Construction of the first building 1902 (≈ 1902)
First phase by Ludwig Levy.
1911
Completion of second building
Completion of second building 1911 (≈ 1911)
Administrative extension of the complex.
5 septembre 1996
Partial registration for Historic Monuments
Partial registration for Historic Monuments 5 septembre 1996 (≈ 1996)
Protection of facades and interior decorations.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs on streets, courtyards and passages in their original state; inside: entrance hall, main and secondary stairs with corresponding stairwells; Original elements of the first floor (main floor): vaulted corridors and office access doors (Box 81 16): inscription by order of 5 September 1996
Key figures
Ludwig Levy - Architect
Designer of both buildings (1902, 1911).
Origin and history
The administrative prefecture of the Grand Est region and Bas-Rhin, located in Strasbourg, is an emblematic building built in two phases, in 1902 and 1911. These buildings were designed by the German architect Ludwig Levy to centralize the administrative services of the Reichsland of Alsace-Lorraine, then under German domination. Unlike the other official buildings of the ancient Kaiserplatz, this complex adopts a sober neo-baroque style, with carved allegories of Clio (museum of history) and Justice adorning the central forebody. The interior preserves a large part of its original decorations, including monumental entrances, stairs and some halls.
Partly listed as historical monuments since 5 September 1996, the building protects its facades, roofs, entrance halls, stairs and elements of the first floor. Originally, these two ministerial buildings were to bring together scattered administrations, reflecting the German will to effectively organize the Alsatian-Lorrain territory. After 1918, they were reassigned to French services, retaining their administrative function until today.
The reduced architecture and iconography of the building contrast with the fascination of other strasbourgeois imperial buildings of the time. The interior decorations, such as the vaulted corridors and the doors of the first floor offices, bear witness to Prussian administrative rigour. The site, now open to the public for its prefectural functions, remains a symbol of the political and cultural transitions that Alsace experienced in the 20th century.
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