Ulm is a city in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 (2006), forms an urban district of its own (Germ.: Stadtkreis) and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and traditions as a former Free Imperial City (Germ.: freie Reichsstadt). Today, it is an economic center due to its varied industries, and it is the seat of a university (University of Ulm, founded in 1967). Internationally, Ulm is primarily known for its Ulm Münster and as the birthplace of Albert Einstein. Ulm lies at the point where the Blau and Iller rivers join the Danube, at an altitude of 479 m above sea level. Most parts of the city, including the old town, are situated on the left bank of the Danube; only the districts of Wiblingen, Gögglingen, Donaustetten and Unterweiler lie on the right bank. Vis-à-vis of the old town, on the other side of the river, lies the "twin city" of Neu-Ulm in the state of Bavaria, smaller than Ulm and until 1810 a part of it (pop. ~50,000). Except for the Danube in the South, the city is surrounded by forests and hills which rise to altitudes of over 620 m, some of them part of the Schwäbische Alb. South of the Danube, plains and hills finally end in the Northern edge of the Alps, which is approximately 100 km from Ulm and is visible from the city on clear days. The old Fischerviertel (fishermen's quarter), on the river Blau is full of half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and picturesque footbridges. Interesting sights here are the Schiefes Haus (crooked house), a 16th-century house today used as a hotel, and the Alte Münz (Old Mint). a medieval building extended in the 16th and 17th centuries in Renaissance style.