Capital of Europe - no doubt!
Of course, you need to go to Strasbourg! Strasbourg, by the way, is considered the capital of Europe. There are the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the Evpoparament. And the so-called European building. This is the organization of countries - "old members" of the EU and NATO (Germany, France, Spain, three Benilyux countries), those who "orders music" in Coninventical Europe. And there is also a lot of humanitarian organizations there, to list a long time ... If we are Europeans, then of course you need to visit our capital!
The name of the city is simple as washed: Strasse - Street, Burg - Fortress. But of course German! Elsassians pronounce something unimaginable on a dialect: StrostoBuri ... Horror .. But miracles do not end. The Roman name is Argentotarum (Silver Mountain), so in the Middle Ages, the city easily called Argentina.
The problem is however, the fact that the city often simply falls out of the sight of our tourists. The fact is that Alsace so often passed from hand to hand and the city is not to the end of French. And therefore it is more convenient to get from the German Baden-Baden. We drove there during the journey in German Baden, turned out to be at all right! The city, by the way, is located on the Ile River, which flows into the Rhine. One of the districts of Strasbourg rests on the river port on the Rhine, and on the other hand there is a German town of Kel. And the shores connect the banner Bridge of Europe. With all urban agglomerations, the city is quite large - approx. 650 thousand, that is, about a German Frankfurt-on Main, but the historic center is small. Like everywhere in France there are many Arabs, black islanders. But we immediately struck by a large number of Israelis - Hebrew sounds on the streets everywhere, in the city there are several synagogues. Many donkey here and refugees from Chechnya
Memorial Plank on the site of the destroyed synagogue
The car was left on a free parking near the urban stadium and not far from the Quarter Little France. I really wanted to see the famous Strasbourg Cathedral, so immediately managed a ticket to the tram for all day and went to the city center. Name of the Cathedral of Straßburger Münster. Strasbourg Münster, Münster, translate as a cathedral, that is, the Cathedral with the Bishop Department. But the house - for example, Kölner Dom is also a cathedral. The first thing we heard in the cathedral is the discussion of an elderly German couple about the differences of Dom and Münster. Outcome: The camera is a Latin word, the house is French, and Münster is the monastery church, so large as a whole cathedral, size and puff as a cathedral. However, the episcopal departments there were no and therefore they are not a house, but Münster! But Russian and French do not distinguish such nuances, and therefore they still say the house and the cathedral ...
Cathedral of course just awesome! It is groaned from the pink pezzing sandbloral, the mixing of Neemsky and French as the entire Alsace. The Eastern and South Parts are the Rarest Romanesque Style of the 12th century today, the Western - French Gothic, North - the German Cologne Cathedral. It was completed by the latter, already in the 15th century.
The main attractions of the Cathedral include the most ancient astronomical clocks and stained glass windows. The watches in the Christmas night commit astronomical calculations of the dates of religious holidays. They built a watch back in 1353, and then different masters complicated them and improved, in 1842 there was a serious repair, but the clock goes now. As in all vintage hours there are many moving figures, there are completely special solar effects and it is generally the only clock in the world that beat and 13 times at 13 o'clock! Of course, there is a special organ and bells, the altar, famous burials, a font, figures on the facade as it should be the Gothic Cathedral and much more. In the evenings in the summer, the cathedral is not just highlighted, but arrange light ideas
Near the cathedral, another very interesting building is the house of Kammercel. Of course there is nothing unusual in Fahvek architecture. But this building is considered one of the best in its style, and perhaps the best. The house was built in the 15th century, the carved facade in the style of late Gothic by the end of 16, and Kammercel is just the name of the then owner.
Then we of course went to see the building of the European Parliament. It is an unusual round shape, you can go into the yard. Built in 1999. Then he was returned to the center, but in general the city is full of unusual homes. For example, the current house pilgrims (Jacobshauses), there in the courtyard church hotel. There are so many pipes, because in each room the Council stove.
We passed and drove past amazing palaces and museums .. And they realized that in Strasbourg you need to hold at least a week to sit in the cafes in the cafes, ride around the surroundings - there is an inexpensive and duck and goose fu gras, calmly eat shukrut and not fear for Committed to try different strange jacks. Alsassians drive literally everything: strawberries, young spruce shoots ... and the wines are very, very much ... Not bad ..
European Parliament
According to cultural saturation, simultaneously with a good climate, comfort, kitchen and nature, Strasbourg and Alsace is probably one of the most pleasant places in Europe. And therefore you need to go here. Of course you need. You do not need to listen to the French for which Strasbourg is too German, and the Germans who are offended that Elsace has taken away. The capital of Europe is really in Strasbourg and here just cool!