Barrage Vauban, Strasbourg, France

The Barrage Vauban is a weir (barrier across a river designed to alter its flow) erected in the 17th century on the river Ill west of the 'Petite France' district in Strasbourg. It was constructed from 1686 to 1700 by the French Engineer Jacques Tarade according to plans by Vauban. Several stories high, it houses sculptures in its main level and a panoramical terrace on its roof.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Benjamin Delamarre (3 years ago)
This building has a nice rooftop that offers a view over the Petite France for free. You can access it only during the day by stairs or from elevator only if you have invalidation card. There's also free public restrooms in here which are really well maintained and clean. You can also read a few informations about the building here.

Marlon Dy (3 years ago)
Enjoyed the short walks and beautiful atmosphere. Love the picturesque view of the medieval timber houses & the little stores selling souvenirs. A few restaurants serving Alsacienne dishes. This is a must visit if ever you’re in Strasbourg. Love the City! Visit my ig #wandering_bears @wandering_bears

Igor Zubenko (3 years ago)
Very picturesque place for tourists. Nice kind-of-panoramic view on the old city fortifications and a real-time demonstration of how in reality channels with water gates work to allow ships travel between high and low waters. Plus interesting stories how water mills were used to create ice and much more. For shopping and restaurant this area is total failure though ;)

Martín Pizzi (3 years ago)
Very nice place to walk around. Old statues and sculptures inside. The view of the city is wonderful. Not many people visiting this place, the opposite of the little Venice. Recommended. Artists painting can be found sometimes.

Sophia Elise (3 years ago)
Beautiful, simple, and historic. Great for a short visit and walk. It also gives a great view of Strasbourg, and is free to enter. The World War 1 monument was particularly moving.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Giåm

Historic Site of the week

Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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