🏛️ Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt
Medieval and imperial urban planning on the Rhine
📋 Fast Facts
- Two distinct urban districts inscribed as a single World Heritage Site
- Grande-Île: medieval island core with winding streets and half-timbered architecture
- Neustadt: German-planned imperial quarter (1871–1918) with Haussmann-style boulevards
- Located in the Alsace region on the Ill River in northeastern France
Strasbourg's UNESCO-inscribed historic center comprises two contrasting urban zones that document distinct chapters of European city planning. The Grande-Île, situated on an island formed by the Ill River, preserves the fabric of a medieval trading town with narrow streets, timber-framed houses, and defensive walls. The Neustadt, developed primarily between 1871 and 1918 under German administration, represents a systematically planned imperial quarter with wide avenues, monumental public ...