Standing at the heart of Lower Normandy, Caen is a city whose identity has been shaped by two defining chapters in European history. William the Conqueror chose Caen as his Norman capital in the 11th century, leaving behind an enduring legacy in the form of the imposing Château Ducal and two remarkable Romanesque abbeys, the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames, which remain among the finest examples of Norman architecture in existence. Centuries later, Caen bore the full weight of the 1944 Liberation, suffering devastating damage during the Battle of Normandy. The city's postwar reconstruction gave rise to a bold and functional urban landscape, and today the Memorial de Caen stands as one of Europe's most respected museums dedicated to the history of the Second World War and the pursuit of peace.