Place Kléber: the beating heart of the city
The largest square in the centre, lined by the Aubette and its abstract 1920s interiors, and every December the site of the great Christmas tree.
This is the square for meeting people, for demonstrations and for big gatherings: a wide stone rectangle at the north of the Grande Île, lined with shops, three minutes from the Homme de Fer stop where five tram lines cross.
The Aubette, the quiet treasure
The long classical building that closes the square to the north holds an abstract decorative scheme designed at the end of the 1920s by Theo van Doesburg, Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Jean Arp. Covered over for decades, then restored, it is free to visit and stays unknown to most visitors, who walk past without looking up.
In December, everything changes
The square takes the Grand Sapin, the great Christmas tree, some thirty metres tall, along with the Village du Partage. It is the densest point of the whole Christmas market: superb on a weekday at opening, punishing on a Saturday afternoon. Our page on the great tree covers the lighting times.
The rest of the year
Little architectural interest in itself: it is a place of passage and commerce, useful for getting your bearings and for reaching the cathedral in five minutes along the rue des Grandes-Arcades.
Sources: Google Maps data collected in July 2026 (rating, reviews, address), City of Strasbourg notices. Hours and prices change: check the day before you visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see on the place Kléber?
Where is the great Christmas tree in Strasbourg?
Théo Lindner
Théo grew up between Strasbourg and the Vosges. He walks every route before publishing it, times every leg, and would rather cut a stop than pretend a day is longer than it is.
