Strasbourg Cathedral

Strasbourg Cathedral (officially the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg) is quite a sight to behold. French poet and playwright Paul Claudel called the Gothic edifice a "pinky-red angel hovering over the city." Goethe declared it to be "composed of a thousand harmonizing details" and "like the most sublime, wide-spreading tree of God, proclaiming the glory of the Lord."

The site on which Strasbourg Cathedral stands was originally occupied by a Roman temple, then a Romanesque church that was built in 1015 and later destroyed by fire.

The present cathedral was completed in 1284, but the spire was not standing until 1439.

Unique in having no twin, the spire of Strasbourg cathedral was the tallest in Christendom for four centuries. Inside, several stained-glass windows were put into place between the 12th and 14th centuries, and these are especially beautiful as the sun shines into the cathedral.

The astronomical clock, a duplicate of the original, puts on a performance daily at 12:30 that is called the "twelve apostles parade." Be sure to watch for pickpockets while you watch the apostles.

A trip of 300 steps up the cathedral platform and provides a stunning panoramic view of Strasbourg.