STRASBOURG
Country: France
Coordinates: 48° 35' 04" N
07° 44' 55" E
Altitude: 143 m
Area: 78,26 km2
Population: 272 800
Density of Population: 3 485/km2
Website: www.strasbourg.fr
Mayor: Fabienne Keller
Strasbourg is a city lying in the northeast of France at the borders with Germany. It is the capital of Alsace and is situated at the debouchment of the Ill and Rhine rivers. The name of Strasbourg comes from the name of Strateburgum – “the city of roads“, because of its strategic location on the west bank of the Rhine River.
The territory of today`s Strasbourg was settled by a Celtic tribe named Argentorate. In the year of 12 BC, the Roman General Drusus established here a fortified military camp named Argentoratum. After the Romans had conquered the German tribes, the borders were moved to the east and Argentoratum became a strategic town of the Romans and remained so until the third century after Christ. In the year of 357 the town was destroyed by the Alemanni and Franks.
In the 6th century Strasbourg became a part of the Frankish Empire. In the year of 762 the bishopric already existed here. The municipal rights were granted gradually since 1129 and in 1262 Strasbourg became an independent imperial town.
In 1681 Louis XIV joined the town to France, since 1871 it belonged to Germany and was the capital of Alsace-Lorraine, since the end of World War I (1918) it belonged again to France, during World War II (1940-1944) it was occupied by Germany and since 1944 it has definitively been a part of France. Such an alternate assignment resulted in an exactly settled local identity of city residents which is formed by a combination of German industriousness and French ebullience.
Since 1988 the historical centre of Strasbourg named Grande Île has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The gothic cathedral of Nôtre Dame de Strasbourg dominates the historical city centre. It is the highest medieval building in Europe with the height of 142 metres, built of raddle. Other well-known attractions also include the Grand Island (Grand Île) where the Ill River divides into plenty of canals and continues through a not very large territory of frame houses which is called the Little France (Petite France). At the end of it there are touristicly very popular towers and bridges called Ponts-Couverts. The German District (Quartier Allemand) is a kind of an exhibition area of the neo-classic architecture. In the very heart of it there is Place de la République, a large square centred in a small woody park.
Strasbourg is rightly called the “Metropolis of Arts“. It is known for its museums which are home to precious art works of various world-known authors, including Rubens, Boticelli or Goya in the Museé des Beaux Arts, and Monet, Picasso or Renoir in the Museum of Modern Arts. The museum also offers an unforgetable view of the city from a sculptural terrace. And the Alsacien Museum preserves the traditions of life in Alsace.
Strasbourg has three universities (Louis Pasteur`s University, Marco Bloch`s University and Robert Schuman`s University) which are however merged in one called "Pôle universitaire européen". They are linked to three local authorities – the Region of Alsace, the Basque-Rhine Department and the Local Council of Strasbourg.
Strasbourg is also known as a starting point of the first phase of the cycling tournament Tour de France.
Along with New York and Geneve, Strasbourg is the world`s third as well as last city which is not a capital but international institutions have their headquarters there. Besides the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine, there is also the International Institute of Human Rights, the European Scientific Foundation, the Scientific Programme Secretariat, the Congress of European Regions, the European Regional Development Centre, Arte – European Cultural Television, and, of course, the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Court for Human Rights. These institutions as well as the location make Strasbourg a capital city of Europe. It was not just a coincidental selection after Worl War II; the city became a symbol of reconciliation among people and of Europe`s future.
