Anciennes glacières, Ice manufacturing plant in Petite France district, Strasbourg, France.
Anciennes Glacières is a former ice factory in the Petite France district with preserved late 19th-century industrial equipment. The complex comprises brick buildings housing three turbines, four compressors, and two alternators that worked together to produce ice and generate electricity.
The factory opened in 1897 and employed gas expansion and hydraulic turbines for artificial ice production through advanced freezing methods. After running for nearly a century, the facility closed in 1990 and was later converted into a hotel while keeping the original machinery intact.
The site shows how water power and industry shaped this neighborhood's character and daily rhythms. Visitors can observe how the machinery fills the brick buildings and grasp what role this factory once held in local life.
The site sits in the Petite France neighborhood along the Ill River canals and is easily accessible on foot. Since the buildings now house a hotel, visitors can see the exterior and some interior spaces where the preserved machinery remains on display.
The plant was originally powered by water from the river, showing how closely Strasbourg's industrial growth tied to its water resources. This blend of natural force and machine engineering made the factory an example of innovative energy use for its era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
