Strasbourg Cathedral facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Strasbourg Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg

Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Archdiocese of Strasbourg
Rite	Roman
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Leadership	Archbishop Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy
Status	Active
Location
Location	Strasbourg, France
Location in France
Architecture
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Romanesque, Gothic
Groundbreaking	1015 (1015)
Completed	1439 (1439)
Specifications
Direction of façade	Southwest
Length	112 metres (367 ft)
Height (max)	32.6 metres (107 ft) (Nave)
Dome(s)	1
Dome height (outer)	58 m (190 ft)
Spire(s)	1
Spire height	142 metres (466 ft)
Materials	Sandstone
Monument historique
Official name: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg
1862
PA00085015
Denomination	Église

Plan of cathedral – different colors indicate dates of construction

The Strasbourg Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg, is a famous Catholic church in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. It's a mix of old Romanesque architecture and beautiful Gothic architecture, especially the "Rayonnant" style.

Construction started way back in 1015 and was mostly finished in 1439. For 227 years, from 1647 to 1874, it was the tallest building in the world! Today, it's still one of the tallest churches and the tallest building made entirely in the Middle Ages.

The cathedral stands at 142 metres (466 feet) tall. Famous writers like Victor Hugo and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe admired it greatly. Its unique reddish-brown color comes from the sandstone used, which was brought from the nearby Vosges Mountains. You can see the cathedral from far away, even from the Black Forest across the Rhine river.

Since 1224, a group called the Fondation de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame has looked after the cathedral. They even have a museum, the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame, which shows original art from the cathedral. In 1988, the cathedral and the historic city center (called the "Grande Île") became a UNESCO World Heritage List site because of its amazing Gothic design.

History of the Cathedral

The story of Strasbourg Cathedral is well known thanks to old records. Digs around the cathedral have also helped us learn about its past.

Early Buildings on the Site

Long ago, around 12 BC, a Roman town called Argentoratum was here. It was a busy trading center. Christianity came to the area in 313. The first church on this spot was built by Bishop Saint Arbogast around 550–575. Later, around 778, a Carolingian church was built, but no parts of it remain today.

The Romanesque Cathedral

The Romanesque chevet of the cathedral, seen in 1671
Vaults of the crypt
Romanesque pillars, vaults and squinches of the transept

In 1015, Bishop Werner started building a new, very large cathedral. It was almost as big as the one we see today. This church had a wooden roof, which unfortunately caught fire many times (in 1136, 1140, 1150, and 1176). Each time, it was repaired, but it kept its strong, thick Romanesque walls and small windows.

The Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral

Drawing A′, circa 1260. One of the oldest surviving architectural drawings of the cathedral.

Around 1181, Bishop Heinrich I wanted an even more beautiful cathedral. So, they started rebuilding, adding new Gothic architecture styles from northern France. Between 1200 and 1228, they replaced the old Romanesque vaults with stronger Gothic ones. This allowed for thinner walls and bigger windows.

The Gothic style also appeared in the statues, like the famous Pillar of the Angels. From 1240 to 1274, the main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt in Gothic style. It was made much taller, reaching 27 meters, with beautiful stained glass windows.

Rayonnant Additions (1277–1439)

Gerlach von Steinbach: Drawing 5, a 1360s design for the west facade. The largest and most ornate surviving original architectural drawing of the cathedral. Height 405 cm (159 in), width 86 cm (34 in).

1277 plan for west front (Plan Riss B restitution)
The different stages of the completion
View of the cathedral in 1493
Construction of Strasbourg Cathedral, by Théophile Schuler, 1850

The next big project was rebuilding the front of the cathedral in Gothic style. Work began on May 25, 1277. The new design was inspired by French cathedrals. It featured a tall, wide front with many decorative elements. The plan was to have two tall spires, but only one was ever built.

Architects like Erwin von Steinbach and his family made big contributions. Later, Ulrich Ensingen and Johannes Hültz finished the single, tall tower and spire. The entire construction of the cathedral was completed in 1439.

The north tower was the world's tallest building from 1647 until 1874. Today, its unique single tower makes the cathedral a famous landmark of Alsace. From the observation deck, you can see for 30 kilometers!

Later History

Emperior Charles V visits the cathedral in 1552. Behind him is the portal of Saint Laurent.
Interior of the cathedral, c. 1617
Exterior of cathedral in 1617
Interior of the cathedral (1625–30)
The cathedral in 1644

In the late Middle Ages, Strasbourg became a Free Imperial City. In 1524, the city council made the cathedral a Protestant church. Some parts of the building were damaged during this time.

In 1681, France took over Strasbourg. The cathedral was then returned to the Catholic Church. Its inside was changed to fit Catholic worship. For example, the old choir screen was removed in 1682.

The French Revolution and 19th Century

Notre Dame of Strasbourg turned into a Temple of Reason during the French Revolution
Strasbourg cathedral in 1837 with an optical telegraph
Strasbourg and the cathedral in 1869 (photo by Charles David Winter [fr])
The cathedral in 1885

During the French Revolution (starting in 1789), church property was taken by the state. Many statues on the cathedral were damaged or destroyed. Luckily, some were saved by being covered up. In 1794, people even planned to tear down the spire! But citizens saved it by putting a giant tin hat on top.

Seven church bells were melted down to make cannons. In November 1793, the cathedral was called a "Temple of Reason." It wasn't returned to the church until 1801. The French state still owns it today.

Major repairs and changes happened in the 19th century. The roof was set on fire during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870–71. After the war, Alsace became part of Germany until 1918.

20th and 21st Century

In the early 1900s, engineers worked to strengthen the cathedral's foundations. This big project finished in 1926. In 1918, Strasbourg became part of France again.

During World War II, the cathedral was very important to both sides. Its beautiful stained glass windows were removed and hidden in a salt mine for safety. They were returned after the war. The cathedral was hit by bombs in 1944, but repairs were completed by the early 1990s.

In 1988, Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral. In 2000, a plan to bomb the nearby Christmas market was stopped by police. Restoration work on the tower was finished in 2006.

Outside the Cathedral

The West Front

The west front

The west front is the main entrance of the cathedral. It was built between 1275 and 1399. It has three levels: the main doors, a large rose window, and a top level with a railing. The rose window is 14 meters wide and was finished in 1345. The front is covered in delicate, lacelike stone decorations, making it look very tall and grand. Its dark red stone gives it a special look.

West Portals

The west portals
Tympanum of the central portal
Tympanum of the left portal
The foolish Virgins (left portal)

The cathedral has three main doors, called portals. Each one has a special theme. The left portal shows the birth of Christ. The central portal tells the story of Christ's life and death. The right portal shows the Last Judgement. The statues on these portals are very detailed and show many emotions.

Portal of Saint Lawrence (North Transept)

Martyrdom of Saint Laurent
The portal of Saint-Laurent, on the north transept
The three Kings with the Virgin Mary and child
Original statues in the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame

The Portal of Saint Lawrence was added to the north side of the church between 1495 and 1505. It has a very fancy, late Gothic style. Most of the statues you see there today are copies; the originals are in the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame.

Portal of the Virgin (South Transept)

The death of the Virgin Mary
Portal of The Virgin (south transept)
Lintel decoration – Mary ascends to Heaven
Sundial (1493)

The south portal, or Portal of the Virgin, dates back to the 1220s. It shows the Virgin Mary dying and being crowned by Christ. This portal also has a colorful clock with zodiac signs and an old sundial from 1493. Like other portals, many original statues are now in the museum.

Octagon Bell Tower and Spire

General view
Lower portion of octagonal tower and spire
The octagonal tower and spire (remote view)
The spire
Top of the spire

The cathedral was meant to have two towers on its front, but only the north one was built. This eight-sided tower was started in 1399 and finished with its spire in 1439. The tower is very tall and slender. It has many openings that let light in and show the bells. The spire above is made of eight detailed sections, with a stairway inside leading to the top.

Crossing Dome and Chevet

Photograph, circa 1850 (flopped image)
The Klotz designed crossing dome over the transept
The crossing dome being built, 1878 or 1879
Romanesque vaults beneath the Klotz crossing dome
The Romanesque chevet

The dome sits where the main parts of the church meet. It has eight sides and was built around 1330. The current, taller dome was designed in the 1800s after the original was damaged.

The chevet, at the back of the cathedral, has parts from the very old Romanesque church. It's the least decorated side and looks a bit like a medieval fortress. Two small chapels, for Saint Andrew and Saint John the Baptist, are attached to this end.

Inside the Cathedral

Narthex

The narthex of the cathedral and massive pillars supporting the tower, seen from the central nave
Interior of the narthex, looking down
Interior of the narthex, looking up
Inside of west front doors, with blind rose window and column-statue of St. Peter

The narthex is the entrance area just inside the main doors. It has two huge pillars that support the tower above. The most striking feature is the large rose window, added between 1320 and 1340. It has yellow glass rays like the sun, surrounded by green and blue patterns.

Stained Glass of Narthex

The rose window in the narthex
Detail of the rose window
The creation of Adam and Eve (Narthex) (1280–1345)

The windows in the narthex show scenes from the Book of Genesis, like the creation of Adam and Eve and Noah's ark. These windows are from about 1345.

Nave

The Nave, looking toward the apse
The three levels of the nave; arcades and collateral aisles (bottom); triforium, and upper windows
Side of the nave and collateral aisle
Northern collateral

The nave is the main part of the church where people sit. It is 61.5 metres (202 ft) long and 32.616 metres (107.01 ft) tall. Its reddish-brown color comes from the same sandstone as the outside. The nave has two rows of huge pillars, each made of many smaller columns. These columns reach up to support the high ceilings. The walls have three levels of windows, filling the space with light.

Nave Stained Glass - The Emperor Windows

A set of "Emperor" windows, (Otto I, Otto II, Otto III, Conrad II, Henry III)
The head of Charlemagne
Emperors Philip of Swabia, Henry IV, Henry V, Frederick II
Henry II of Bamberg, with head remounted on earlier body (1522)

On the north side of the nave, you'll find some of the oldest stained glass in the cathedral, from around 1180. These "Emperor Windows" show nine Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Each emperor holds a scepter and an orb, symbols of their power. Some windows are a mix of glass from different times. The small round windows above the emperors show scenes from the life of Christ.

The upper windows of the nave, from 1250 to 1275, show 84 saints. On the south side, some windows show female saints, while others show soldiers, popes, and bishops.

Pulpit

Pulpit by Hans Hammer (1485)
Detail of the pulpit sculpture
Detail of the pulpit
The dog of the preacher Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg, on the steps, mourning his master

The pulpit, where preachers speak, was carved in 1485. It's very fancy, covered with small columns, arches, and statues of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and saints. There's even a small statue of a dog on the stairs, mourning his master, a famous preacher named Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg.

The Grand Organ

Musician angel decorating the organ
The buffet of the organ
Animated mechanical figure of Samson and a lion

The grand organ is high up on the north wall of the nave. It has been rebuilt many times since 1260. The current organ was largely built by André Silbermann in 1716. It's beautifully decorated with sculptures, including a moving figure of Samson opening a lion's jaws! The organ has 47 different sounds and many pipes.

The cathedral also has two smaller organs: one in the choir and one in the crypt.

North Transept

The baptismal font by Jost Dotzinger (1453)
Judgement of Solomon window in north transept (late 12th c.)
Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist (3rd quarter of 12th century), left window of north transept
North transept rose window

The transept and the apse are a bit higher than the nave because they are built over the old Romanesque crypt. The north transept has old Gothic vaults and windows. The windows show scenes like the "Judgement of Solomon" and figures like the Virgin Mary and Saint John. The north transept also holds two baptismal fonts from 1453.

South Transept

Pillar of the angels
Angel with a trumpet
The man on the balustrade (south transept)

The south transept is home to the famous Pillar of Angels. This huge pillar supports the ceiling and is covered with statues. It shows scenes from Christ's life and the Last Judgement. There are angels with trumpets and statues of the four Evangelists. The rose windows in this area were made between 1230 and 1235.

Astronomical Clock

The Astronomical Clock
Multiple faces of the clock -stars and hours
One face of the clock -signs of the zodiac
Moving figures of the clock

The astronomical clock, located in the south transept, is one of the cathedral's most amazing features. The first clock was here from 1352 to 1500. The current clock was built between 1837 and 1842.

This clock is 18 meters tall and shows much more than just the time! It tells the solar time, the day of the week (each with a god from mythology), the month, the year, the zodiac sign, the moon's phase, and the positions of several planets. It even has a celestial globe that shows 1,022 stars!

At 12:30 PM every day (except Sundays), mechanical figures come to life. Angels ring bells and turn an hourglass. Figures representing the ages of life (from child to old man) parade in front of Death. Finally, the Apostles pass in front of Christ.

Apse

The choir and apse of the Cathedral
The apse, with the Virgin of Alsace window (1956)
Crowning of Mary, by Eduard Steinle in the vault of the apse
The main altar

The apse is the rounded area behind the main altar. It has a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles, with 19th-century paintings. The main altar is a recreation of an older one. The stained glass window in the center of the apse, showing the Virgin of Alsace, was a gift from the Council of Europe in 1956.

The Chapel of Saint Catherine

The Chapel of St. Catherine is in the southwest part of the cathedral. It was built between 1830 and 1839. Inside, you can see a sculpture of the Mother Mary holding Christ. There's also a modern stained glass window called "the stained glass window of a hundred faces." A special item here is a toe bone of Alphonse-Marie Eppinger, placed in the chapel in 2016.

Chapel of Saint John the Baptist

Canon Conrad de Bussnang praying to Virgin and Child. (15th c.)
Detail of Virgin and Child
The chapel as it appeared in the 14th century (19th-century engraving)
Tomb of Bishop Conrad de Lichtenberg (1310–20)

The Chapel of Saint John the Baptist is to the left of the apse. It's one of the oldest parts of the cathedral, built around 1170 and rebuilt in Gothic style in 1230. It holds the tombs of important bishops from the 1300s and 1400s.

Chapel of Saint Andrew

Statue of Virgin and a processional banner, in the Chapel of St. Andrew

The Chapel of Saint Andrew is on the southeast side, to the right of the apse. It was built shortly after 1150. This chapel is dedicated to the memory of six canons (church officials) buried there. It also has a sculpture of the Virgin Mary from 1521.

Crypt

The larger crypt (12th c.)
Capital of a crypt column, with monsters

The cathedral has two Romanesque crypts, which are the oldest parts of the building. The newer one is from about 1150, and the older one, under the apse, is from around 1110–1120. They have rounded stone ceilings supported by huge pillars. Some pillars even have carved monsters and lions!

Bells

The hour bells visible in the tower

The bourdon, the largest and deepest-sounding bell

In 1519, Strasbourg Cathedral ordered a huge bell, said to be the largest in Europe. It weighed 20 tons! But it cracked soon after. An older bell, the "Totenglock" (Death bell), became the largest. It weighs 7.5 tons and was made in 1447. It's still there today.

During the French Revolution, nine bells were melted down for cannons. But the "Totenglock" and another bell, the "Zehrnerglock," were saved. More recently, six new bells were made in Germany between 1974 and 1976.

The four bells in the octagon tower ring on the hour. Other bells ring for weekly masses, baptisms, weddings, and funerals.

Tapestries

The cathedral has 14 tapestries that show the life of the Virgin Mary. They were made in Paris between 1638 and 1657. The cathedral bought them in 1739. These tapestries are usually hung in the nave during Advent.

Cathedral Art in Strasbourg Museums

Original wimperg of the façade in the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame
Original statues of the Tempter, the foolish Virgins and the wise Virgins from the right façade portal
Bust (c. 1500) by Nikolaus Hagenauer, probably from the former main altar of the cathedral
Parts of the original astronomical clock

The Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame (Museum of the Work of Notre-Dame) is near the cathedral. It displays many original sculptures and artworks from the cathedral. These include statues from the 13th century, like "The Church" and "The Synagogue." The museum also has early plans of the cathedral, paintings, and tapestries.

Other items from the cathedral, like parts of the first astronomical clock, are in the Musée des arts décoratifs de Strasbourg.

Important People

Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg, preacher (1478–1510)
Matthäus Zell, preacher (1518–1523)
Caspar Hedio, preacher (1523–1550)
Johann Conrad Dannhauer, priest (1633–1666)
Philipp Jakob Spener, preacher (1663–1666)
Franz Xaver Richter, music director (1769–1789)
Ignaz Pleyel, music director (1783–1795)

Burials

Conrad de Lichtenberg

Cathedral Size

Flying buttresses on the southern side of the cathedral

The square and façade from the observation deck. Rue Mercière joins the square from the southwest in this view

Here are some measurements of the cathedral:

Total length: 112 m (367 ft)
Height of spire: 142 m (466 ft)
Height of observation deck: 66 m (217 ft)
Inside height of main nave: 32 m (105 ft)
Inside width of main nave: 16 m (52 ft)
Width of west front: 51.5 m (169 ft)
Diameter of west front rose window: 13.6 m (45 ft)

Furnishings

Over the years, some of the cathedral's original features have been lost due to wars or changes in style. However, many treasures still remain inside. Other pieces, or parts of them, are now shown in the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame.