Visiting London, UK

London, United Kingdom

London is a cultural melting pot where people from around the world have found a home, a legacy of their colonialist past and a great contributor to its vibrant culture today: according to the 2001 census, over a quarter of the population of London was born outside the United Kingdom. Home to Big Ben, the Queen of the United Kingdom, the Tower of London and fish and chips in your local, London provides days of distraction for the first time tourist. For return visitors, London's size and diversity offer something new to see on every trip.

Neighbourhoods
London consists of the City of London, 32 boroughs and two liberties, which are informally divided into the following sub-regions.

City of London
How, you may be wondering, can there be a City of London within London itself? Because the modern municipality – the Greater London Authority – does not govern the actual City of London.
The City of London itself is located on the north bank of the Thames in the eastern part of the modern city centre. This was the Roman city of Londinium, and in its modern incarnation it is the world's largest international financial centre. It is a separate Ceremonial County from the Greater London and occupies a square mile, in comparison to the 609 square miles of Greater London. Its cathedral is St Paul's.

New York City

What about New York City - the Big Apple?

The "Big Apple," the "City That Never Sleeps"—New York is a city of superlatives: America's biggest; its most exciting; its business and cultural capitals; the nation's trendsetter. The city seems to pull in the best and the brightest from every corner of the country. The city's ethnic flavor has been nuanced by decades of immigrants whose first glimpse of America was the Statue of Liberty guarding New York Harbor and by large expatriate communities such as the United Nations headquartered there.

Places of interest in New York City:
- Time Square
- Broadway
- Central Park
- St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Statue of Liberty
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Chinatown
- Chrysler Building.

These are some of the places you might visit if traveling to NYC.

Winter Olympics 2010 - Vancouver Canda

Vancouver 2010 - Winter Olympics host

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, will be held February 12–28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the resort town of Whistler nearby. Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games are being organized by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).

The 2010 Winter Olympics will be the third Olympics hosted by Canada, and the first by the province of British Columbia. Previously, Canada was home to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. These will also be the first games to be held in an NHL market since the league allowed its players to participate starting at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Following Olympic tradition, then Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan received the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. The flag was raised on February 28, 2006, in a special ceremony, and will be on display at Vancouver City Hall until the Olympic opening ceremony. The event will be officially opened by Governor General Michaëlle Jean.


The Canadian Olympic Association chose Vancouver as the Canadian candidate city over Calgary, which sought to re-host the games and Quebec City, which had lost the 2002 Olympic bid in 1995. On the first round of voting on November 21, 1998, Vancouver-Whistler had 26 votes, Quebec City with 25 and Calgary 21. On December 3, 1998, the second and final round of voting occurred between the two leading contenders, which saw Vancouver win with 40 votes compared to Quebec City's 32. The win allowed Vancouver to prepare its bid and begin lobbying efforts internationally.

After the bid bribing scandal that took place with the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City (which saw Quebec City asking for compensation (CDN$8 million) for their failed 2002 bid), 1999 saw many of the rules around the bidding process change. The IOC created the Evaluation Commission which was appointed on October 24, 2002. Prior to the bidding for the 2008 Summer Olympics, often host cities would fly members of the IOC to their city where they toured the city and were provided with gifts from the city. The lack of oversight and transparency often led to allegations of money for votes. Afterward, changes brought forth by the IOC bidding rules were tightened, and more focused on technical aspects of candidate cities. The team analysed the candidate city features and provided its input back to the IOC. The bid books from the three candidate cities were submitted in January 2003 and inspections occurred before May 2003, when the final report was submitted.

Vancouver won the bidding process to host the Olympics by a vote of the International Olympic Committee on July 2, 2003, at the 115th IOC Session held in Prague, Czech Republic. The result was announced by IOC President Jacques Rogge. Vancouver faced two other finalists shortlisted that same February: PyeongChang, South Korea, and Salzburg, Austria. Pyeongchang had the most votes of the three cities in the first round of voting, in which Salzburg was eliminated. In the run-off, all but two of the members who had voted for Salzburg voted for Vancouver. It was the closest vote by the IOC since Sydney, Australia beat Beijing for the 2000 Summer Olympics by 2 votes. Vancouver's victory came almost 2 years after Toronto's 2008 Summer Olympic bid was defeated by Beijing in a landslide vote.

Travel to London

London, United Kingdom

What is so special about London, UK? Isn't it just another megacity like all other? Not realy.

Noisy, vibrant and truly multicultural, London is a megalopolis of people, ideas and energy. The capital and largest city of both the United Kingdom and of England, it is also the largest city in Western Europe and the European Union. Situated on the River Thames in South-East England, Greater London has an official population of nearly 8 million people — although the figure of over 14 million for the city's total metropolitan area more accurately reflects London's size and importance. London is one of the great "world cities," and remains a global capital of culture, fashion, finance, politics and trade. London will host the 2012 Summer Olympics.

World Cup 2010

Going to the World Cup 2010?

Join the multitudes in traveling to South Africa for the World Cup 2010.

French Polynesia

French Polynesia

French Polynesia (Polynésie française) is a set of islands that is an overseas country attached to France. Located in the South Pacific Ocean, it is halfway between California and Australia.

Tahiti and her islands cover four million square kilometers of ocean which is the same area as Europe. However the land above sea level accounts for some 4,000 square kilometers consisting of 118 islands, grouped into five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral). Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru.

Marquesas Islands - northeastern archipelago, a group of high islands near the equator, whose steep mountains are inhabited by wild horses, goats and pigs

Tuamotu Islands - vast central archipelago of coral reefs. It is a collection of low islands or atolls

Society Islands - most-inhabited western island group, a group of high tropical islands encircled by coral reefs and lagoons (divided administratively into Windward Islands and Leeward Islands)

Austral Islands - small southern archipelagos (includes Tubuai Islands and Bass Islands. Last inhabited islands of the South Pacific, these ancient volcanoes with soft relief are far off the beaten track

Gambier Islands - to the south-east, rarely visited, consisting of the high island of Mangareva and its fringe of islands which are the eroded remains of its former gigantic crater, is situated in the far eastern corner of French Polynesia.

Dream vacation: Tahiti

Tahiti the perfect getaway


Tahiti lies in the South Pacific. It is the largest of the 118 islands and atolls that comprise French Polynesia. Tahiti is in the Society Islands, an archipelago which includes the islands of Bora Bora, Raiatea, Taha'a, Huahine and Moorea, and has a population of 127,000 people, about 83% of whom are of Polynesian ancestry. The legendary name 'Tahiti' not only identifies this island but also the group of islands that make up French Polynesia. Tahiti is composed of two volcanic mountain ranges. In the shape of a 'turtle', it is made of Tahiti Nui (the larger part) and Tahiti Iti (the peninsula). The two islands are linked by the isthmus of Taravao and skirted by black beaches.


Papeete is the capital city and the administrative centre. Once a sleepy town, today its harbor is busy with cargo freighters, copra ships, luxury liners and ocean-going yachts. There are sidewalk cafes, shops overflowing with French fashions, shell jewellery and handicrafts and a wide variety of restaurants serving Tahitian, French, and Asian cuisine.

Faa'a hosts the international airport built on the lagoon. Apart from the airlines check-in counters, there is an information counter, a snack bar, a restaurant and vehicle rental offices and shops. Nearby, in a special Tahitian-style house, artisans sell flower leis and shell necklaces.

A Few Video Travel links:

CheckMyCity.com
Surfing in Hawaii
Travel to Hawaii
Travel to Honolulu
Travel New York
Travel to Honolulu
The City of New York
Travel to Sydney, Australia
City of Sydney
Welcome to Australia
Kabul Afganistan
City of Kabul Afganistan
Travel to Kabul
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Travel to Minneapolis
Cheap travel Minneapolis
Travel destination Minneapolis Minnesota
Adventures in New York
Travel Miami Florida
Wonderful Denali National Park Alaska
Beautiful Alaska
Travel to Fairbanks Alaska
Only in Alaska
Kenai Peninsula Alaska
10 best beaches in Florida USA
Bahia Honda Beach in Florida USA
City of Marathon Florida
Visiting Galveston Texas
Visit Chattanooga Tennessee
City Palm Desert California
Virtual Travel to Colorado Springs Colorado
Virtual Travel Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Avalon Catalina Island
Huntington Beach California
Travel to Key West Florida
Lahaina Maui Hawaii
Fastest growing city in the US
Travel to Billings Montana
Travel to Portlant Oregon
City of Clearwater Florida
Visit Hollywood Florida
Virtual Jupiter Florida
Travel to Cape Coral Florida
Travel to Disney World
City of Sarasota Florida
Travel to the city of Washington D.C.
Joshua Tree
Travel to the city of Palm Springs
San Diego vacation
Six Flags Los Angeles
Travel to Six Flags Georgia
Having fun in Bellagio Las Vegas
Travel to New Orleans
Travel to the city of Hobart Tasmania Australia
Travel to India
Travel to Rajasthan
Taj Mahal India
Kandahar Afganistan
Travel to Kandahar Afghanistan
Bahawalpur Pakistan
City of Karachi Pakistan
Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
The World in Dubai, UAE
Abu Dhabi UAE
Formula 1, Abu Dhabi
Travel to Karachi Pakistan
Okara Pakistan
Multan Pakistan
Travel to Wellington New Zealand
Island of New Zealand
City of Queenstown New Zealand
Travel to Samoa
Travel to Lalomanu Beach Samoa
Travel to Apia Samoa
Lanikai Ridge Hawaii
Travel to Mokulula Hawaii
Travel to Kapulua Maui
Travel to Kihei Maui

Badalona, Spain

Badalona, Spain

Badalona (Baetulo in Roman times) is a city in Spain. It is located in the comarca of the Barcelonès near the city of Barcelona. It is situated on the left bank of the small river Besòs and on the Mediterranean Sea. Badalona has a station on the RENFE R1 suburban railway line from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to Maçanet-Massanes and a small harbour, chiefly important for its fishing and boat-building trades. There are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works in the town, which also manufactures woollen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy; while the surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit. Badalona thus largely contributes to the export trade of Barcelona, and may, in fact, be regarded as its industrial suburb. Badalona is one of the oldest towns in Catalonia. It is situated near Barcelona and has 210.000 inhabitants.With a typical mediterranian climate and five kilometres of beach, Badalona is excepcionally well positioned, between the sea and the mountain. The greater specific gravity that Badalona has obtained in the metropolitan area and its increasing presence in the economic and cultural world in Catalonia is the result of the transformations introduced in the town urban plans and in the public services. Badalona is a town with a lot of contrasts, where the interrelations between cultures and races generates a big multiplicity of cultural activities. The current reality in Badalona is the reflection of 2.000 years of history. Historically, we can find the urban starting point of our town in the foundations of an urban settlement by the Romans, in the year 100 B.C. Since then, that first nucleus has changed to become Badalona as it is nowadays. It was called Baetulo. People born in Badalona have always been proud of its Roman origin. The Roman Baths, in the Museum, the House preserved in Lladó street, a length of water pipe in Pujol street, and the remains of the wall oh the Hort de les Monges, as well as sculptures, wall paintings, mosaics and the Tabula Hospitalis, show us the results of the efforts to protect the past remains. The Venus of Badalona, a small sculpture, carved in white marble, is what really identifies Badalona with the Roman past. Since the tenth century, a new urban nucleus formed in Badalona, where the old Roman city was, formed by a group of houses around the square and the church. At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This double situation, urban and rural, would remain until the middle of the eighteenth century. Badalona was one of the most important towns during industrialization. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, many high quality buildings were erected, among which the Pavillard house is outstanding. It was built by Joan Amigó i Barriga in 1906, and is considered the best modernist work in town. The protection of artistic and historical heritage is constant. To this effect, one of the last and more important examples has been the remodelling of Zorrilla Theatre, a nineteenth-century theatre which has been reopened in 1999 under municipal management after having being closed for 29 years. May is the month for festivities in Badalona. On the occasion of the celebration of Saint Anastasi, the patron saint of Badalona, activities and festivals are organized all around the city. The most important celebration takes place the day before Saint Anastasi day when, at night, people gather at the maritime promenade to participate in the popular Cremada del Dimoni (Burning Devil), similar to the famous Valencia Fallas. Despite the famous saying "Badalona, Bressol del Basquetbol" (Badalona Cradle of Basketball), the citizens play a lot of different and varied sports, in numerous sports complexes. The most important of these sports complexes is the Palau Municipal d'Esports, Municipal Sports Palace, than won Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. This palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992.

Source: Wiki & Video Europe
More tags: badalona barcelona tourism travel video city metro streets sea

Barcelona, Spain on www.CheckMyCity.com

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the eleventh-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Ruhr Area, Madrid and Milan with the population 4,185,000. 4,9 million people live in Barcelona metropolitan area. The main part of a union of adjacent cities and municipalities named Área Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) with a population of 3,186,461 in area of 636 km² (density 5.010 hab/km²). It is located on the Mediterranean coast (41°23′N 2°11′E / 41.383°N 2.183°E / 41.383; 2.183) between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs and is bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge (512 m/1,680 ft). Barcelona is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade. Barcelona is a major economic centre with one of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports, and Barcelona International Airport is the second largest in Spain after the Madrid-Barajas Airport (handles about 30 million passengers per year). Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage. Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is well known in recent times for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the Catalan government, known as the Generalitat de Catalunya; of particular note are the executive branch, the parliament, and the Supreme Court of Catalonia. The city is also the capital of the Barcelonès comarca (shire). Barcelona has a great number of museums, which cover different areas and eras. The National Museum of Art of Catalonia possesses a well-known collection of Romanesque art while the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art. The Fundació Joan Miró, Picasso Museum and Fundació Antoni Tàpies hold important collections of these world-renowned artists. Several museums cover the fields of history and archeology, like the City History Museum, the Museum of the History of Catalonia, the Archeology Museum of Catalonia, the Barcelona Maritime Museum and the private-owned Egyptian Museum. The Erotic museum of Barcelona is among the most peculiar ones, while Cosmocaixa is a science museum that received the European Museum of the Year Award in 2006. The Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter" in Catalan) is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. Many of the buildings date from medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Catalan modernisme architecture (often known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe), developed between 1885 and 1950 and left an important legacy in Barcelona. A great number of these buildings are World Heritage Sites. Especially remarkable is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, which can be seen throughout the city. His best known work is the immense but still unfinished church of the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882, and is still financed by private donations. As of 2007, completion is planned for 2026. The Space-Time Towers in The Rise of Darkrai is also heavily based on the Sagrada Família church. Barcelona is also home to Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion. Designed in 1929 for the Internation Exposition for Germany. It is an iconic building designed by one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.

Source: Wikipedia & Travel Spain
More tags: barcelona champions league fifa soccer city guide travel tourism potovanje

Rājasthān on www.CheckMyCity.com

Rājasthān is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert), which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with Pakistan. The region borders Pakistan to the west, Gujarat to the southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the northeast and Punjab to the north. Rajasthan covers an area of 132,150 sq mi or 342,269 km² (about the size of Germany).
The state capital is Jaipur. Geographical features include the Thar Desert along north-western Rajasthan and the termination of the Ghaggar River near the archaeological ruins at Kalibanga, which are the oldest in the subcontinent discovered so far.
One of the world's oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range, cradles the only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu, and its world-famous Dilwara Temples, a sacred pilgrimage for Jains. Eastern Rajasthan has two national tiger reserves, Ranthambore and Sariska, as well as Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, once famous for its bird life.
Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949, when all erstwhile princely states ruled by Rajputs, known as Rajputana, merged into the Dominion of India. The only difference between erstwhile Rajputana and Rajasthan is that certain portions of what had been British India, in the former province of Ajmer-Merwara, were included. Portions lying geographically outside of Rajputana such as the Sumel-Tappa area were given to Madhya Pradesh.

Source: Wiki and India travel

Alexandria, Egypt on www.CheckMyCity.com

Alexandria, Egypt


Alexandria with a population of 4.1 million, is the second-largest city in Egypt, and is the country's largest seaport, serving about 80% of Egypt's imports and exports. Alexandria is also an important tourist resort.





Alexandria extends about 32 km (20 miles) along the coast of the Mediterranean sea in north-central Egypt. It is home to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (the new Library of Alexandria), and is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez, another city in Egypt. Alexandria was also an important trading post between Europe and Asia, because it profited from the easy overland connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

In ancient times, Alexandria was one of the most famous cities in the world. It was founded around a small pharaonic town c. 334 BC by Alexander the Great. It remained Egypt's capital for nearly a thousand years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 641 AD when a new capital was founded at Fustat (Fustat was later absorbed into Cairo).

Alexandria was known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Library of Alexandria (the largest library in the ancient world) and the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa (one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages). Ongoing maritime archaeology in the harbor of Alexandria, which began in 1994, is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhakotis existed there, and during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Source: wikipedia & Traveling the world
More tags: alexandria egypt history valley tourism city downtown video

Radoviš, Macedonia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Radoviš, Macedonia

Radoviš (Macedonian: Радовиш, is a city positioned in the southeastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is the seat of Radoviš Municipality, which is spread on the bottom of mountain Plačkovica and the northern part of the Strumica valley.



Radoviš City Guide

The main road Štip–Strumica is tangentially placed on the township of Radoviš. This road is a main communication route with other parts of the country.

After the settlement of the Slavs, during the rule of Samuel of Bulgaria, Radoviš became a business centre while the medieval town of Konče was a monastery and episcopal centre. As a settlement and a regional town parish, Radoviš is mentioned for the first time in the deed of the Byzantine emperor Basil II in 1019. At that time, the town was located in the North-West of the town's present location, on the banks of the Old river, where we can find traces of several churches, for example St. Archangel church.

In the 14th century, after the destruction of the Byzantine Empire, Radoviš found itself in the Serb medieval state. In 1361, the tsar Uroš sojourned in Radoviš. During the Ottoman Empire, in the 17th Century under the Kyustendil sanjak, it belonged to the diocese of the Kustendil metropolitan. At that time, the town had 3,000–4,000 inhabitants.

Almost one millennium ago, Radoviš' queen (a princess of Slavic origin) Rada, was looking from the wall of the fortress when she became upset by her fiancee's exclamation "Rado Vish". This exclamation that was supposed to warn her of the enemy attack, became according to the legend the name of the city, a synonym of its endurance over the centuries to come.

The area of the municipality is 497,48 km². Radoviš municipality has 28,244 inhabitants, according to the last census (2002). Population density is 56/km². It is populated mainly with Macedonians and partly with Turkish minority. In the Municipality of Radoviš ethnic conflicts and intolerance are unknown.

36 villages are also part of the municipality of Radoviš. The Mayor of Radoviš is Dr. Robert Velkov, MD.
Radoviš City, Macedonia
Source: Wikipedia & Macedonia Tourism
More tags: radoviš macedonia republic yugoslavia ortodox

Bitola, Macedonia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Bitola, Macedonia

Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing with Greece.






It is an important junction connecting the south of the Adriatic Sea with the Aegean Sea and Central Europe. It is known from the Ottoman period as "the city of the consuls", as many European countries have consulates in Bitola. According to some sources, Bitola is the second largest town in the country, and to others the third. Bitola is also the centre of the Bitola Municipality.

According to Adrian Room, the name Bitola is derived from the old Slavic word Obitel (monastery or abode), since the city was formerly noted for its monastery. When the meaning of the name was no longer understood, it lost its prefix "o". The name Bitola is mentioned in the Bitola inscription, related to the old city fortress built in 1015. Modern Slavic variants include the Macedonian Bitola (Битола), the Serbian Bitolj (Битољ) and Bulgarian Bitolya (Битоля). In Byzantine times, the name was hellenized to Voutélion (Βουτέλιον) or Vitólia (Βιτώλια), hence the names Butella by William of Tyre, Butili by the Arab geographer al-Idrisi). The Aromanian name Bituli is also derived from the Slavic name.

Another Greek name of the city, which is currently in use, is Monastíri (Μοναστήρι), also meaning "monastery". The Turkish name Manastır (Ottoman Turkish: مناستر) is derived from the Greek name, as is the Albanian Manastiri.
Source: Wikipedia

Mall of America, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Mall of America, Minneapolis, MN

Mall of America is a super-regional shopping mall located in the Twin Cities suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. The mall is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the interstate from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. In the United States, it is the second largest enclosed mall in terms of retail space but is largest in terms of total enclosed floor area. Opened in 1992, the mall received 40 million visitors in 2006. Triple Five Group, owned by Canada's Ghermezian family, fully owns and manages the property.





Mall of America has a gross area of 4.2 million sq ft. (390,000 m²), with 2.5 million sq ft. (230,000 m²) available as retail space. The mall is a nearly symmetrical building, with a roughly rectangular floor plan. Over 520 stores are arranged along three levels of pedestrian walkways on the sides of the rectangle, with a fourth level on one side. An addition planned north of the mall will allow for up to 900 stores. Four "anchor" department stores are located at the corners. The Mall is organized into four different zones, each with its own decorative style.

Despite Minnesota's sub-zero temperatures in the winter, only the mall's entrances are heated. Heat is allowed in through skylights above Nickelodeon Universe. Heat is produced by lighting fixtures, other electric devices and also by employees and guests of the mall in sufficient amounts to keep it comfortable. In fact, even during the winter, air conditioning systems need to be run nonstop during peak hours to ensure a comfortable shopping environment.

Two nearly identical seven story parking ramps on east and west sides provide 12,550 parking spaces. Parking lots on the north and south of the building, along with nearby overflow parking, bring the total number of spaces up to approximately 20,000.

The mall is used as a major transportation hub in the region, with bus and light rail service linking the mall to other destinations. Regular public transit service is provided by Metro Transit and other area bus lines, and nearby Mystic Lake Casino offers free shuttles to their establishment. The primary bus/rail station for scheduled local service is in the lower level of the eastern parking ramp. There, the Hiawatha Line light rail line connects the mall to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and from there to downtown Minneapolis (another major shopping destination in the region, particularly during weekdays). The mall is being discouraged as a park and ride facility, and overnight parking is banned to prevent passengers taking the train to the airport. Commuters are encouraged to use the nearby 28th Avenue Station's parking lot.

It has been deliberately made difficult for drivers to park at the mall and then ride the train, so many passengers drive to the nearby 28th Avenue station, which has a 600-space Park and Ride lot, however, a Cedar Grove station will be built in the coming months on the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Line.

From Mall of America station, there are direct connections to routes 5, 54, 415, 515, 540, and 542.
Source: wikipedia

Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA

Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Eden Prairie is an edge city 12 miles (22 km) southwest of downtown Minneapolis in Hennepin County and the 12th largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota.



Eden Prairie in Video

The city lies on the north bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. As the seventh largest suburb, Eden Prairie and nearby suburbs form the southwest portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States, with about 3.2 million residents. The U.S. Census Bureau recorded the city's population at 54,901 in 2000. Composed of large lakes and ponds, the city has more than 170 miles (270 km) of multi-use trails, 2,250 acres (9 km2) of parks, and 1,300 acres (5 km2) of open space. Previously a bedroom suburb in the 1960s, the city is now home to more than 2,200 businesses and headquarters for Supervalu, ADC Telecommunications, MTS Systems Corporation and the Minnesota Vikings. Regionally known for Eden Prairie Center, it is also the hub for SouthWest Transit, serving public transportation to three adjacent suburbs. Eden Prairie was selected as the 10th best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. The name Eden Prairie is attributed to the Anderson family. Robert Anderson was a founder of the settlement and the name was chosen as a testament to the beauty of the land and it was considered Eden. For most of its existence, Eden Prairie has been a slow-growing, pastoral village on the far southwestern fringes of the Twin Cities area. Between 1880 and 1960, Eden Prairie’s population grew by only 1,300 people, from 739 to 2,000. Native Americans were the first to live in the area. In 1851, a treaty opened land west of the Mississippi River to settlement allowing pioneers to settle in what is now Eden Prairie. The town board of Eden Prairie held its first meeting in a log school house on May 11, 1858, the same day Minnesota became a state. However, Eden Prairie's farming community grew slowly over the years. Flying Cloud Airport was the first sign of big development in 1946. The 1960s and 1970s were decades of growth for the City's parks and recreation system. In the mid-70s, the community earned a higher profile with the addition of Interstate Highway 494 and the Eden Prairie Shopping Center. Eden Prairie became a Village in 1962 and a statutory city in 1974.
Source: wiki

Salina, Kansas on www.CheckMyCity.com

Salina, Kansas

Salina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States.[3] First settled in 1856 along the Saline and Smoky Hill Rivers and founded by William A. Phillips in 1858, Salina is situated at the intersection of Interstate Highways I-70 and I-135 in central Kansas. The population was 45,679 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated to be 46,140 in the year 2006.



Salina and worlds longest flight around the world

Salina is the principal city of the Salina Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Saline and Ottawa counties.

Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low below 20 °F (−7 °C) in January to an average high of over 93 °F (34 °C) in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 61 days per year and reaches 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 14 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point (32°F) an average of 114 days per year. Typically the first fall freeze occurs between early October and early November, and the last spring freeze occurs during the month of April.

The area receives about 32 inches of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received in May and June—with a combined 18 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 24 to 44 inches (1,100 mm). There are on average 77 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages almost 19 inches, but the median is less than 10 inches (250 mm). Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 9 days per year with at least an inch of snow being received on seven of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 27 days per year.

On September 25, 1973 a tornado measuring F3 passed through the southeast part of town injuring 6 people, destroying 2 houses and the Sundowner East trailer park.

On June 11, 2008 another EF3 tornado passed on the south side of the town severely damaging several buildings including a nursing home.
Source: wikipedia

Longest skijup on www.CheckMyCity.com

Planica, Slovenia

Planica is an alpine valley in northwestern Slovenia, extending south from the border town Rateče, not far from another well-known ski resort, Kranjska Gora.




Further south, the valley is extended into Tamar, a popular hiking destination in the Triglav National Park. Planica is famous for ski jumping. The first ski jumping hill was constructed before 1930 at the slope of the Ponca mountain. In 1934 Stanko Bloudek constructed a larger hill, sometimes also called the mammoth hill. The first ski jump over 100 metres was achieved here in 1936 by the Austrian Sepp Bradl. This is the biggest jumping hill in the world, sometimes called "the mother of all jumping hills". In 1969 a new K-185 hill, Letalnica Bratov Gorišek, was constructed by Lado and Janez Gorišek. Since 1986, when Matti Nykänen flew 191 metres, new world records have always been set at Planica rather than any other ski jumping hill (e.g. Kulm in Austria, Harrachov in Czech Republic, Oberstdorf in Germany or Vikersundbakken in Norway). In 1994, Toni Nieminen of Finland was the first ski jumper in history to jump over 200 metres. The current world record stands at 239 metres, set by Bjørn Einar Romøren of Norway in 2005. The ski jumping infrastructure is fairly outdated at the moment (ski jumpers must walk uphill for most of their way to the top of a hill). In 2001, the Bloudek's old K-120 hill collapsed and has not been reconstructed yet due to endless bureaucratic troubles. Regardless, the International Ski Federation still allows competitions at the K-185 hill, and many are hopeful that Planica will mature into a modern winter sports centre. In August 2008, the Slovenian government accepted a plan to renovate Planica into a modern winter sports centre until 2020 (with the centre to be able to host the 2009 championship).

source: Wikipedia

Auckland, New Zealand on www.CheckMyCity.com

Auckland, New Zealand

The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with over 1.3 million residents, 31 percent of the country's population.



Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest of the country. Increasingly cosmopolitan, Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, and has seen many people of Asian ethnicity move there in the last two decades. It is a metropolitan region made up of Auckland City (excluding the Hauraki Gulf islands), North Shore City, and the urban parts of Waitakere and Manukau cities, along with Papakura District and some nearby urban parts of Rodney and Franklin Districts. In Māori its name is Tāmaki-makau-rau, or the transliterated version of Auckland, Ākarana. Auckland lies between the Hauraki Gulf of the Pacific Ocean to the east, the low Hunua Ranges to the south-east, the Manukau Harbour to the south-west, and the Waitakere Ranges and smaller ranges to the west and north-west. The central part of the urban area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two separate major bodies of water. Auckland has a warm-temperate climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, damp winters. It is the warmest main centre of New Zealand and is also one of the sunniest, with an average of 2060 sunshine hours per annum. The average daily maximum temperature is 23.7 °C in February, and 14.5 °C in July, the absolute maximum recorded temperature is 32.4 °C, while the absolute minimum is -2.5. High levels of rainfall occur almost year-round with an average of 1240 mm per year spread over 137 'rain days'. Climatic conditions vary in different parts of the city owing to geography such as hills, land cover and distance from the sea, hence unofficial temperature records exist, such as a maximum of 34 °C in west Auckland. On 27 July 1939 Auckland received its only recorded snowfall. The early morning calm on the isthmus during settled weather, before the sea breeze rises, was described as early as 1853: "In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails..." Many Aucklanders used this time of day to walk and run in parks. As car ownership rates are very high and emissions controls relatively weak, Auckland suffers from some air pollution, especially in regards to fine particles emissions. There are also regular breaches of guideline levels of carbon monoxide. While maritime winds normally disperse the pollution relatively quickly it can sometimes become visible as smog, especially on calm winter days.
Source: wikipedia

Vojnik, Slovenia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Vojnik, Slovenia

Vojnik is in central Slovenia in the north-east of the Celje Basin. Most of the people make their living from farming, but there are also many small businesses.




Vojnik was first mentioned as a borough in 1306. It was on fire many times and the town even burned to the ground in 1839.Nowadays, it a known center of turism.
Source: wikipedia

Slovenia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Dobrnič, Slovenia

Warsaw, Poland on www.CheckMyCity.com

Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw also known by other names) is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly 370 kilometers (230 mi) from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains.





Its population as of 2007 was estimated at 1,706,624, with a metropolitan area of approximately 3,350,000. The city area is 516.9 square kilometers (199.6 sq mi), with an agglomeration of 6,100.43 square kilometers (2,355.4 sq mi) (Warsaw Metro Area – Obszar Metropolitalny Warszawy). Warsaw is the 8th largest city in the European Union. Warszawianka (1831) (French: La Varsovienne) is widely considered the unofficial anthem of the Capital City of Warsaw. On November 9, 1940 the City of Warsaw was awarded with the highest military decoration for courage in the face of the enemy - Order Virtuti Militari for the heroic defence in 1939. Warsaw is also known as the "phoenix city", as it was completely destroyed during World War II, and rebuilt with the herioc effort of Polish citizens. Warsaw has given its name to the Warsaw Pact, Warsaw Convention, Treaty of Warsaw and the Warsaw Uprising. An older spelling of Warsaw in Polish is Warszewa or Warszowa, meaning "owned by Warsz". Folk etymology attributes the city name to a fisherman Wars and his wife Sawa. Actually, Warsz was a 12th/13th century nobleman who owned a village located at the site of today's Mariensztat neighbourhood. The official city name in full is Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa (English: "The Capital City of Warsaw"). Warsaw has been known in Latin as Varsovia. A native or resident of Warsaw is called Varsovian. See wiktionary:Warsaw for the name in other languages.
Source: wikipedia

Highest elevated airport in USA on www.CheckMyCity.com

Lake County Airport, Colorado

Lake County Airport (IATA: LXV, ICAO: KLXV, FAA LID: LXV), also known as Leadville Airport, is a county-owned public-use airport located two statute miles (3 km) southwest of the central business district of Leadville, a city in Lake County, Colorado, United States.



At 9,927 ft (3,026 m) above mean sea level the airport claims the distinction of being North America's highest. Pilots receive a free certificate commemorating their landing upon a successful landing. Aircraft performance deteriorates rapidly with altitude, so many organizations use the Leadville Airport as a base for high altitude performance testing. Lake County Airport covers an area of 605 acres (245 ha) which contains one runway (16/34) measuring 6,400 x 75 ft (1,951 x 23 m), plus a helipad measuring 150 x 100 ft (46 x 30 m).
Source: Wikipedia

London the most expensive city in the world - on www.CheckMyCity.com

London, UK

London is proclaimed the most expensive city in the world. London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union.



An important settlement for two millennia, London's history goes back to its founding by the Romans. Since its foundation, London has been part of many movements and phenomena throughout history, including the English Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Gothic Revival. The city's core, the ancient City of London, still retains its limited medieval boundaries; but since at least the 19th century, the name "London" has also referred to the whole metropolis that has developed around it. Today the bulk of this conurbation forms the London region of England and the Greater London administrative area, with its own elected mayor and assembly. London is one of the world's most important business, financial and cultural centres and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts contributes to its status as a major global city. Central London is the headquarters of more than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies (the FTSE 100) and over 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies. The city is a major tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors, with annual expenditure by tourists of around £15 billion. London hosted the 1908 and 1948 Summer Olympic Games and will host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Greater London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church. London's population draws from a wide range of peoples, cultures, and religions, and over 300 languages are spoken within the city. As of July 2007, it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the boundaries of Greater London making it the most populous municipality in the European Union. As of 2001, the Greater London Urban Area is the second largest in the EU after Paris with a population of 8,278,251, and the metropolitan area is estimated to have a total population of between 12 million and 14 million, the largest metropolitan area in the EU. The public transport network, administered by Transport for London, is one of the most extensive in the world, Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic and the air space is the busiest of any city in the world.
Source: wikipedia

Zuerich, Switzerland the richest city in the world - on www.CheckMyCity.com

Zuerich, Switzerland

Zürich (German: Zürich, Zürich German: Züri, French: Zurich, Italian: Zurigo in English generally is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich.



The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne. Zürich can be counted as one of the world's pre-eminent global cities. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zürich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. The earliest known form of the city's name is Turicum, attested on a tombstone of the late 2nd century AD in the form STA(tio) TURICEN(sis) ("Turicum tax post"). Neither the name's linguistic origin (most likely Rhaetic or Celtic) nor its meaning can be determined with certainty. A possibility is derivation from *Turīcon, from the Gaulish personal name Tūros. A first development towards its later, Germanic form is attested as early as the 6th century AD with the form Ziurichi. From the 10th century onward, the name has more or less clearly been established as Zürich (Zurih (857), Zurich (924)). Note that in the modern Zürich dialect, the name has lost its final ch [x]. This is hypocoristic rather than the result of a regular sound change, and the adjective remains Zürcher ['tsyr.xer] also in dialect.
Source: wikipedia

London, Heathrow airport on www.CheckMyCity.com

London, Heathrow International Airpot

London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL), located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the largest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom.



It is the world's third busiest airport for passenger traffic and it handles the most international passenger traffic in the world. Heathrow is owned and operated by BAA, which also owns and operates six other UK airports. BAA is itself owned by an international consortium led by the Spanish Ferrovial Group. Heathrow is the primary hub of British Airways, bmi and Virgin Atlantic. Located 12 NM (22 km; 14 mi) west of Central London, England, Heathrow originally was designed to have six runways in three pairs spaced approximately 120 degrees apart but now has just two parallel main runways running east-west and five terminals. The site covers 12.14 square kilometres (4.69 sq mi). Terminal 5 was officially opened by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II on 14 March 2008 and opened to passengers on 27 March 2008. Construction of Heathrow East, to replace Terminal 2 and The Queen's Building, began in 2008, and is expected to be completed by 2012. Terminals 3 and 4 will also be refurbished during this period. In November 2007 a consultation process began for the building of a new third runway and was controversially approved on 15th January 2009 by UK Government ministers. Heathrow Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P527) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
Source: Wikipedia

More keywords: london heathrow airport international british airways cathay virgin travel video A380 airbus

Dallas Fort Worth Int. Airport on www.CheckMyCity.com

Dallas Fort Worth int. Airport

With 685,491 aircraft movements in 2007, it is the third busiest airport in the world in terms of aircraft movements. In terms of passenger traffic, it is the seventh busiest airport in the world transporting 59,784,876 passengers in 2007.



57,093,187 passengers passed through DFW Airport in 2008. In terms of land area, at 18,076 acres (7,315 ha), it is the largest airport in Texas, the second largest in the United States, behind Denver International Airport, and third largest in the world. It is the ninth busiest international gateway in the United States, and in Texas, behind Houston Intercontinental Airport. It is tied with Chicago O'Hare International Airport with the most runways, with seven. In 2006 the airport was named the "Best Cargo Airport in the World" according to the second edition of a survey. The airport, within the incorporated cities of Coppell, Euless, Grapevine, and Irving, serves 128 domestic destinations and 36 international, and is the largest and main hub for American Airlines (745 daily flights), and also the largest hub for American Eagle. Eighty five percent of all flights at Dallas/Fort Worth are operated by American Airlines. Delta Air Lines moved its Dallas/Fort Worth hub to Los Angeles International Airport in February 2005 in an effort to cut costs and avoid direct competition with American before eliminating it all together due to the oil price increases since 2003. The airline shrank operations from 258 daily nonstop flights to 21. The airport is often referred to by its IATA airport code, "DFW." It is operated in many ways like a small city. It has its own post office, ZIP Code, and Public Services. The United States Postal Service gave the airport its own city designation, DFW Airport, TX.[8] The members of the airport's Board of Directors are appointed by the "owner cities" of Dallas and Fort Worth. The airport is inside the city limits of three other suburban cities, a situation that has led to legal battles over jurisdiction (see below). To help ensure future harmony with its neighbors, the DFW Airport Board includes a non-voting member — a representative chosen from the airport's neighbors (Irving, Euless, Grapevine, and Coppell) on a rotating basis. DFW is connected by shuttle bus to a commuter rail station just south of the airport. The Trinity Railway Express line serves both downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth.


Source: Wikipedia

Celje, Knežje mesto, Celeia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Celje, Slovenia

Celje ( listen (help·info); German: Cilli; Hungarian: Cille) is the third largest city in Slovenia. Exhibiting the typical characteristics of a Central European city, it is the regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the municipality of the same name - the Urban Municipality of Celje (Mestna občina Celje).

Ljutovo, Vojvodina on www.CheckMyCity.com

Ljutovo, Vojvodina, Serbia

Ljutovo (Serbian: Љутово, Croatian: Mirgeš, Hungarian: Mérges, German: Ludwiga) is a village located in the Subotica municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia.



It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 1,181 people (2002 census). U naselju Ljutovo živi 944 punoletna stanovnika, a prosečna starost stanovništva iznosi 40,5 godina (38,7 kod muškaraca i 42,3 kod žena). U naselju ima 413 domaćinstava, a prosečan broj članova po domaćinstvu je 2,86. Stanovništvo u ovom naselju veoma je nehomogeno a relativnu većinu čine Bunjevci. U poslednja tri popisa, primećen je pad u broju stanovnika.

Kansas City World record on www.CheckMyCity.com

Kansas City

1683 guitar players play "Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple led by Jeff Scheetz and the "KY Hippo House Band". Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It encompasses 318 square miles (820 km2) in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties.



The city also serves as the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, second largest in Missouri, and largest with territory in Kansas (Wichita is the largest metropolitan area anchored in Kansas). As of 2007, the city had an estimated population of 450,375, with a metro area of just over two million. Kansas City was founded in 1838 as the "Town of Kansas" at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers and was incorporated in its present form in 1850. Situated opposite Kansas City, Kansas, the city was the location of several battles during the Civil War, including the Battle of Westport. The city is well known for its contributions to the musical styles of jazz and blues as well as to cuisine (Kansas City-style barbecue).


Source: wikipedia

Hamburg airport on www.CheckMyCity.com

Hamburg International Airport

Hamburg Airport (IATA: HAM, ICAO: EDDH), also known as Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport (German: Flughafen Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel), is an international airport serving Hamburg, Germany.
It originally covered 440,000 square metres. Since then, the site has grown more than tenfold to 5.7 square kilometres. The main apron covers 320,000 square meters. The Airport is 8.5 km north-west of the centre of the City of Hamburg in the Fuhlsbüttel quarter.



The Airport was opened in January 1911, it is the oldest Airport in Germany which is still in operation. In the 1970s, there were discussions of moving Hamburg airport northward to a site near Kaltenkirchen. This plan was subsequently abandoned, and the airport is completing a major modernization that includes new terminal buildings, a new hotel right across from the terminal, new roadside access and a connection to Hamburg's rapid transit system (S-Bahn).
Hamburg Airport (measured by the number of passengers) is the fifth busiest of the 16 German commercial airports (after Tegel International Airport in Berlin).
The shareholders of Hamburg Airport are the City of Hamburg (51%) and Hochtief AirPort GmbH. (49%).
In 2007, Hamburg airport served 12,780,000 passengers, a new record, and 173,500 aircraft movements.
Hamburg airport has 17 jet-ways.

Transport to/from Airport

HVV, the Hamburg public transit network, runs the S-Bahn-line (suburban railway) S 1 which links the airport directly to the city centre. Journey time is 25 minutes to the central station (Hauptbahnhof), and about 30 minutes to the inner city centre, townhall and major shopping and business districts. Trains run every 10 minutes, in the very early morning and late evening every 20 minutes. The one-way-fare is € 2,60 (€ 2,70 as of jan. 2009).
Passengers travelling in the direction from the city centre to the airport have to pay attention at Ohlsdorf, the last station before reaching the airport, because all trains are being split up at this station. The front part-train (carriages 1, 2 and 3) proceeds to the airport, while the rear part-train (carriages 4, 5 and 6) is running to Poppenbüttel, a suburb of Hamburg. There are sufficient signs and anouncements in German and English language to get the passengers informed, so it is easy to make sure that you are travelling in one of the front carriages. In addition the trains stop at Ohlsdorf for about 2 minutes to allow passengers to change to a carriage which runs to their intended destination.
The first train in the morning departs from central station at 04:04 a.m. and arrives at the airport at 04:30 a.m. The last train in the evening departs from the airport at 00:14 a.m. During the night-break sun/mon–thu/fri a night bus service (route 606) connects the airport with the city centre, at the nights fri/sat and sat/sun the bus route 274 calls the Ohlsdorf station where the S-Bahn line S 1 as well as the underground line U 1 runs to the city centre every 20 minutes all night.
The airport is also linked by some local bus routes to nearby areas as well as coach services to the cities of Kiel, Neumünster and Lübeck.
Source: Wikipedia

Cultural Bourges, France on http://www.CheckMyCity.com

Bourges, France

The name of the city is either derived from the Bituriges, the name of the original inhabitants, or from the Germanic Burg (French: Bourg.Spanish: Burgos. English, others: Burgh, Berg, or Borough), for "hill/village". Its Celtic name was Avaricon. In the Gallic Wars, the Gauls practiced a scorched-earth policy, but the inhabitants of Avaricon begged not to have their city burned, and it was spared due to its good defenses provided by the surrounding marshes and a strong southern wall.

The third century Saint Ursinus, also known as Saint Ursin, is considered the first bishop of the city. Currently, Bourges is the seat of anarchbishopric.

The Gothic Cathedral of Saint Etienne, begun at the end of the twelfth century, is listed as a World Heritage Site. It is considered the earliest example of the high gothic style of the thirteenth century.

During the Middle Ages, Bourges was the capital of a Viscounty until the fourteenth century. The future king, Charles VII, sought refuge there. His son, Louis XI, was born there in 1423. In 1438, Charles decreed the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges. During this period, Bourges was also a major capital of alchemy.

The city has a long tradition of art and history, other sites of importance include the Palace of Jacques Cœur and a sixty-five-hectare district of timber houses and grande homes.

The Impressionist painter, Berthe Morisot, was born in Bourges on January 14, 1841.

Tallest viaduct in the world, Millau, France on www.CheckMyCity.com

Millau, France

The Millau Viaduct (French: le Viaduc de Millau) is a large cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster, it is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft) — slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m (125 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building. The viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Béziers. It was formally dedicated on 14 December 2004, inaugurated the day after and opened to traffic two days later. The bridge won the 2006 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.

Kassel, Germany on www.CheckMyCity.com

Kassel, Germany

Kassel (until 1926 officially Cassel is a city situated along the Fulda River in northern Hessen, Germany, one of the two sources of the Weser river . It is the administrative seat of the Kassel administrative region (Regierungsbezirk) and of the district (Kreis) of the same name. The city has approx. 198,500 inhabitants (2007) and covers an area of 106.77 square kilometres. Kassel is the largest city of the north of Hessen (Nordhessen).

Darmstadt, Germany on www.CheckMyCity.com

Darmstadt, Germany




As the administrative centre of an increasingly prosperous duchy, the city gained in prominence during the following centuries. In the 20th century, industry (especially chemicals) as well as large science and electronics (later information technology) sectors became increasingly important, and are still a major part of the city's economy. Darmstadt also has a large tertiary education sector, with three major universities and numerous associated institutions.
Darmstadt is one the few cities (as opposed to smaller towns) in Germany which does not lie close to a river, lake or coast. It can also boast being the sunniest city in the state of Hesse. The chemical element Darmstadtium (atomic number 110) is named after it, having been synthetisized in a research facility nearby.
Source: Wikipedia

Dortmund, Germany on www.CheckMyCity.com

Dortmund, Germany

Source: Wikipedia

Forbidden City on www.CheckMyCity.com

Forbidden city, China






Religion

Religion was an important part of life for the imperial court. In the Qing Dynasty, the Palace of Earthly Harmony became a place of Manchu Shamanist ceremony. At the same time, the native Chinese Taoist religion continued to have an important role throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. There were two Taoist shrines, one in the imperial garden and another in the central area of the Inner Court.
Another prevalent form of religion in the Qing Dynasty palace was Tibetan Buddhism, or Lamaism. A number of temples and shrines were scattered throughout the Inner Court. Buddhist iconography also proliferated in the interior decorations of many buildings. Of these, the Pavilion of the Rain of Flowers is one of the most important. It housed a large number of Buddhist statues, icons, and mandalas, placed in ritualistic arrangements.
Source: Wikipedia

Countris on www.CheckMyCity.com

Countries and link of countries

http://www.checkmycity.com/category.php
United States of America
United Kingdom
France
Australia
Austria

Novi Sad on www.CheckMyCity.com

Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia





Since it was founded in 1694, Novi Sad became the centre of Serbian culture and earned its nickname Serbian Athens. Today, Novi Sad is a large industrial and financial centre of the Serbian economy; and it is also one of the biggest construction sites in the region.
Source: Wikipedia

Belgrade, Serbia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Belgrade, Serbia






One of the oldest cities of Europe, with archeological finds tracing settlements as early as 6th millennium BC, Belgrade's wider city area was the birthplace of the largest prehistoric culture of Europe, the Vinča culture. The city was discovered by the Greeks, founded and named by the Celts (White City, name it still bears), awarded city rights by the Romans before it was permanently settled by White Serbs from the 600s onwards. As a strategic key, the city was battled over in 140 separate wars since the ancient period by countless armies of the East and West. In medieval times, it was in the possession of Byzantine, Frankish, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Serbian rulers. In 1521 Belgrade was conquered by the Ottomans and became the seat of the Pashaluk of Belgrade, as the principal city of Ottoman Europe and among the largest European cities. Frequently passing from Ottoman to Austrian rule, the status of Serbian capital would be regained only in 1841, after the Serbian revolution. Northern Belgrade, though, remained an Austrian outpost until the breakup of Austria-Hungary in 1918. The united city then became the capital of several incarnations of Yugoslavia, up to 2006, when Serbia became an independent state again.
Belgrade has the status of a separate territorial unit in Serbia, with its own autonomous city government. Its territory is divided into 17 municipalities, each having its own local council. It covers 3.6% of the territory of Serbia, and 24% of the country's population lives in the city. Belgrade is the central economic hub of Serbia, and the capital of Serbian culture, education and science.
Source: Wikipedia

Turrialba, Costa Rica on www.CheckMyCity.com

Turrialba, Costa Rica
Turrialba Volcano was named after the region of Costa Rica in which the volcano is situated in Turrialba County, Cartago of Costa Rica. There is no clear consensus on the origin of the name Turrialba, but historians disagree with attempts to attribute the name to the patronym Torrealba (from Aragon in Spain) or from the Latin Turris alba (white tower). The general consensus is that Turrialba derives from a local Indian language (Huetar) but there is no agreement on its actual roots.


The stratovolcano is 3,340 m (10,958 ft) high and is about 45 minutes from the Atlantic slope town of Turrialba. The summit has three craters, one of which has fumaroles and sulfur pits. Visitors used to be able to hike down into the main crater, but increased gaseous activity has caused the time at the summit to be limited to no more than fifteen minutes. The hike to the top from where the vans usually are forced to stop takes about one to three hours depending on the ability of the hikers. Below the summit is a mountain range and cloud forest, with ferns, bromeliads, lichens and mosses. During the 19th century, it explosively erupted several times (1847?, 1853, 1855, 1861?, 1864-1865, 1866), producing pyroclastic flows. The last major eruption was in 1856, but in January 2001, the volcano reported increased activity, displaying strong fumaroles at the central craters.
Turrialba is adjacent to Irazú and both are among Costa Rica's largest volcanoes. It had at least five large explosive eruptions in last 3500 years.
Source: Wikipedia

Six Flags, New Jersey on www.CheckMyCity.com

Jackson Township, New Jersey

Jackson Township, named after Andrew Jackson, is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 42,816. Jackson's most famous attraction is Six Flags Great Adventure, which as of May 2005 has the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world: Kingda Ka. Jackson is also home to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Six Flags Wild Safari.
Jackson Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1844, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township), Freehold Township and Upper Freehold Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County, New Jersey. It became part of the newly-created Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Plumsted Township on March 11, 1845.
Vista Center is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Jackson Township.

Kingda Ka

Kingda Ka is a roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA. At its opening on May 21, 2005, it became the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, claiming the title from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. The train is launched by a hydraulic launch mechanism to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main top hat tower reaching a height of 456 feet (139.5 m). Due to aviation safety concerns, the tower is equipped with three dual strobes: 2 mid-way up, and one on the top.




Ride experience

After the train has been locked and checked, it slowly advances out of the station to the launch area. The train goes through a switch track which allows 4 trains on two tracks to load simultaneously. Once the train is in position, the hydraulic launch mechanism rockets the train from 0 to 128 miles per hour (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, pulling about 1.67 g. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main tower, or top hat, twisting 90 degrees to the left before reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m). The train then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree spiral. Finally, the train climbs the second hill of 128 feet (39 m), producing a moment of weightlessness before being smoothly brought to a stop by the magnetic brakes. The train then makes a U-turn and enters the station. The ride lasts 28 seconds from the start of the launch to the end of the brake run, but has an "official" ride time of 50.6 seconds.
The hydraulic launch motor is capable of producing 20,800 horsepower (15.5 MW) peak. Due to the high speed and open nature of the trains, this ride will not operate in light rain, as rider contact with rain drops can cause discomfort.



Source: Wikipedia