20 Interesting Facts About Strasbourg, France

Facts on Strasbourg to Learn All About It

Ready to learn all about Strasbourg?

Facts are one of the best ways to learn more about something, and I personally love to read them! I’ve put together for you quite a bit of facts on Strasbourg; I’ve split them in 4 categories:

• The best Strasbourg facts
• Strasbourg fun facts
• Strasbourg cathedral facts
• General facts of Strasbourg

Let’s dive in straight away with our first category!

The Best Strasbourg Facts

Strasbourg is a very unique city in France, with a special identity and lovely sights. Because it lies right next to Germany, it has been hugely influenced by the neighboring country.

In this first part, I have 10 general best facts about Strasbourg France for you. 

1. Strasbourg has changed nationalities several times

You cannot be closer to Germany from France than Strasbourg is. It is literally seconds away from Kehl, the German city on the other bank of the Rhine.

Actually, throughout history, it was sometimes in Germany. Because it is strategically located, lots of armies have fought for it. It has changed nationality between French and German four times because of the multiple wars.

2. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, a region with a very strong identity

Generally, regions near the border are the ones with the strongest identity, like Catalonia in Spain. For Alsace, this is exactly the same. This is probably due to its tumultuous history and to its unique mix of cultures.

There is a local dialect, “Alsatian”, that is very spoken in the countryside, and that you can still see in Strasbourg. Whether it’s restaurants, streets or even people’s names, Alsatian is everywhere.

3. Half-timbered houses are everywhere in Alsace and in Strasbourg

If you have ever been to Strasbourg or Alsace in general, there is no way you missed the local famous half-timbered houses. They are literally everywhere, especially in the old districts of the cities, or in any village of the countryside.

They were made that way at the time to be possibly disassembled, to be rebuilt somewhere else: the home owners did not own the land!

4. Not only is Strasbourg important in France, but it is also a European center

This is probably the reason most people already know Strasbourg in Europe. Though the city is not that big nor populated compared to the rest of the major cities in France, it is home to the European Parliament, and is considered to be one of the 3 European capitals, alongside Brussels and Luxembourg.

There are also the Council of Europe, the Eurocorps and the European Court of Human Rights in the city.

European Parliament in Strasbourg

5. Strasbourg’s whole center, on the “Grande Île”, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The historic center of Strasbourg, structured around its iconic Cathedral, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Its architecture is inspired by the Haussmanian model, and mixes the best of the Germanic and French styles.

Overall, the whole center is very well preserved, with a material condition close to the original state.

6. The first name of Strasbourg was “Argantorati” before the 5th century BC

Most French cities used to have a different Latin name in the past. Lyon was Lugdunum, and Paris was Lutetia. Strasbourg had several names throughout the centuries, first the Celtic Gaulish name Argantorati, which was later latinised as Argentoratum.

It is made of the Gaulish compound word “-rati”, meaning fortified enclosures, and the Latin “arganto”, meaning silver.

7. Alsatian cuisine is substantial and convivial

If you like eating… very generous portions, you should definitely head to Alsace, or Strasbourg. Strasbourg food, and more generally the Alsatian cuisine, is influenced by the German one, and incorporates a lot of pork in various forms.

The most famous dishes are the “choucroute” (sauerkraut with potatoes and meat), the “tarte flambée” (a very thin pizza-like dish with cream, onions and bacon) and the “kougelhopf” (a uniquely-shaped cake).

Learn more about French food here.

Pretzel, choucroute and sausages

8. What is most famous from Alsace is probably its beverages actually

Though Alsatian cuisine is loved by everyone, there are some things that are even more popular, in Strasbourg and in its region as a whole.

Alsace is the main beer-producing region of France, with tons of breweries. It is also an important wine-producing region, with some of the best French wines. Finally, Schnapps is the strongest traditional alcoholic beverage in Alsace.

Vineyard in Alsace

That’s it for the 8 general best Strasbourg France facts. Now, let’s talk about the fun side of the city. 

Strasbourg Fun Facts

The city of Strasbourg has some very unexpected and funny things to share.

I have gathered 6 fun facts about Strasbourg right below! 👇 

9. France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise”, actually comes from Strasbourg

You probably know the name of the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise”, which surprisingly does not come from Marseille, one of the biggest French cities. It was written by Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg in 1792.

Besides, it was written in one night only, and was originally called “War song for the army of the Rhine”, because France just declared war on the Austrian Empire at that time.

10. The “Petite France”, arguably the most romantic neighborhood of Strasbourg, is not what it used to be

The “Petite France” is the most romantic and most photogenic area of the whole city of Strasbourg. There, you can see lots of half-timbered houses, flowers and canals.

However, during the Middle Ages, it was far less romantic: many French soldiers suffered from the syphilis they brought back from the wars in Italy.

11. Strasbourg is the capital of Christmas, and this tradition dates back to 1570

Christmas is one of the best times of the year to visit Strasbourg. The Christmas Market, renowned nationally, is a beautiful and typical market where you can find traditional Alsatian symbols, like hot wine, “bredele” cookies and decoration.

It is the oldest one in France, and its location was changed many times, but now the gathering of wooden chalets is spread throughout the city.

Learn more about France’s Christmas traditions here.

Jorge Franganillo / CC BY

12. Strasbourg is the most bike-friendly city in France

Generally speaking, Strasbourg is very environmentally-friendly, and is very progressive about green ideas and initiatives. One of those is its network of bike lanes. It circles and intersects the city center, forming a literal highway for bikes.

There is “Vélohop” in the city, a system with which you can rent and share a bike to discover the city from the best angle.

13. Alsatians love wine so much, and are so good at producing it, that there is an Alsace Wine Route next to Strasbourg

I have already told you about the Alsatian beverages and how good and renowned they are. But Alsatians go a step further, as they dedicated a whole route that runs through the region, next to Strasbourg, and you can visit the best vineyards.

Not only will you get to taste some wines, but you will also learn more about the history of the region and of the vineyards on this Alsace wine route.

14. Strasbourg is geographically far from Paris, but it is very fast to go there from the capital

In case you are planning to travel to France, you will most probably head to Paris first. That’s perfect, because that means that you can reach Strasbourg in no time.

Though almost 500 kilometers / 300 miles separate the French and the European capital, the TGV (French train) will only take around 1h40-2h for this trip!

There you go, these were the 6 fun facts about Strasbourg.

Up next is the Cathedral, which I really want to talk about. 

Strasbourg Cathedral Facts

The Cathedral of Strasbourg is simply beautiful. This historical and religious masterpiece needed a whole part dedicated to it in my opinion, so here are 6 more facts, all about the cathedral. 

15. Strasbourg Cathedral is over 1,000 years old

Officially named “Notre-Dame de Strasbourg” (“Our Lady of Strasbourg”), the Cathedral was built in a Gothic style, and is still to this day a “light and delicate marvel”, as Victor Hugo called it.

It is the second highest cathedral in France, after the one of Rouen, only 9 meters / 30 feet higher, and is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture.

16. There used to be a time when the Cathedral was a Protestant church

Because of the Reformation in 1521, Strasbourg Cathedral became a Protestant church. Until 1681 it stayed like this, but then Strasbourg was incorporated into France again, and its faith changed back to Catholicism.

The leaders of the Reformation were Martin Luther and John Calvin, and it became a major founding movement for Protestantism as a whole.

17. You will always be able to see the Cathedral from afar, because of the law!

If you have been to Strasbourg by car, or have taken walks around it, you have probably noticed how visible its Cathedral is. From the distant Vosges mountains, and even from the Black Forest (on the German side of the Rhine), you can see the Gothic building.

Strasbourg people are not bad builders… they are just not allowed to build anything higher than the Cathedral, by law!

18. The Cathedral had a rough history and was damaged several times

We are lucky to see the Strasbourg Cathedral as it is today: it could have been destroyed or severely damaged a lot of times.

First, during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, its roof was set on fire. Then, almost all its bells were removed during World War I. Finally, World War II was the time when Hitler wanted to make it a national monument and dismantled the enormous stained-glass windows, which disappeared until 1945, before being found in a salt mine in Germany.

19. Inside the Cathedral is an engineering marvel, an astronomical clock

The facade of the Cathedral is incredibly detailed. The interior of the Cathedral is wonderfully decorated. But on top of that, there is even a marvel of technology that you can see: an astronomical clock.

The mechanism has been intact since 1842 and was built by artists, mathematicians and technicians. The time most people come and see it is half past noon.

20. A mysterious green ray of light is seen during both the spring and the autumn equinox

You might have already heard of this: in a number of religious buildings, there is a built-in meridian marking both the spring and the autumn equinox.

In Strasbourg, there is a green segment on the foot of Judas, which means the statue of the Christ is illuminated in green two times a year.

And there you have them, all my 20 Strasbourg interesting facts. I hope that you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more about the city, or the country as a whole, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of facts to tell you about. 

General Facts of Strasbourg

You’ll find below a few general facts of Strasbourg, to learn more about this French city:

• Name: Strasbourg
• Province: Strasbourg
• Region: Alsace
• Land area: 78.26 km² /30.22 sq mi
• Population: 285,000
• Name of inhabitants: Strasbourgeois, Strasbourgeoise (French)
• Website: Strasbourg

Strasbourg Flag

More Facts!

Want to learn more facts about France?

Well, I have other France facts posts I’m sure you’ll love reading!

Here is the main guide of the best France facts 👉 The 60 Best Facts about France

Check out these France facts by city:

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Or these French facts by region:

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You can also check these French facts by topic: 

• Facts about French food
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Or click here to see ALL the facts up on the blog! Spoiler alert: there’s A LOT of them.

The Full List of 20 Strasbourg Facts

1. Strasbourg has changed nationalities several times
2. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, a region with a very strong identity
3. Half-timbered houses are everywhere in Alsace and in Strasbourg
4. Not only is Strasbourg important in France, but it is also a European center
5. Strasbourg’s whole center, on the “Grande Île”, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
6. The first name of Strasbourg was “Argantorati” before the 5th century BC
7. Alsatian cuisine is substantial and convivial
8. What is most famous from Alsace is probably its beverages actually
9. France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise”, actually comes from Strasbourg
10. The “Petite France”, arguably the most romantic neighbourhood of Strasbourg, is not what it used to be
11. Strasbourg is the capital of Christmas, and this tradition dates back to 1570
12. Strasbourg is the most bike-friendly city in France
13. Alsatians love wine so much, and are so good at producing it, that there is an Alsace Wine Route next to Strasbourg
14. Strasbourg is geographically far from Paris, but it is very fast to go there from the capital
15. Strasbourg Cathedral is over 1,000 years old
16. There used to be a time when the Cathedral was a Protestant church
17. You will always be able to see the Cathedral from afar, because of the law!
18. The Cathedral had a rough history and was damaged several times
19. Inside the Cathedral is an engineering marvel, an astronomical clock
20. A mysterious green ray of light is seen during both the spring and the autumn equinox

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