Another side to Strasbourg

Monday
This morning, another gorgeous day, we returned to the cathedral, to climb up to the viewing platform at the base of the spire. We didnt do this on Saturday since the skies were grey and the light fairly poor. We got there before they opened, so were the first ones up, which was good, since that meant I could stop and take a breather without holding people up behind! We spent a while up there, picking out the different landmarks and taking photographs, then we went a circuitous route back to our hotel, taking in the Hotel de Ville, and Place de la Republique with its large impressive Gothic and Renaissance buildings, including the Theatre, the National Library and the Palais du Rhin shown in my blip., an outstanding landmark of 19th century Prussian architecture. 
After the Franco-Prussian War, Strasbourg, then German, was faced with the question of an official residence for the Kaiser. The decision was taken to create a building symbolic of Imperial power. Work began on March 22 1884 in honour of William I's 87th birthday, and construction took 5 years. Inaugurated by William II in August 1889, the palace housed the emperor for twelve visits until 1914. During the First World War the building was converted into a military hospital, then in 1923 passed to the French state, and today houses the department of fine arts and the national furniture of Alsace Lorraine.
We continued on to our hotel along the river, checked out of the hotel and set off in the car to explore a few other places, including Marmoutiers and Neuwiller-les-Saverne and finally another very picturesque village of Rosheim, with its beautiful Romanesque church and medieval entrance gates. I've enclosed an extra picture of Rosheim. After exploring the village, we found a salon de the and enjoyed a hot chocolate and a pastry before setting off back home