The Clock of Strasbourg
The secrets of the Alsatian alchemist
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
The astronomical clock of Strasbourg Cathedral is a Renaissance masterpiece. An Alsatian alchemist is said to have encoded formulas in its mechanisms that even the clockmakers did not understand. The secret hides among the gears.
Behind the most complex clock in the world, an alchemist hid his ultimate work
Strasbourg Cathedral was for two centuries the tallest building in the world. Its astronomical clock, built in the 16th century, calculates the positions of planets, eclipses, and moveable Church feasts with stunning precision. But its creators — the Habrechts, genius clockmakers — were not alone. An anonymous collaborator, whom the archives refer to as "the Adept," is said to have added elements to the mechanism whose function remains unexplained.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
« "Time only counts for those who cannot read it." »— — Inscription attributed to the Adept, astronomical clock, 16th century
The Clock of Strasbourg — time, science, and alchemy
The first astronomical clock of Strasbourg dates from 1354. It was replaced in 1574 by a far more ambitious mechanism, designed by the Habrecht brothers and mathematician Conrad Dasypodius. This new clock, 18 meters tall, is a mechanical marvel: it calculates planetary orbits, displays a perpetual calendar, and stages a parade of automata at noon.
The cathedral archives mention a mysterious figure — "the Adept of Strasbourg" — who collaborated with the Habrechts on certain elements of the mechanism. Alchemy, in the Renaissance, was not incompatible with science: Kepler himself practiced astrology. The Adept is said to have encoded in the gear ratios harmonic proportions linked to the alchemical Great Work.
The clock was restored by Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué between 1838 and 1842. Schwilgué, a self-taught genius, rebuilt the mechanism with precision surpassing the original. But he noted in his journals that certain 16th-century gears did not correspond to any known astronomical calculation — as if their function was something else entirely.
The Route
5 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Astronomical clock
Decipher the secrets of the most complex mechanism of the Renaissance.
Alchemical mystery
Follow the Adept's trail through the cathedral and Petite France.
Alsatian half-timber
Explore the picturesque lanes of Petite France along the water.
Panoramic view
Finish on the Vauban terrace with a breathtaking view of Strasbourg.
Time only counts for those who cannot read it.
Uncover the secret of Europe's most mysterious clock.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
From the astronomical clock to the Pillar of Angels, from Petite France to the Ponts Couverts — follow the Alsatian alchemist's trail in an escape game in the heart of medieval Strasbourg.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
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