An outstanding urban heritage: The blended influences of Grande-Île and the Neustadt
Strasbourg bears witness to the many influences that have changed the shape of the city over the ages, from the original Roman camp, through the mediaeval urban layout and up to the great city of the 19th and 20th centuries. They have also had a profound effect on its architectural heritage, with its strong Rhenish inspiration blending in with buildings of French influence and the historicist and eclectic architecture of the German period. Grande-Île and Neustadt together form an outstanding example of historically adventurous urbanism. The initial property, inscribed in 1988 on the World Heritage List, was formed by the Grande-Île, the historic centre of Strasbourg, structured around the cathedral. In July 2017, the extension concerns the Neustadt, new town, designed and built under the German administration (1871-1918). This extension sets out to document, protect and raise awareness of the exchanges of influences and the historical coherence of the city’s built environment. Throughout its long history, Strasbourg has successfully adopted successive legacies, while developing a strong identity of its own.