and over the south portal of the transept was saved because it was covered with wooden planks with the revolutionary motto "Liberté-Égalité-Fraternité," In April 1794, the Enragés started planning to tear the spire down, on the grounds that it hurt the principle of equality. The tower was saved, however, when in May of

2592-493: The dome over the transept in a grander, Romanesque Revival style. In 1903, the architect Johann Knauth discovered cracks on the first pillar of the northern side of the nave. In 1905 he began taking measures to consolidate and strengthen the north side of the west facade, which supports the spire. After trying several temporary measures, in 1915, during the First World War, he launched a large-scale project to replace

2664-513: The domination of the bishop and to rise to the status of Free Imperial City . The outgoing 15th century was marked by the sermons of Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg and by the emerging Protestant Reformation , represented in Strasbourg by figures such as John Calvin , Martin Bucer and Jacob Sturm von Sturmeck . In 1524, the city council assigned the cathedral to the Protestant faith , while

2736-450: The early 1990s. In October 1988, when the city celebrated its 2,000th anniversary (as the first official mention of Argentoratum dates from 12 BC), pope John Paul II visited and celebrated mass in the cathedral. The bishopric of Strasbourg had been elevated to the rank of archbishopric a few months before, in June 1988. In 2000, an Al-Qaeda plot to bomb the adjacent Christmas market

2808-435: The eastern structures, e.g. the choir and south portal, still have very Romanesque features, with more emphasis placed on walls than on windows. The tower is one of the first to rely substantially on craftsmanship, with the final appearance being one with a high degree of linearity captured in stone. While previous façades were certainly drawn prior to construction, Strasbourg has one of the earliest façades whose construction

2880-460: The entire foundation of the cathedral with concrete. This project was completed in 1926, after the end of the war. In 1918 Alsace and Strasbourg were once again attached to France. During World War II, the cathedral was seen as a symbol for both warring parties. Adolf Hitler , who visited it on 28 June 1940, intended to transform the church into a "national sanctuary of the German people", or into

2952-436: The finest examples of Rayonnant Gothic architecture . Architect Erwin von Steinbach is credited for major contributions from 1277 to his death in 1318, and beyond through his son Johannes von Steinbach, and his grandson Gerlach von Steinbach, who succeeded him as chief architects. The Steinbachs’ plans for the completion of the cathedral were not followed through by the chief architects who took over after them, and instead of

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3024-546: The first stone of a new cathedral on the foundations of the Carolingian church. The new church was exceptionally large, just ten meters shorter than the present cathedral, and just ten meters narrower on its west front. The west front was also exceptional because it was flanked by two towers, the "harmonic" style which became common in Gothic cathedrals during the following century. The chevet, or east end, probably also had

3096-548: The host and chalice, elements of the liturgy of the Eucharist . The crossing dome is placed over the meeting point of the transept and the choir, and, like the bell tower, has eight sides. It was constructed beginning in about 1330, following the rebuilding of the transept. Its base is topped by a gallery with pointed arches, beneath a level with large arched bays, two on each side, side, divided by clusters of columns. Above this are blind arcades, an ornate cornice, and then

3168-465: The infancy of Christ (left) depicts angels, bishops and saints in the voussures, and figures representing the virtues, carrying spears, prod the figures representing the vices. In the portal of the Last Judgement, (right) Christ sits on his throne sorting the virtuous from the wicked. The wicked attempt, without success, to seduce the noble Virgins, but succeed with the foolish virgins. Unlike

3240-483: The interior confiscated and taken away, and in November 1793 the cathedral was formally proclaimed a "Temple of Reason." The cathedral was not returned to church control until July 15, 1801, along with confiscated property that had not been destroyed. The sculpture of the portals was returned to its place or restored between 1811 and 1827. However, the official ownership of the structure was given, and belongs today, to

3312-667: The interior. Decrees of the Emperor rendering justice were traditionally read out in front of this doorway. The rounded arches of tympanum over the doorway contain sculpture of the Virgin Mary dying, surrounded by the Twelve Apostles and being crowned by Christ. The original statue-columns of the Apostles from the 1220s which supported the tympanum were smashed in 1793 during the French Revolution. The mid-level of

3384-620: The middle of the Place Kléber. His heart is in an urn in the caveau of the Governors beneath the altar of the St. John Chapel in Les Invalides , Paris . The statue, designed by Philippe Grass , was finally completed in 1838. Traditionally, a huge fir tree (30 m) coming from the Vosges mountains is erected every year on the south west of the Place Kléber and inhabitants deposited gifts for

3456-474: The name changed to Waffenplatz ('Arms Square' in German). On 24 June 1840, the square was finally renamed for the French general Jean-Baptiste Kléber, also going by 'Kléberplatz' after German annexation. During German occupation in 1940–1944, the place was renamed after Karl Roos, a local ethnically German politician executed by French authorities in 1940 on the charges of espionage for Germany. The Aubette

3528-572: The nave behind it. By the use of buttresses and a double wall, the outer wall decorative with wide spaces, and the inner wall bearing the weight and having large windows, the interior of the cathedral could have more light. At the same time, the planned two spires on either side of the facade would reach an extraordinary height of 122 meters. Erwin von Steinbach's son Johannes von Steinbach served as magister operis , or Werkmeister (chief architect) from (at least) 1332 until his death in 1341. From 1341 until 1372 (or according to other sources: 1339–1371),

3600-478: The new section were copied exactly from those of the Basilica of Saint Denis . The next major project was the rebuilding of the west front, or facade, in the Gothic style. The first stone was placed on May 25, 1277, by Bishop Conrad of Lichtenberg . The new plan was inspired in part by French cathedrals, particularly the Basilica of Saint-Urbain of Troyes . The design called for a west front taller and wider than

3672-503: The originally envisioned two spires , a single, octagonal tower with an elongated, octagonal crowning was built on the northern side of the west facade by master Ulrich Ensingen and his successor, Johannes Hültz . The construction of the cathedral, which had started in the year 1015 and had been relaunched in 1190, was finished in 1439. Standing in the centre of the Place de la Cathédrale , at 142 metres (466 feet), Strasbourg Cathedral

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3744-620: The plains of Alsace and can be seen from as far off as the Vosges Mountains or the Black Forest on the other side of the Rhine . The reddish-brown sandstone from the Vosges mountains gives the cathedral its distinctive colour. The construction, and later maintenance, of the cathedral is supervised by the Fondation de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame ("Foundation of Our Lady") since at least 1224. The Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame ,

3816-524: The poor. During the Christkindelsmärik (Christmas market), the booths of 50 charitable associations make the Village du Partage ("Village for Sharing"). 48°35′00″N 7°44′46″E  /  48.58333°N 7.74611°E  / 48.58333; 7.74611 Grande %C3%8Ele, Strasbourg The Grande Île ( German : Große Insel ) is an island that lies at the historic centre of

3888-432: The portals on the ground level; the level of the rose window above them, and the top level, with a balustrade. The rose window, with a rayonnant Gothic design, is fourteen metres in diameter and was finished in 1345. The pointed gable over the central portal, decorated with a sculpture of the Virgin Mary and child, reaches up into the space in front of the rose window. A gallery of statues of the Apostles, each in his own arch,

3960-501: The post of chief architect was held by a Master Gerlach (not to be confused with Erwin's other son, Gerlach von Steinbach, architect of the Niederhaslach Church ), who has been identified as Erwin's grandson Johannes Gerlach von Steinbach. He completed the installation of the rose window, and above it twelve statues of the apostles. In 1372 the work was taken over by a master Conrad, also known as Kuntze, about whom little

4032-563: The same year citizens of Strasbourg crowned it with a giant tin Phrygian cap of the kind the Enragés themselves wore. This artifact was later kept in the historical collections of the city until they were all destroyed during the Siege of Strasbourg in a massive fire in August 1870. Seven church bells were removed and melted down to made into cannon, and gold and other precious objects in

4104-707: The sculpture of earlier cathedrals, the Strasbourg statues clearly show emotions; the prophets look severe, the Virgins appear serene, the Virtues look noble, and the frivolous Virgins appear foolish. The statues in the portals are all standing upon realistically carved capitals decorated with the signs of the zodiac. The portal of Saint Lawrence , was added to the north transept between 1495 and 1505 by Jacob von (or Jacques de) Landshut, with sculptures by Hans von Aachen (aka Johan von Ach, or Jean d'Aix-la-Chapelle) and Conrad Sifer. The original statues were replaced by copies in

4176-421: The sculptures have been replaced in the 19th century by works by Philippe Grass , Jean-Étienne Malade, and Jean Vallastre. As with all the other portals, several of the statues have been replaced by copies in situ and are today displayed in the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame . This is also true for Ecclesia and Synagoga , arguably the most famous statues of the cathedral, if not of Strasbourg. The cathedral

4248-468: The statuary, particularly the Pillar of the Angels, and in the tympanums over the double portals on the south transept, which showed the influence of the sculpture in French Gothic cathedrals. The next major step was the reconstruction of the nave into the Gothic style, which took place between 1240 and 1274. Thanks to the installation of rib vaults, the nave was raised in height to 27 meters, and

4320-475: The three vessels of the nave. Each has a particular theme of decoration; the left portal is dedicated to the infancy of Christ, the central portal to redemption, and the right portal to the Last Judgement . The portals are set forward from the front of the church by the network of slender columns, spires and arches which form an outer decorative wall. The sculpture largely dates to the late 13th century and

4392-496: The tower is composed of eight stages of elaborate octagonal structure, linked together by interlaced arches and pinnacles, which contain a stairway to the lantern at the top. Originally the lantern was topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary , the patron saint of the cathedral, but in 1488 it was replaced by a fleuron , or flower-shaped ornament. This is crowned by the cross, which is surrounded by four smaller crosses and images of

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4464-421: The transept over the portal, built in about 1230, has lancet windows and a statue of Virgin, flanked by Saint Peter and Saint Lawrence. Above this is a colourful clock with the signs of the zodiac. Above this is a flamboyant Gothic balustrade with an original sundial from about 1493, and above that are two small rose windows from the same period. Following their destruction during the French Revolution , several of

4536-487: The upper walls were filled with stained glass windows. The first traverses were made in what was known as the Lorraine style, with two levels of quadripartite windows, traversed by a narrow passageway. However, between 1250 and 1255 they decided to become more ambitious, and used what was called the "Parisian style"; this created three levels with a total height of 32 meters from the floor to the vaults. The Gothic pillars of

4608-407: Was added north-east of the northern transept in 1744 by the city's chief architect Joseph Massol according to plans by Robert de Cotte and between 1772 and 1778 architect Jean-Laurent Goetz surrounded the cathedral by a gallery in early Gothic Revival style in order to reorganise the merchants' shops that used to settle around the building (and would do so until 1843). Following the outbreak of

4680-630: Was built in 1765–1772 by Jacques François Blondel , architect to King Louis XV of France . In 2006, after a long and careful restoration, the inner decoration of the Aubette, made in the 1920s by Hans Arp , Theo van Doesburg , and Sophie Taeuber-Arp and destroyed in the 1930s, was made accessible to the public again. The work of the three artists had been called "the Sistine Chapel of abstract art ". After his assassination in 1800 in Cairo ,

4752-409: Was completed). The planned south tower was never built and as a result, with its characteristic asymmetrical form, the cathedral is now the premier landmark of Alsace . One can see 30 kilometers from the observation level, which provides a view of the Rhine banks from the Vosges all the way to the Black Forest . In 1505, architect Jakob von Landshut and sculptor Hans von Aachen finished rebuilding

4824-404: Was just being finished. Construction of the new cathedral began on the foundations of the preceding structures. The original Romanesque crypt was kept and expanded westwards. The architects of the rebuilding began to include Gothic elements, following the style that had appeared in northern France in the 12th century, while still preserving the existing Romanesque features. Between 1200 and 1228,

4896-401: Was originally intended to have two towers on the west front, but only the north one was built. The octagon tower was begun in 1399 by Ulrich Ensingen (chief architect until 1419), and crowned with a spire by his successor Johannes Hültz . The work was completed in 1439. The eight-sided tower is three times higher than wide, more elongated than other Gothic towers of the 14th century. It

4968-431: Was prevented by French and German police. The restoration of the tower was completed in 2006, and in 2014 a new campaign of restoration begun on the south transept. The west front or façade, the main entrance of the cathedral, is a relatively late addition, constructed between 1275 and 1399. The façade is supported and divided vertically by four narrow buttresses, each decorated with sculpture. It rises in three levels;

5040-404: Was repaired after each fire, and reconstructions and modifications made, but it retained its essentially Romanesque form, with thick walls, small windows and massive columns. Work on the church was frequently interrupted by wars and political crises. Bishop Heinrich I von Hasenburg (1181 – March 25, 1190) decided to construct a new cathedral, to be more beautiful than that of Basel Munster , which

5112-407: Was seriously proposed when Alsace became part of Germany after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, but was coldly received by the population of Strasbourg, who considered it would be a symbol of German occupation. The north tower was the world's tallest building from 1647 (when the taller spire of St. Mary's Church, Stralsund burnt down) until 1874 (when the tower of St. Nikolai's Church in Hamburg

5184-479: Was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874 (227 years), when it was surpassed by St. Nikolai's Church, Hamburg . Today it is the sixth- tallest church in the world and the tallest extant structure built entirely in the Middle Ages . Described by Victor Hugo as a "gigantic and delicate marvel", and by Goethe as a "sublimely towering, wide-spreading tree of God", the cathedral is visible far across

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