A remarkable heritage: Strasbourg and its official designations

“Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt” are inscribed as a single entity on the UNESCO World Heritage List, in recognition of the Outstanding Universal Value of its architectural and urban heritage.

Grande-Île, which is characteristic of Rhineland Europe, and Neustadt, an imperial extension designed in the 19th century, together form a cohesive urban ensemble structured around the cathedral, a major masterpiece of Gothic art. This urban ensemble creates a unique cityscape shaped, composed and showcased by waterways. It is also characterised by Germanic and French influences that led to the creation of a unique urban space featuring elements from significant periods of European history.

In Strasbourg, Grande-Île, which is inseparable from the exceptional medieval cathedral, was added to the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1988. This listing was extended to include the Neustadt District in 2017. The "Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt" site now covers a total surface area of 182 hectares.

Strasbourg was designated a “City of Art and History” in 2014 by the French Culture Ministry.

As part of this designation, the city implements initiatives to raise the awareness of all types of audiences about its heritage, architecture and landscape. Being designated as a City of Art and History has also led to the organisation of mediation and discovery initiatives and of special events, tours, educational workshops and conferences.  “Rendez-Vous” events, part of the cultural programming of the 5e Lieu, are activities designed to enable groups of friends, families and individuals to explore Strasbourg.

The Eurometropolis is now aiming to expand the official designation to include all 33 towns of the local area.

The General Directorate of Heritage, which is part of the French Ministry of Culture, awards the designation “Cities and Regions of Art and History” to local governments leading local cultural projects relating to architecture, heritage and landscape. From ancient vestiges to contemporary architecture, these Cities and Regions highlight their heritage in all its diversity. A network of 204 cities and regions now offers you its know-how across the whole of France.

Close to Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Sélestat, the Val d’Argent region and the Guebwiller region have all been designated as “Cities and Regions of Art and History”.

In the shadow of Strasbourg Cathedral, the Œuvre Notre-Dame Foundation, which preserves the cathedral’s history, devotes its resources and expertise to safeguarding and promoting the building, on a daily basis.

In 2020, UNESCO recognised the expertise of the foundation and of 17 workshops in Europe by adding to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Register of Good Safeguarding Practices “Craft Techniques and Customary Practices of Cathedral Workshops, or Bauhütten, in Europe, know-how, transmission, development of knowledge and innovation”.

A joint application had been submitted by the workshops of Aachen, Bamberg, Basel, Dresden, Freiburg im Breisgau, Cologne, Linz, Lübeck, Mainz, Passau, Regensburg, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Soest, Strasbourg, Trondheim, Ulm, Vienna and Xanten.