The 'Cité' district

A visit to Mulhouse would not be complete without wandering through the narrow streets of the district known as the Cité and admiring the picturesque houses and gardens.

The workers´ housing development was built upon the initiative of a group of philanthropic factory owners in the 19th century to accommodate the many labourers who worked in the town´s textile factories.

The houses are identical throughout the Cité : family villas with a garden. The housing development was a something of a revolution, as for the very first time, people from the working classes were able to become homeowners thanks to a monthly mortgage-type system of payment.