Barrage Vauban.

© takehanx/Shutterstock

Barrage Vauban

Strasbourg


A triumph of 17th-century engineering, the Barrage Vauban bears the architectural imprint of the leading French military engineer of the age – Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. The dam has been restored to its former glory and is now free to visit. Ascend to the terrace for a tremendously photogenic view that reaches across the canal-woven Petite France district to the Ponts Couverts and cathedral spire beyond.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Strasbourg attractions

1. Ponts Couverts

0.07 MILES

The much-photographed Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges) have a trio of 13th-century towers.

2. Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain

0.09 MILES

This striking glass-and-steel cube showcases an outstanding fine-art, graphic-art and photography collection. Besides modern and contemporary works of the…

3. Petite France

0.14 MILES

Criss-crossed by narrow lanes, canals and locks, Petite France is where artisans plied their trades in the Middle Ages. The half-timbered houses,…

4. River Ill

0.42 MILES

The leafy paths that shadow the River Ill and its canalised branch, the Fossé du Faux-Rempart, are great for an impromptu picnic or a romantic stroll.

5. Château Musée Vodou

0.43 MILES

Housed in a striking 19th-century water tower, this one-of-a-kind museum apparently showcases the world's largest private collection of West African…

6. Grande Île

0.44 MILES

History seeps through the twisting lanes and cafe-rimmed plazas of Grande Île, Strasbourg's Unesco World Heritage–listed island bordered by the River Ill…

7. Grande Mosquée de Strasbourg

0.44 MILES

Designed by Italian architect Paolo Portoghesi and opened in September 2012, France's biggest mosque (accommodating 1500 worshippers) sits on a bend in…

8. Place Gutenberg

0.49 MILES

This square is dominated by the Renaissance-style Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce).