[1] Aside from the Imperial Quarter of Metz, the Neustadt district of Strasbourg contains the most complete and best-preserved examples of urbanism under the German Empire.

In Germany itself, the comparable districts of such cities often suffered the bombardment by Allied forces in the Second World War.

The Neustadt district was created by the Germans during the Reichsland period (1871–1918) to serve as a new city center.

In order to gain the necessary space, several belts of fortifications, mostly dating from the years 1519–1552, and 1630–1681, were torn down; remains of these are found with each archaeological excavation in the area.

At the end of the 19th century, at the same time as a new building material, reinforced concrete, a new and better defined style appeared as well: Art Nouveau.