The Grande Île (French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃d il]; German: Große Insel; "Large Island") is an island located in the historic center of Strasbourg, France. Its name comes from the fact that it is surrounded on one side by the main channel of the Ill River and on the other side by the Canal du Faux-Rempart, a canal that is part of the same river. The Grande Île was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. At that time, the International Council on Monuments and Sites said that the Grande Île is "an old quarter that shows what medieval cities looked like." Strasbourg was the first city to have its entire city center listed as a World Heritage Site.

The Grande Île is sometimes called "ellipse insulaire" because of its oval shape. It measures about 1.25 kilometers (0.78 miles) long and 0.75 kilometers (0.47 miles) wide at its widest points. In the center of the island is the Place Kléber, the city's main square. Further south is Strasbourg Cathedral, the world's fourth-tallest church and a beautiful example of 15th-century Gothic architecture. At the western end of the island is the Petite France district, which was once home to the city's tanners, millers, and fishermen and is now a major tourist attraction. The Grande Île also includes the Ancienne Douane, a former customs house for river trade.

In addition to the cathedral, the Grande Île is home to four other old churches: St. Thomas, St. Pierre-le-Vieux, St. Pierre-le-Jeune, and St. Étienne. As the historical center of Strasbourg and the location of local government, it also contains several grand 18th-century buildings and palaces, including the Palais Rohan, the Hôtel de Hanau (now the City Hall), the Hôtel des Deux-Ponts (birthplace of Ludwig I of Bavaria and now the home of the city's military governor), the Hôtel de Klinglin, the Hôtel d'Andlau-Klinglin, and the Hôtel de Neuwiller, among others. The island also includes the Episcopal Palace of the Archdiocese of Strasbourg.

To honor the Grande Île's status as a World Heritage Site, 22 brass plates were placed on the bridges that lead to the island.

Gallery

• Front of Strasbourg Cathedral from Place de la Cathédrale
• Aerial view of Palais Rohan from the cathedral's platform
• Façade of the City Hall, which was once the Hôtel de Hanau-Lichtenberg
• Aerial view of St. Thomas' Church from across the Ill river
• Maison des Tanneurs and the Place Benjamin Zix in Petite France
• Panoramic view of the Place Kléber by night
• UNESCO World Heritage brass plate attached to the Corbeau bridge