The royal apartments
Rooms that lodged kings and emperors, furniture in place — the full eighteenth century.
Radek Kucharski — CC BY 2.0 · JoachimKohler-HB — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) — CC BY-SA 3.0 · FrDr — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Palais Rohan is Strasbourg's eighteenth-century masterpiece: built by the powerful Rohan prince-bishops on the Ill's bank right beside the cathedral, in the manner of the great Paris palaces — 'the Alsatian Versailles', it was said. Kings and emperors from Louis XV to Napoleon lodged here. Its value today is three museums on one building's ticket system: Decorative Arts on the ground floor, where the royal apartments keep their furniture and Strasbourg's famous faience; Fine Arts above, with Raphael, Goya and the school of Rembrandt; Archaeology in the cellars, with Alsace's finds from its earliest ages. The pairing of grand apartments with an archaeological vault makes the visit unusually varied for a palace — and its river façade is one of the city's finest sights from the tour boats.
Rooms that lodged kings and emperors, furniture in place — the full eighteenth century.
The famous coloured ceramics — Alsace's proudest craft.
Prehistoric and Roman Alsace beneath the palace floor.
2 Place du Château, 67000 Strasbourg
Museum of Decorative Arts, StrasbourgA museum on the ground floor of the Palais Rohan, combining two halves: the stat1 minute walk4.3
Strasbourg Archaeological MuseumAn archaeology museum in the basement of the Palais Rohan, among the most import1 minute walk4.0
Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-DameThe 'Œuvre Notre-Dame' is the foundation that has built and repaired the cathedr1 minute walk4.6
Strasbourg CathedralFor more than two centuries Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building on ear2 minutes walk4.7
Historical Museum of StrasbourgThe Historical Museum tells Strasbourg's story from the Middle Ages: in a sixtee2 minutes walk4.4For the general visitor: Decorative Arts first — the royal apartments are the 'palace' you came for. Add Fine Arts if paintings are your thing, or Archaeology if someone with you tires of paintings. All three only for a genuine museum glutton.
Four Rohans in succession were prince-bishops of Strasbourg in the eighteenth century — one of France's most powerful and richest families, wanting a seat fit for a court rather than a bishopric. The last was entangled in the famous Diamond Necklace Affair that helped usher in the Revolution.
The archaeology vault, yes — the look-don't-touch apartments wear them down. With kids: archaeology, then out to the river and the boat tour from the neighbouring quay.