Palais Rohan

The Palais Rohan stands at 2 Place du Château on the Grande Île, directly beside the cathedral in Strasbourg, in the Alsace area of France's Grand Est region. Built in the 18th century to designs by Robert de Cotte for the Rohan family of prince-bishops, it is one of the finest classical palaces in France outside Paris, with a monumental courtyard facade and a riverside front on the Ill. Today it houses three of the city's municipal museums under one roof. The Archaeological Museum covers regional history from prehistory to the early Middle Ages. The Decorative Arts Museum occupies the former apartments of the bishops and later of visiting royalty, with ornate salons, tapestries, furniture and porcelain. The Fine Arts Museum shows European painting from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, including Italian, Flemish and French works. Visitors can walk through the grand state rooms, the library and the bedchamber, which give a feel of court life in the 1700s. A single ticket, about €7.50, normally covers the permanent collections, and entry is free for those under 18 and for everyone on the first Sunday of each month. The palace is closed on Tuesday and otherwise open about 10:00AM-6:00PM. Plan one to two hours per museum, so a focused visit to the apartments alone takes about an hour. Crowds are lightest on weekday mornings and heaviest on free Sundays and rainy afternoons. The palace also has a boat landing on the river used by Batorama, so the facade is easily photographed from the water. From the Place du Château, the courtyard framing of the cathedral spire above the roof makes a strong photograph. Hours and admission should be confirmed at musees.strasbourg.eu before visiting.