Tours · Strasbourg · Palace
Palais Rohan
A grand pink sandstone episcopal palace stretched along the river Ill, built to rival the finest mansions of Paris. Behind its calm facade hide gilded state apartments and three of Strasbourg's major museums.
About this place
The Palais Rohan was built between 1732 and 1742 for Cardinal Armand-Gaston de Rohan, prince bishop of Strasbourg, to designs by Robert de Cotte, first architect to King Louis the Fifteenth. The powerful Rohan family wanted a residence worthy of princes of the church, and the result is one of the finest pieces of eighteenth century architecture in France, rising on the Fronhof, the medieval site of the bishops' earlier residence. Over the years it welcomed Marie Antoinette, Napoleon and Josephine, and other crowned heads passing through the city. Since the late nineteenth century its state rooms and cellars have housed the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts, and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Key facts
- 1732 year — Construction of the episcopal palace began under Cardinal Armand-Gaston de Rohan
- 1742 year — The palace was completed after a decade of building work
- 3 museums — Major city museums now share the palace, covering archaeology, decorative arts, and fine arts
📍 Place du Château 2, 67000, Strasbourg