Köln is a city with a 2,000-year history, across the Rhine in western Germany and is the cultural center of the region. The double-helix Cologne Cathedral is a landmark of a high Gothic building, situated in the rebuilt old town and also known for its gilded medieval artifacts and unobstructed river views. The adjacent Ludwig Museum (Museum Ludwig) displays 20th-century art, including many of Picasso's masterpieces, while the Roman De Museum houses Roman antiquities.