Like Brussels and Luxembourg, Strasbourg is mainly known as headquarters of the institutions European Union. But this French city has so much more to offer.
Strasbourg has a magnificent old town, which is completely enclosed by water. The most striking building is the Notre-Dame Cathedral. This magnificent Gothic cathedral was mainly built between the 11th and 15th centuries. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is 103 metres long and has the shape of a Latin cross. The most important attraction in the cathedral is the Astronomic Clock.
A number of European Union institutions are based in Strasbourg. If you follow the “Palais de l’Europe” arrows, you can view the buildings of the European Union from the outside. You can only visit the debating chambers and the hemicycle on the invitation of a Member of the European Parliament. In the vicinity of this complex of EU buildings, there is also a new building devoted to human rights, the Palais des Droits de l’Homme, which is an architectural marvel.
