The city of Strasbourg is a symbol of the European Union, cosmopolitan and bursting with energy. The European capital has always been known as a commercial crossroads but today it is a centre for business and the sciences. Renowned for its cathedral and its medieval quarter, Strasbourg is nowadays the seat of many European institutions and the second biggest conference centre after Paris, as well as being a highly valued tourist destination..
Strasbourg on the right bank of the Rhine is an international city par excellence. Fought over several times by France and Germany, the city has maintained strong links with its neighbour across the Rhine. Once an important medieval trading centre, Strasbourg, which literally means city of roads, was chosen to be European capital because of its bicultural identity. It is now home to many European institutions such as the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights, Europol and the command centre of Eurocorps. On the economic front, industry and the services sector prosper here in the capital of Alsace which has created two centres of competiveness specializing in therapeutic innovation and vehicles of the future.
It is a pleasure to live in green Strasbourg! The capital of Alsace has quickly taken to renewable energies with its ecological transport system, whilst also preserving its remarkable centre. The cathedral is a formidable piece of Gothic architecture with a 142 metre high spire which is popular with tourists, particularly its astronomical clock. The picturesque quarter of La Petite France, with its half-timbered houses and little back streets also provides an opportunity to taste Alsace's famous cuisine: beer, knuckle of ham and white wines take pride of place! A little further afield, the Ponts Couverts, covered bridges, the ancient ramparts and the Vauban Barrage will draw you along the banks of the Ill, a tributary of the Rhine.