Strasbourg, located on the Franco-German border, is often called the capital of Europe due to the seat of the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. But Strasbourg is also a medieval Old Town inscribed on the UNESCO list and one of the largest cathedrals from this period, which until 1874 was the tallest building in the world.
Strasbourg was founded in Roman times at the intersection of trade routes and this is where its name comes from. Since the Middle Ages, like the whole of Alsace, it was the site of a continuous Franco-German territorial dispute, which ended only after World War II. Since then, the city has been recognized as a symbol of reconciliation between these nations and European cooperation, which emphasizes the location of important European Union institutions here.
The old town of Strasbourg is located on the island of Grand Ile surrounded by canals. Its main monument is the monumental, Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral with a 142 m high tower and astronomical clock. Around it are narrow streets with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Typical of Alsatian cities and towns is also the Petite France district, which was once inhabited by fishermen and gravediggers. There are half-timbered houses of the 16th and 17th century above the water, in which currently operate hotels, guesthouses and restaurants.
