The three towers
Thirteenth-century stone over the water — the oldest thing your eye touches in the city.
ignis — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ralf Roletschek — CC BY 3.0 · Flocci Nivis — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jonathan Martz — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Ponts Couverts are three bridges crossing the Ill's four arms at the entrance to Petite France, guarded by three square stone towers from the thirteenth-century city wall. The wooden roofs that named them came off three centuries ago — the name proved tougher than the timber. This was Strasbourg's fortified water gate: whoever wanted the city by river passed beneath the towers' archers. Today it is the loveliest pedestrian crossing — you walk it between timbered houses and rushing water, the dark-stoned towers overhead attesting the city's true age. They and the facing dam are an inseparable pair: walk the bridges, then climb the dam's roof behind them to see them whole in Strasbourg's most photographed image.
Thirteenth-century stone over the water — the oldest thing your eye touches in the city.
The river splitting beneath you, timbered houses on both banks.
Roofs gone three centuries, name intact — endearing Strasbourg stubbornness.
Ponts Couverts, 67000 Strasbourg
La Petite France'Little France' is the quarter Strasbourg gets photographed from: sixteenth- and1 minute walk4.7
Barrage VaubanThe Barrage Vauban is a stone bridge-dam built by Louis XIV's famous military en2 minutes walk4.7
Place Benjamin-ZixA small square in the heart of the Petite France, ringed by Alsatian houses with3 minutes walk4.6
Museum of Modern and Contemporary ArtA large museum of modern and contemporary art in a glass building on the bank of3 minutes walk4.5
Hôtel de RathsamhausenA historic town mansion near the Petite France, built for the noble Alsatian fam4 minutes walk4.4The wooden roofs sheltered defenders from arrows and rain; once artillery matured, timber became kindling rather than armour, and the eighteenth century took them off, leaving the bridges open as you see them.
The crossing is minutes — but the whole knot (bridges, dam, Petite France edges) makes the standard half-hour-to-hour finale of the quarter's walk.
No — long closed, exterior only. For climbing and views, the dam roof next door or the cathedral tower are the addresses.