| Alsace | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | France |
|---|---|
| Capital | Strasbourg |
| Surface | 8 280 km² |
| Inhabitants | 1.851.443 (2010) |
| Tourism site | |
| Institutional website | |
Alsace (Alsace, Elsass in Alsatian dialect) is a region of the France.
To know
Geographical notes
It is the smallest of the French regions and its territory borders on Germany North (Rhineland-Palatinate) and to the east (Baden-Württemberg), with the Switzerland to the south and with the regions Franche-Comté southwest and Lorraine West.
The morphology of the region presents:
- to the east: the plain of Alsace.
- to the west: stands the Grand Ballon which with its 1,424 m marks the highest altitude of the region.
- to the south: the southern hills with the rows of Alsatian vines.
Background
Historically, the territory of Belfort (now part of the Franche-Comté), part of theUpper Rhine remained French after the annexation of Alsace to the Germanic Empire in 1871.
Spoken languages
There is spoken in addition to the French, Alsatian, a group of Alemannic dialects very Frenchized and not easily understood by those who speak a German regular.
Territories and tourist destinations
It is made up of 2 departments:
- Lower Rhine - dominated by the city of Strasbourg, it is home to all the major European institutions and offers a countryside dotted with castles and towns with the marked influence of neighboring Germany with which the region has often shared traits of its history.
- Upper Rhine —
Urban centers
- Strasbourg - Main city and capital of Alsace.
- Colmar - Capital of the Haut-Rhin department in the Alsace region, 40 km south of Strasbourg.
- Eguisheim - Located in the Upper Rhine department.
- Haguenau - It is the fourth city of Alsace and the second of the Lower Rhine.
- Husseren-les-Châteaux - Very small French commune located in the Haut-Rhin department.
- Kaysersberg - In Italian it means Emperor's Hill, in the thirteenth century the city was in fact bought by Frederick II of Swabia.
- Mulhouse - Shares its airport with Basel (Switzerland).
- Obernai - Located in the Bas-Rhin department.
- Ribeauvillé - In the Middle Ages, the lords of Ribeauvillé were "kings" of the minstrels and troubadours of all Alsace. Even today this festival is celebrated in September.
- Riquewihr - It is known to the Italian public for hosting the set of the music video of the song "Maggese", by Cesare Cremonini.
- Rixheim - The French town is twinned with the Italian town of San Vito al Tagliamento.
- Saint-Louis - Located in the Haut-Rhin department on the border with Basel (Switzerland) and Weil am Rhein (Germany).
- Saverne - Located in the Bas-Rhin department.
- Schiltigheim - Located in the Bas-Rhin department.
- Sélestat - Located in the Bas-Rhin department.
- Wissembourg - Located in the Bas-Rhin department.
