Located in the Alsace region, the city of Mulhouse derives its name from a water mill that its original inhabitants erected in order to take advantage of the area's susceptibility to flooding. This ingenuity has continued throughout the ages, and Mulhouse has a long, industrial past, where the textiles and manufacturing industries have thrived. Annexed by Germany during World War II, the city was bombed very heavily by the Allies and was extensively rebuilt in subsequent years. Therefore, not much of the original architecture remains of the town, save for some notable examples in the historic quarter.
The vielle ville of Mulhouse is the historic heart of the city. Climb to the top of the Temple St-Etienne to take in a panoramic view of the surrounding area. When you're ready to sit down with a coffee or a beer, stop at one of the sidewalk cafés on the rue du Sauvage. Stroll through the place de la Réunion to see the city's tall, narrow medieval buildings. The gabled, 16th-century Hôtel de Ville is a fine example of Rhenish Renaissance architecture. Nearby, and worth seeing, are the Maison Mieg and the Pharmacie aux Lys. For the gourmand, take a trip to the covered Marché du Canal, where local produce and artisanal products are displayed.
With a nod to the city's industrial past, Mulhouse is home to two fine museums. The Cité de l'Automobile is the national museum dedicated to the car. The museum's permanent, Schlumpf Collection, houses over 300 models of autos, ranging from early to very modern cars, including big names such as Ferrari and Bugatti. The other museum is the Cité du Train, the French railway museum. This museum has full-scale re-creations of old world rail transport, including a completely restored station interior and diorama scenes inside real trains. Further industrial museums in the city include a textile museum, an electricity museum, and one dedicated to printing.
