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Strasbourg Cathedral

Imagine a giant stone lace castle that was once the tallest building in the whole world!

Images

Strasbourg Cathedral

Strasbourg Cathedral

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Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral nave looking east- Diliff
Strasbourg cathedral
Astronomical Clock In Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral (cropped)
Strasbourg Cathedral Exterior - Diliff
Strasbourg Cathedral Astronomical Clock - Diliff
France Strasbourg Cathedral Wise virgins and Christ
Strasbourg Cathedral
France Strasbourg Cathedral Tympanum
Strasbourg, Cathedral of Our Lady

Key Facts

Location
Strasbourg, France.
Age
Construction started in 1015 and finished in 1439.
Height
142 meters (466 feet) tall.
Famous Fact
It was the world's tallest building for 227 years.

Meet the Giant Stone Castle!

Strasbourg Cathedral is like a super-tall, super-fancy building made of stone. It looks like a castle with pointy towers and lots of windows! It's in a city called Strasbourg in France. People have been looking at it and admiring it for hundreds and hundreds of years. It’s made of special reddish-brown stone that makes it look warm and inviting, like a giant gingerbread house made of rock!

How Long Did It Take to Build?

Building this amazing cathedral was a HUGE project! It started way back in the year 1015, which is a super long time ago, even before your grandparents' grandparents were born! It took many, many years, with lots of builders working on it.

They had to dig, lift heavy stones, and carve them into beautiful shapes. It was finally finished in 1439, which means it took over 400 years to build. That's longer than you'll be in school!

Taller Than a Giraffe Herd!

Guess what? For a super long time, Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building on Earth! It stood tall for 227 years, which is longer than anyone can remember. It’s so tall, it’s like stacking 30 school buses on top of each other! Even today, it’s still one of the tallest buildings from the Middle Ages. It’s so high, you can see it from far away, like looking across a big playground.

A Masterpiece of Stone

This cathedral is famous for its amazing stone carvings and its beautiful, colorful windows. It’s a special kind of building style called Gothic, which means it has tall, pointy arches and lots of delicate details, like a giant piece of stone lace. It’s so pretty that famous writers like Victor Hugo said it was a 'gigantic and delicate marvel.' It’s a special place that people visit from all over the world to see its beauty.

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Based on content from Wikipedia · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0