As a major historical crossroads, Strasbourg has always been a meeting place of different religions and cultures

In 12 BC, the Romans chose the site of Strasbourg to build a military camp on the Rhine called Argentoratum. Ravaged by the invasions of the Barbarians, this first urban centre was reborn under the name of Strateburgum, which means "the town of roads", due to its ideal geographical location.

As a Freetown of the German Holy Roman Empire, Strasbourg experienced a golden age during the Middle Ages. Possessing an exemplary political constitution and benefiting from a flourishing economy thanks to the richness of its region, the town gradually built its magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral made from sandstone. Its intellectual and artistic reputation and influence increased throughout the Renaissance. The town became one of the great centres of humanism and the Reformation.

In 1681, the troops of Louis XIV entered Strasbourg. The revolution and the Empire completed the integration of the town into France. The town's surrender was negotiated based on 10 articles aimed at preserving the essential freedoms of the city on a political, administrative and religious level. Following the siege of 1870, Strasbourg was once again attached to Germany. Becoming French once again in 1918, it was reoccupied by the Germans in 1940, a situation which lasted until the arrival of General Leclerc’s troops on 23rd November 1944. Shortly after the Second World War, when the idea of European reconciliation led to the creation of the Council of Europe in 1949, Strasbourg was chosen as the headquarters of this new institution. Thus began a new era in Strasbourg’s history, with the city becoming a symbol of European unity and reconstruction.

Today, from the medieval district of the Grande Ile, which is listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, to the long avenues of the "German" town, Strasbourg’s architectural heritage offers a living reminder of the rich diversity generated by the meeting of various cultures.