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onjour!
This newsletter is dedicated to Strasbourg, a particularly picturesque city. Originally known as
Argentorate, or ‘the fortress of the Goddess Argentia’ (associated with the moon), this Celtic
village was transformed sometime around 12 or 16 BC into a simple military camp by the Romans who
then renamed it Argentoratum. Its geographic location and its dynamism made for a highly desirable
area, thus it was torn apart and divided between Germany and France for years. After WWII, it was
finally returned for good to France where its heart had always belonged.
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The Island on the Silver River
The city center, particularly picturesque with its 15th and 16th century residences, is a small
island encircled by the river Ill. Strolling through this area is probably the best way to experience
the true atmosphere of Strasbourg. It is a delight to wander the narrow streets bordered by medieval
half-timbered homes built tightly together, with pointed roofs pierced by dormer windows. Notre-Dame
Cathedral, a magnificent monument, stands on a square in the middle of these old streets. The square,
however, is never protected from the wind. Legend has it that the devil heard of the construction and
fully expected his likeness to be represented in the cathedral. He asked the wind to take him there
and wait for him while he took a quick look inside. Finding no such effigy, he became enraged, and
stamped his foot on the ground so violently that a stained glass window sucked him up. And ever since
that day, the wind is still waiting for him on the square!
The Origin of the Cathedral
According to history, Clovis, King of the Franks, was behind the construction of a church dedicated
to the Virgin Mary at the exact location of the present-day cathedral. Clovis did not originally
share his Catholic wife Clothilde’s faith. She hoped her husband would convert to Catholicism. Clovis,
who wanted to extend his kingdom to what is today the Alsace region and Germany, attacked the Alamans
(a Germanic tribe) in Tolbiac, in 496. During a difficult fight where he invoked his gods to no avail,
he promised his wife’s God that he would get baptized, and build a cathedral in honor of the Virgin
Mary if he won this battle. Shortly thereafter, the King of the Alamans was mortally wounded by an
arrow. The Germanic soldiers, feeling abandoned by their gods, fled, and Clovis came out victorious
from this daunting encounter. True to his word, he was baptized Catholic in Reims, in 496, and the
construction of the cathedral began in 510.
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| Recipe
for May 2002 |
Flammenkücke |
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Cooking SOS ! If you
run into trouble with one of our recipes, send
an SOS e-mail to 911@francemonthly.com |
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| Notre-Dame Cathedral of Strasbourg |
The Notre-Dame cathedral that dominates the old city is a jewel of Gothic art, and probably the most
beautiful and famous monument in Alsace. Everything about this magnificent pink sandstone building
is a source of wonder. The construction of the "large pink angel", as the poet Paul Claudel called it,
took more than 2 centuries. The great doors are decorated with sculptures of biblical figures. The
rose window is 46 feet in diameter, and largely inspired by the northern great door of Notre-Dame of
Paris. This window is so finely detailed that it looks like lace. The spire, which soars 466 feet
towards the heavens, narrowly escaped demolition during the French Revolution, making the cathedral
the tallest building in the entire western world up until the 19th century. It is a remarkable
experience to climb the internal staircase to the top and take in the breathtaking view of Strasbourg.
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| The Pillar of Angels |
The truly amazing interior architecture of the cathedral, of course, reflects the many changing
design trends that occurred during the two centuries that it took to build it. The Pillar of Angels,
for instance, is a remarkable sight, as it appears to be so fragile yet magnificent with its
towering thin columns surrounded by three rows of statues. On the lower level are the four apostles
and their symbols: St Mark and the lion, St John and the eagle, St Matthew and the angel, and St
Luke and the ox. Above them, four angels sound their horns announcing the Last Judgment. On the
upper level is Christ, surrounded by three angels, carrying instruments of the Passion. Around 1250,
the artist who had sculpted this pillar was intrigued by a peasant who was contemplating his work
with disbelief and asked how such a thin pillar could possibly support such a structure. The artist
promised the peasant that he would be able to continue admiring his work until the day it collapsed.
This is why for seven centuries now, visitors can admire in the southern part of the transept, the
sculpture of a character leaning on his arms in the cantors’ gallery, smiling while tirelessly
admiring this very fragile-looking pillar.
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| The Astronomical Clock |
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Another treasure of the cathedral is the astronomical clock, begun in 1547. Truly an architectural
and technical feat, it is the result of a collaborative effort between a professor of mathematics,
a physician, a watchmaker and an artist. A variety of information is provided by the clock thanks
to the automatons at four different levels. At the first level, Greco-Roman divinities from antiquity
parade by every day, atop chariots, to mark the seven days of the week. Two cherubs with open wings
sit on both sides of the face of the clock on the upper level. The one on the left hits a gong
every quarter hour, while the one on the right holds an hourglass in his hands and turns it over
every hour. On the third level, the four ages of life, symbolized by a child, an adolescent, a
mature man and an elderly man, pass every quarter hour in front of death represented by a skeleton.
Finally, on the fourth level, we see Christ in front of whom the Apostles pass, bow, and receive
benediction, while a rooster spreads its wings and sings. Originally, this scene would mark the
twelve strokes of noon. However, in 1954, the priests became annoyed that the faithful would leave
before the end of mass to admire the clock, and postponed the "performance" until 12:30 pm.
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| The Market Place
and the Covered Bridges |
During Medieval times, it was on Market Square that suckling pigs were sold. It remains one of the
city’s more picturesque sites with its 17th and 18th century homes, the most famous of which is
located at Number 1, its chimney decorated with a most peculiar wind vane. It is neither a rooster,
nor the four cardinal points that are traditionally found perched atop French roofs, but a laced
boot. Legend has it that when Emperor Sigismund of Hungary visited the city in 1414, the ladies
invited him to a ball. However, having walked for miles in the snow, his boots were in terrible
shape. The ladies generously offered the Emperor a brand new pair of laced boots that they bought
at the bootmaker’s store located at Number 1, Market Square.
At this location, the Ill River divides itself into many tributaries. During the 12th century,
wooden bridges were built there, and reinforced by three solid towers that originally stood as
barriers to protect the city from possible invasions. These bridges were then covered with huge
steep roofs in the 16th century. The roofs were gone by 1784, and the wooden bridges were replaced
by stone ones between 1860 and 1870. But the towers remain, as a sign of a not-so-glorious past.
The “Executioner’s Tower” is made up of tiny cells where the convicted prisoners anxiously awaited
their fate. The names they engraved on the walls of the tower to kill time or to alleviate their
anxiety, are still visible today. The “Tower of the French” was visited by, among others, the
soldiers of King François I who were looking for trysts. Finally, the third tower, called the
"Tower of Chains", served as a temporary prison for the galley slaves waiting for their transfer
by river.
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| The Emblem of Alsace: The Stork |
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Storks have been a part of the Alsatian scenery for many centuries. Once very numerous, they would
return every year from Africa to announce the coming of spring in France. However it seemed they were
becoming an endangered species in recent years. Luckily, efforts were made to help the storks return
and establish their nests in the Alsatian trees and chimney stacks. This goal was well accomplished
as they now have returned more numerous than ever. Since the inception of stork parks, some never
leave, even during the winter months. They stay put all year long much to the delight of the Alsatian
population, as storks are the symbol of happiness and faithfulness. As everyone knows, it is the stork
that brings babies wrapped in bundles, firmly held in their beaks. Alsatian custom used to have a
child who wanted a little brother or sister place a piece of sugar on the window ledge to attract
the stork, in the hope it would leave the precious bundle in exchange for the treat.
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Invitation to Travel
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Medieval city par excellence, Strasbourg is also a modern and innovative city. It is here, in 1440,
that Gutenberg perfected printing, the new technique that would revolutionize the means of
communications. Immediately after WWII, in 1949, when the biggest western European nations agreed
on the need to create a European Union, Strasbourg was chosen to be the seat of the Council of
Europe, and a building was built for that purpose in 1950. Then, in 1976, the magnificent European
Palace was built to house the European Parliament. The two buildings are located in one of the most
beautiful parks of the city, the "Orangery Park". This park was designed in honor of a visiting
Empress Josephine, and is enjoyed today by many people out for a stroll. Another point of interest
not to be missed is the Human Rights Palace, built in 1964. You really must discover Strasbourg, a
city so picturesque, so rich in history, and yet so modern. It is also an excellent starting point
to travel the length of the Alsatian wine country, where the sight of vineyards high up on the side
of the Vosges mountains, and the tasting of light wines (in moderation) will surely delight you.
We highly recommend visiting this magnificent and charming city, as well as the beautiful surrounding
areas.
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