The French city of Strasbourg is located near the border of France and Germany on the river Rhine. The city is over two thousand years old and mingles the influence of various cultures - Celtic and Roman at first, then German and French. It is famous worldwide as the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, which are located in the modern edifices. However, the medieval Cathedral of Our Lady from the 13th century is the architectural icon of the city. Its slender tower dominates the city as the symbol of Alsace. It is visible from the other bank of the river Rhine, the Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest.