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Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame, Strasbourg | |
| A chance to see some of the original sculptures from the cathedral, up close. | ||
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The Oeuvre Notre-Dame is an organization that manages the construction and upkeep of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg. It also houses this impressive museum of Medieval and Renaissance art. The museum consists of several houses that date from the 14th to the 16th centuries. As you visit you'll be moving up and down stairs, along long corridors, and through large wooden doors, going to the 39 rooms that comprise the collections. You'll also get some lovely views of Strasbourg rooftops. The first rooms contain some of the original statues from the cathedral, now preserved. Most were removed and replaced early in the 20th century, to protect them from pollution. There are also some original stained glass windows, from the cathedral and other sacred spaces. It is wonderful to be able to admire the sculptures up close, since many of them are high up on the cathedral walls and hard to appreciate fully from a distance. And you will be face to face with some beautiful stained glass. One particularly impressive room is the meeting room of the stonemasons' guild, later referred to as the Lodge Room. It is believed that the cathedral's stonemasons worked there in the summertime. As you move through the museum you'll come to a courtyard, which contains a telescope focused on the spire of the cathedral, allowing visitors to look at some of the detail. I learned that there are eight small spiral staircases inside the spire! And don't miss the Medieval Garden, with its traditional plants. You'll get caught up in feeling like you've gone back in time, and then you'll realize that just over the wall are several modern restaurants and lots of people! Continuing the visit, there are rooms of art objects, including metalwork and pewter. Later sections focus on art from the Upper Rhine area from the end of the Middle Ages, and finally from the Renaissance to the end of the 17th century. Paintings, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, and other decorative items fill these rooms. The museum is a lush collection of art over seven centuries, displayed in beautiful old buildings. You can use your Strasbourg Pass for free or reduced admission to this museum. Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame Closed Mondays.
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Above, Emperor or King in Majesty, 12th century, formerly in Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg.
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