Strasbourg Cathedral

Built of pink Vosges sandstone that shifts from pale pink to deep red as the light changes, Strasbourg has a single spire, 466 feet high, that made it the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874. The lopsided silhouette, one tower and one spire, is unforgettable over the old town's roofs. Climb about 330 steps to the viewing platform beneath the spire. The nave is free, while the platform and the astronomical clock are ticketed separately; the clock's full animated show runs at 12:30pm, so arrive early for a place.