Strasbourg is a city located in the north-east of France, on the left bank of the Rhine. It is the capital of the Alsace region and the Department of Bas-Rhine. The city bears the title of European capital. Border town since always, Strasbourg is deeply bicultural. Its rich history and tormented left a remarkable architectural heritage. Its centre is fully listed world heritage by Unesco since 1988 and includes the Cathedral Notre-Dame de Strasbourg and the district of La Petite France.Strasbourg has also become the symbol of Franco-German reconciliation and, more generally of the European Union. The presence of several well-known national institutions as the National Theatre, the national and academic library and the Rhine National Opera makes of it a major cultural centre.