Capital of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin reaches its status as one of Europe's great cities in the eighteenth century. Stretching around the wide expanse of Dublin Bay from the imposing mass of Howth Head in the north to the granite outcrops of the Wicklow massif in the south, few parts of the city are far from the sights and smells of the sea, while many center-city streets seem to end in a vista of mountains. Cosmopolitan in its origins and the principal city of Ireland for most of its thousand-year history, Dublin's cultural life is rich and varied, highlighted by many film and theater offerings including the renowned Dublin Theatre Festival, a two-week celebration of the best in Irish and international theater. With one of the youngest populations of Europe’s major cities, Dublin offers an especially congenial atmosphere for students.