Strasbourg – the German-French European city.

Prismma | 28 July 2011 | 6 Comments

Among the endless list of places to see in Europe, the one that I recently visited is Strasbourg. I have been there earlier too, but every time I go, my love for this place only increases. There are many things one can share about this place. However, I would like to view it from a design perspective.

Strasbourg is a small town in France right across the border with Germany.

Strasbourg is currently the seat of several European nations as it houses the European parliament. It is the capital city of the Alsace region in France. After being claimed several times by its neighbouring countries, Strasbourg is a part of France. But the old town area of Strasbourg displays a beautiful fusion of German and French cultures.

This is evident right from the central railway station. While the inner facade was built by the Germans, the new exterior facade was built by the French. The beauty of this is that, the inner architectural facade appears as a reflection on the newly built glass facade.

As I stood admiring one of the buildings that had a strong German influence, I was told by a gentleman that if we take an aerial look of Strasbourg and divide it into concentric circles, every alternate circle displays the traditional German culture and outlook with picturesque half-timbered houses, while the others represent true French look.

As I walked through the cobbled streets, I spotted lovely buildings with architectural details and trompe-l-oeil work on them.

Trompeloeil in French means tricking the onlookers eyes. These are three dimensional paintings done to create optical illusions in order to make the details look real.

On the other side, I could see the some beautiful half timbered houses with brightly coloured windows and beautifully decorated window boxes and sils.

Most of these streets have many cafes lined up with pickled wooden seats to relax. Pickling is a faux finish where a new furniture piece is be made to look old and used.

Picturesque streets in vibrant colours and beautiful houses provides for all that your eyes desire.

The Maison des Tanneurs is a beautifully decorated restaurant with a lovely view of the green water.

This restaurant is not only famous for its decor, but also for its Alsacian delicacies.

Strasbourg is an eclectic blend of classic French baroque style and German Wilhelmian architecture.

One must not miss the famous sandstone cathedral in pure Gothic style. Beautiful both from outside and inside, this is a must see in Strasbourg.

This cathedral is mainly visited for its famous astronomical clock, glass paintings and its architectural features.

All in all, my memories of Strasbourg is about black and white timbered houses with beautifully decorated window sills.

Fresh flowers, Green water, cobbled streets with cafes and good food.

indian design blogger Vasudha Narasimhan is a fun loving person who has a great passion for the most creative things in life. She did a 2 year Diploma in Interior Design from Ireland and is now a freelancer. She also teaches at various design institutes and conducts workshops on specific design concepts.