Palais Rohan

The Palais Rohan stands beside Strasbourg's cathedral, facing the Ill river, and is the finest example of French classical architecture in Alsace. It was built between 1731 and 1742 for Cardinal Armand Gaston de Rohan, one of the prince-bishops of Strasbourg, to plans by Robert de Cotte, chief architect to Louis XIV and Louis XV. The Rohan family were among the most powerful in France, and the palace was designed as a show of rank, with a monumental courtyard and an elegant facade overlooking the river. Strasbourg had become French only in 1681, and the building expressed the new royal authority as much as the family's wealth.

The palace received many illustrious guests. Louis XV stayed here in 1744, Marie-Antoinette was welcomed here on her way to marry the future Louis XVI in 1770, and Napoleon visited in 1806 with Josephine. A later Cardinal de Rohan, Louis René, became notorious for his role in the Diamond Necklace affair, which damaged the reputation of the French court in the 1780s.

Today three museums share the building, and the arrangement is simple. On the ground floor the Musée des Arts Décoratifs occupies the former apartments of the prince-bishops, known as the Grands Appartements. These rooms contain the King's Bedchamber, richly painted ceilings and wall hangings of silk, along with a series of gilded salons and carved overdoors. The collections include clocks, furniture, silverware and the famous faience made in Strasbourg by the Hannong family. The Musée des Beaux-Arts on the upper floor presents European painting from the Middle Ages to about 1870, with works by Giotto, Botticelli, Rubens and Goya. In the vaulted cellars, the Musée Archéologique shows the region's past from prehistory through the Roman period and early Middle Ages.

The visit works as three separate museums in one, so you can choose your focus or spend an afternoon. The interior rooms feel intimate in comparison with the grand facade, and they are a good place to escape crowds on a busy day around the cathedral. The courtyard itself is open for photographs.

The palace suits art lovers, those interested in the eighteenth century and travellers looking for a quieter alternative to the cathedral. It is within walking distance of Petite France, the Musée Alsacien and the Place Kléber. Check the opening hours and admission price before you go, because the museums keep their own schedules and are closed on Tuesdays.