The noble house of Rohan

The Rohan were nobles from Brittany. 4 of them became prince-archbishops of Strasbourg. More info here. 

Couldn't find out who the dude is on the photo, I can only suppose he is one of them.
 

Ponts Couverts

A part of the 13th century fortifications in the Petite France area.
 

Il Castello

Il Castello Sforzesco, the 15th century home of the Sforza family, the Dukes of Milan. Milan(o) is an excellent place to be!
 

Gerwerstub

The old tannery workshop, since 1572, a protected historical monument since 1927. A restaurant nowadays in the Petite France area.
 

Little lace street

Petite rue des dentelles. No lacemakers here, it is the corruption of an old medieval German name, Spitze, meaning lace or angle.
 

Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan's place

The Prince-archbishop de Rohan's palace, built in 1732. Just next to the cathedral. And to the free public toilet. More about it here.
 

Istanbul

A view of the old Galata tower in Istanbul.
 

Place du Marché Neuf

Or New Market Square, minutes away from the cathedral. The "new" market dates back to 1738 AD, until the late 19th century. Nowadays, it's a shady parking lot, with a nice fountain.

I keep wondering about the number of "Newmarkets" wordwide...
 

Typical

Typical houses in the old town. Most are dating back to the 15th century, some much older, as early as the late 13th (1298 AD).
 

Barrage Vauban

An old fortification around town, defending Strasbourg from the bad French or German armies, depending of the years/centuries... Photo taken last autumn.

More weekend reflections right... here

The French tower

Aka "tour des français". One of the 4 remaining fortification towers, built between 1230 and 1250 AD, to ward of the bad neighbors, French, Germans or others, depending of the year/century.
 

Saint Jean

St John church was a former monastery church. Built in 1477, and heavily damages during WW2, it is now home to a monastic fraternity (whatever this means. I saw a nun unlocking the door this morning). I love the simplicity of it!
A close-up of the lion above the entrance:

Raven's court

Actually the raven's courtyard. Ravenscourt is a tube station in London, from where I commuted daily for a few years. Well, couldn't resist, couldn't I!
Anyway, this is the Cour du Corbeau. An old inn, it became a hotel in 1528. Yeah, things are old here! This is the entrance to it, 57 rooms in a 4 stars hotel, a few minutes from the cathedral.

The medical bill, aka the oldest wine in the world

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the oldest barreled wine in the world, in the basement of the old hospital, in the city center. It was given to the hospital in payment of a medical bill in 1472, 544 years ago. Not much cash around those days.
And how does it taste???
It is a yellow wine, 9.4 ° alcool, It taste of Madeira and herbs.
It was drunk only 3 times, in 1576 (by some people of Zurich, as a thank for them bringing warm...porridge), 1718 (foundation of the "new" hospital) and 1944 (by french  General Leclerc, who delivered Strasbourg from the Germans. Not alone though; he had some guys helping him). Who will be next, and when??? Will it be you? If it's you, bring me some, pleeeeaaaaase!

The lighter barrel next to it is a young wine from 1525. No worries, you can buy some more ordinary, very affordable wines. These are 20.000 liter casks.

St Odile, a chapel

There is a big convent on top of Mount St Odile, the Hohenburg. St Odile, holy patroness of Alsace and of the blind or partially sighted, created it a while ago, around 680 AD. One of the later built chapels. I dont know who Eugenia was, but Leo (the 9th) was the only ever alsatian pope,

Classy!

So I went for a bit of shopping, to Karlsruhe, the next big German city, an hour away. Some nice buildings there... This is but a side entrance to the former palace of the local dukes, now a museum.

The 1776 BREXIT

Yes, they did it 240 years, exiting Great Britain (not the EU, lol!).
And 150 years ago, the first US general consulate opened in Strasbourg, adorned with a flag, with 36 stars and 13 stripes.
2 interesting documents about it, here, and also here, the latter from President Obama. Have a look!

St Paul

St Paul is a protestant church, built by the Germans 150 or so years ago, as their garrison church. The church has 14 entrances, one for each army corps... It is 70 meters tall, the 2nd tallest after the cathedral.
Some more skywatch photos here

Side streets

One of many side street in the Grand Rue area, with ah so lovely restaurants. The Grand Rue, or long street in alsacian, is the former roman highway leading to the Saverne garrison, 45 km away,  over 2000 years ago . How old are your streets???

Spitaltor

Right in the most central center of town, is the huge complex of the Hopital Civil. It's big, and it's old, very old. Legend says it was founded by Duke Attic (St Odile's father) in 675 AD. But the first written proof dates from 1119. Old. Nowadays, most existing building were built around 1718. On my photo, one of the entrances to the complex, the Spitaltor, or hospital gate. The chapel you see on the side is 'new': 1428.

Several other hospitals in Strasbourg, all of them much newer!