Gutenberg Square

Named after one-time Strasbourg resident Johannes Gutenberg, who famously invented the movable-type printing press in 1439, Gutenberg Square remains an important commercial and navigational center of Strasbourg’s Old Town, strategically located close to the landmark Cathedral of Notre Dame. Today the square is best known as a meeting place, lined with cafes and restaurants, but a statue of the square’s namesake still takes prize place at its heart—designed by David d'Angers in 1840.  With many of its half-timbered buildings dating back to medieval times, Gutenberg Square is also celebrated for its striking architecture, most notably the Renaissance-style Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce) and the 16th-century Hotel de Commerce, from where writer Arthur Young watched the destruction of the magistrates' records during the Revolution. Gutenberg Square is also the center of many of the city’s seasonal festivities and events, hosting games and fetes during the summer months, a Christmas market and carousel over yuletide and a number of flea markets and book fairs throughout the year. 

Practical Info

Gutenberg Square is located on Strasbourg’s Grande Ile, just west of the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Maison Kammerzell.