Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg

Gothic cathedral with the world's oldest astronomical clock and 142m sandstone spire

The Notre-Dame de Strasbourg is one of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe, built over three centuries in pink Vosges sandstone that glows a distinctive rose colour in the afternoon sun. Construction began in 1015 and the famous spire was finally completed in 1439, making it the world's tallest structure for over four centuries.

The astronomical clock on the south transept is the main attraction for many visitors. The current mechanism dates from 1842 and shows the phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and the position of the planets. At 12:30pm the automata parade: the four ages of man, a carillon, and Death striking the hour. Arrive 15 minutes before to see the mechanism at work — it is genuinely extraordinary. The cathedral interior is vast and the rose windows exceptional. Entrance to the cathedral is free; there is a small fee for the platform ascent.

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A story
From its completion in 1439 until 1874, the Strasbourg cathedral was the tallest building in the world — 142 metres of pink Vosges sandstone that held this record for 435 years. The single spire was never joined by a second one because money ran out, an asymmetry that makes the cathedral even more striking.