Eleven million visitors a year. That’s how many people flock to Centre commercial Place des Halles. Can you believe it? This bustling hub wasn’t always a shopper’s paradise.
Centre commercial Place des Halles stands on the site of Strasbourg’s old train station. That station was later converted into a market hall. The current shopping center project began in 1969. Construction started in 1972. The Caisse d’Epargne tower was the first building completed in 1974. Sadly that same year the covered market was demolished despite protests from Strasbourg residents. The rest of the center was finished in 1979. Originally a cinema complex was planned but budget cuts cancelled those plans.
Today Centre commercial Place des Halles is a massive complex. It houses nearly 120 shops restaurants and services. There’s even a post office a pharmacy several banks a supermarket and a nightclub. It’s quite a complete city within a city. The complex also boasts office buildings residential apartments hotels and extensive parking facilities. This helped draw the city center northwards.
Did you know the McDonald’s here was the first in France? It opened in 1979. In 1994 the area was redesigned to improve pedestrian access. A contemporary art piece Woman walking to the Sky by Jonathan Borofsky was installed near the tram station. The interior was renovated in 1998. A unique astronomical Ungerer system displaying the Sun Earth and Moon was removed during that renovation.
The Caisse d’Epargne moved out in 2009. The tower was sold and completely renovated. More renovations happened in 2013. Trees plants and a fountain were added to create a more welcoming atmosphere. The entire complex offers a mix of old and new buildings. The tallest is the Tour Europe at 62 meters. The Centre commercial Place des Halles is a true testament to Strasbourg’s dynamic spirit. A lively place for locals and tourists alike. It’s the vibrant heart of the city. A place where history and modernity coexist.