History magazine

World cities

2

Index Venice_____________________________________________________ 3

Amsterdam – Netherlands____________________________________ 8

Munich-Germany____________________________________________ 14

San Francisco U.S.A_______________________________________ 21

Barcelona_________________________________________________ 26

Paris_____________________________________________________ 32

Dubái_____________________________________________________ 35

Phoenix Arizona___________________________________________ 38

3

Venice

4

Venice - Italy

History of Venice

The city of Venice stretches over a series of 119 islands that emerge from a wide

lagoon located between the mainland and the open sea. Until its foundation was

inhabited by a few people from Veneto Illyrians who lived on the water of the

pond in palafitos subsist on fishing and salt extraction.

Its foundation dates from 421 The inhabitants of Veneto, expelled by the Goths

and Lombards, took refuge in these marshy lands of the Po river mouth forming the

city of Venice.

History of Venice, San Marcos

Your "insider" status among marshes and waters granted greater independence to

Venice regarding potential conquerors. In the year 810 Charlemagne's son himself

had to withdraw their ships after tripping over the area offered obstacles to

navigation.

In the sixth century, the great general of the age of Justinian, Belisarius conquered

Venice. Under the protection of the Byzantine Empire fell under the Exarch of

Ravenna administratively. In front of the city government imposed the Byzantine

Military Master.

5

In 829 he was transported to Venice from Alexandria, the body of the apostle St.

Mark, the evangelist who would be the patron of the city.

In 976 a fire destroyed the center of the city, including the palace of the Doge, the

city archives and the first church of San Marcos.

An important event was when the emperor of Byzantium by the Venetians lent

support him in his struggle against the Normans, gave them considerable privileges

in trade with Byzantium.

This fruitful relationship with Byzantium ensured maritime traffic and trade to

Venice. The Venetian ambassador enjoyed exclusive privileges to Byzantium. His

diplomacy was characterized by his shrewdness, flexibility and opportunism. They

continued to trade with Muslims, even after the prohibition in Lateran Council

(1261).

Venice expanded its power to trade in silks and spices of Constantinople (ancient

Byzantium) and Alexandria, carrying slaves, timber, fish Dalmatian Alps iron and

tea. One of the most productive business was buying slaves from southern Russia to

sell in North Africa. Also sold in Europe buying in Alexandria and in Turkey.

At the end of the process the Dux had a very small personal power and authority

was exercised primarily by the Great Council, whose positions became hereditary

from 1297.

An oligarchy of two hundred families came to govern Venice.

History, Canals of Venice

Venetian Canals

In the first half of the fifteenth century the

Venetians began its expansion in Italy in

response to the threatening power of the Duke

of Milan.

In 1410, Venice controlled most of the region,

including cities such as Verona and Padua, later

reaching Brescia and Bergamo. The Adriatic Sea

became the "Venetian Sea", whose power

extended to distant lands such as Cyprus.

6

The weakness of the Byzantine Empire had allowed him to annex Crete, Euboea,

and in 1489, Cyprus.

In the fifteenth century, Venice was the center of world trade and the largest port

city in the world with more than 200,000 inhabitants. The palaces became

increasingly luxurious, decorated by artists such as Veronese and Giorgione.

At this time Venice reached its peak.

The arrival of the decline

If the conquest of Constantinople was the beginning of its heyday, its loss in 1453 at

the hands of the Turks, began rampant decay. Then there is the discovery of

America which displaced joined trade flows.

By that time, the Ottoman Empire was able to expand into the Balkans and Venice

began to be threatened. In 1570 he was forced to leave Cyprus in Turkish hands.

Shortly after Crete fell and his last possessions in the Aegean. He made peace with

the Ottomans in 1573.

Through the Holy League, in league with the Holy See and Spain tried to regain the

lost territories and although defeated in the Battle of Lepanto, failed. (In this battle

Cervantes lost his arm).

Furthermore, the expansion of Italy was faced with the Pope who was in league

with Louis XII of France, Maximilian I of Austria, and Ferdinand II of Aragon, Venice

showdown was saved by his diplomacy.

The plague of 1630 wiped out a third of the population. The decline of Venice was

manifest potentiated the Habsburg Trieste Harbour against the Venetian interests.

Naples tried to dominate through the conspiracy of Venice.

Venice from Vaporetto

There were various uprisings and the Austrian army defeated the revolutionaries in

the Battle of Rieti in 1821, restoring their power. On March 11, ignoring what

happened in Rieti, new uprisings broke out in Piedmont, Turin, Modena and Parma.

After the uprising against the Austrians an assembly that voted for the union of

Venice in Italy was created. The Austrians destroyed much of the city and this is

rendered August 22, 1849.

The situation quickly became a war between Italy and Austria. The rulers of the

Duchies, the Pope and the King of Naples, finished sending forces to fight for the

7

rule of the Venetian territories. Meanwhile, the Austrians were supported by the

Holy Alliance (Prussia and Russia).

By the Treaty of Vienna 1866 peace between Italy and Austria, Austria renounced

Venice in exchange for compensation was restored.

Finally, the Treaty of Venice October 19, 1866, by which Austria ceded Venice to

France and this in turn was signed to Italy.

Following a plebiscite Venice became part of Italy definitely.

8

Amsterdam - Netherlands

The Netherlands being the most densely populated

country of the world has very interesting cities,

beautifully preserved nature, and varied landscape,

always fresh through the wind from the sea. This is the

country, where light astonishes the visitor. No wonder,

that the Dutch gave human civilization several

important painters.

9

History of Amsterdam Amsterdam, the greatest planned city of northern Europe, has

always been a well-known name in world history and played a central

role in the history of the Netherlands. In the 17th century

Amsterdam was the centre of world economy, and nowadays the

city is known for its tolerant character.

1200-1585: THE EARLY HISTORY Amsterdam was founded as a fishing village around the thirteenth

century. Amsterdam developed round a dam in the Amstel river at

the end of the 12th century. The name Amstelledamme occurs for

the first time in the toll concession of Floris V, Count of Holland,

dated October 27, 1275. During the 14th, but especially the 15th

century, Amsterdam underwent a rapid development, which laid the

foundation for the Golden Age. Only very few medieval buildings

survive today. Some examples: the Old and New Churches and the

Houten Huis (Wooden House) at the Begijnhof. Throughout the

Middle Ages houses were generally built of wood, a vulnerable type

of construction material. The famous Houten Huis is no exception

to this rule. Consequently, most of them were destroyed.

Nevertheless, a surprisingly large number of Amsterdam dwellings

still have timber frames.

1585-1672: THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMSTERDAM The period 1585-1672, the Golden Age, was the hey-day of

Amsterdam's commercial success. At the time Amsterdam was the

staple market of the world. During this period the characteristic

Amsterdam cityscape developed; the 1613 and 1663 urban

expansions still determine the city's characteristic appearance.

Some of the most important historic buildings date back to this

period, e.g. the town hall in the Dam Square (now the Royal Palace),

theWesterkerk, Zuiderkerk, as well as a large number of canal

10

houses among which De Dolfijn (Dolphin), De Gecroonde Raep

(Crowned Turnip), the Bartolotti Huis, the Huis met de Hoofden

(House with the Heads), the Poppenhuis, Kloveniersburgwal 95

(commissioned by the Poppen family), the Trippenhuis (built for the

Trip family), the Van Raey-huizen, Keizersgracht 672-674, and

Sweedenrijk, Herengracht 462.

1672-1795: AN AGE OF GOLD AND SILVER The year 1672 was a year of disaster for the Dutch Republic with

the French and English attacking simultaneously. The Golden Age

had come to an end. Nevertheless, Amsterdam managed to

consolidate its prosperity during the period 1672-1795 in spite of

the predicament the Republic found itself in. The city remained a

major staple market and managed to retain its position as the

financial centre of Europe. Whereas the Golden Age was primarily

a period of pitch and tar, the new era is better characterised as an

age of gold and silver. The large number of dwellings built at this

time, both simple ones and rich canal houses, reflect the city’s

prosperity. As a result the majority of the houses located in the

city centre date back to the 18th rather than the 17th century.

Some examples: Huis Van Brienen, Herengracht 284, Huis De Vicq-

De Steur, OZ Voorburgwal 237, Zeevrugt and Saxenburg,

Keizersgracht 224.

1795-1813: RECESSION AND DECLINE In 1795 the government of the patrician oligarchies was

overthrown and the old Republic ceased to exist. Soon the French

were to occupy the country. During the period 1795-1813

Amsterdam suffered badly from the economic recession, a state of

affairs reflected by the stagnation of the demographic

development. Many houses were vacant and some even collapsed for

11

lack of maintenance. Fortunately some facades and interiors dating

back to the Empire period survive today.

1813-1940: RECOVERY AND EXPANSION

BEYOND THE SINGELGRACHT The period 1813-1940 is marked by economic recovery and, from

1870 onwards, by expansion. The increasing wealth brought about a

rapid population growth. This development was primarily the result

of the Industrial Revolution which triggered off a New Golden Age.

The city now ventured into the area beyond the Singelgracht.

Large poorly built working-class neighbourhoods were built. The

period 1920-1940 was a time of economic recession. Therefore it is

all the more remarkable that the so-called Ring 20-40 compares

favourably to the 19th century jerry-building. This was also the

period of large-scale damage to the historical city

centre; canals were filled in and new traffic breakthroughs were

realised.

Dam square The Dam is the very

centre and heart of

the city, and is the

center of Amsterdam

attractions. Although

there are arguably

prettier sights in

Amsterdam. As an

historical site

however, it is

fascinating and worth

taking the time to

12

appreciate. The Dam has seen many historical dramas unfold over

the years, and was for example, the reception area for Napoleon

and his troops during the 1808 take-over of the city. The

impressive history of the square is well documented in

the Amsterdam Historical Museum. The Royal Palace(Koninklijk

Paleis) which dominates the square, was originally used as the town

hall and its classical facade and fine sculptures were intended to

glorify the city of Amsterdam and its government. In contrast to

its turbulent history, the square is now a peaceful place and is

home to hundreds of pigeons and tourists resting their tired feet

from walking among nearby Amsterdam attractions.

Begijnhof

A narrow, vaulted passageway leads to this charming garden

surrounded by old houses. Begijnhof belongs to the more poetic

Amsterdam attractions. The houses in the courtyard were once

occupied by devout celibate Béguine nuns and are still home to

single women today. In the centre of the lawns is a medieval church

and at No.34 stands the oldest house in Amsterdam. The entrance

13

is on the Spui and is indicated by a carved sign. Entry is free, but

you must be quiet!

Amsterdam's canals

The number of canals have led Amsterdam to become known as

“The Venice of the North”. And thus, a trip to Amsterdam is not

complete without a boat cruise on these well known attractions in

Amsterdam. A canal tour can be both fascinating and relaxing by

day and enchanting and romantic at night when many of the houses

and bridges are illuminated. The four main city center canals are

Prinsengracht, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Singel. There are

also numerous smaller canals in the neighbourhood of Jordaan, of

which the Brouwersgracht, the Bloemgracht and the Leliegracht

are especially pleasant.

14

Munich

Germany

15

BMW welt

The name of the city is derived from the Old High

German term Munichen, meaning "by the monks". It derives from

the monks of the Benedictine order who ran a monastery at the

place that was later to become the Old Town of Munich; hence

the monk depicted on the city's coat of arms. Munich was first

mentioned in 1158. From 1255 the city was seat of theBavarian

Dukes. Black and gold — the colours of the Holy Roman

Empire — have been the city's official colours since the time

of Ludwig the Bavarian, when it was an imperial residence.

Following a final reunification of the Wittelsbachian Duchy of

Bavaria, previously divided and sub-divided for more than 200

years, the town became the country's sole capital in 1506.

Catholic Munich was a cultural stronghold of the Counter-

Reformation and a political point of divergence during the

resultingThirty Years' War, but remained physically untouched

16

despite an occupation by the Protestant Swedes; as the

townsfolk would rather open the gates of their town than risk

siege and almost inevitable destruction. Like wide parts of

the Holy Roman Empire, the area recovered slowly economically.

Having evolved from a duchy's capital into that of

anelectorate (1623), and later a sovereign kingdom (1806),

Munich has been a centre of arts, culture and science since the

early 19th century. The city became the Nazi movement's

infamous Hauptstadt der Bewegung (lit.: "Capital of the

movement"), and after post-war reconstruction was the host city

of the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Munich is home to many national and international authorities,

major universities, major museums and theaters. Its numerous

architectural attractions, international sports events, exhibitions,

conferences and Oktoberfest attract considerabletourism.[5] Since

2006, the city's motto has been "München mag dich" ("Munich

loves you").[6] Munich is a traffic hub with excellent international,

national and local connections, running a fast and reliable public

transport system. It is a centre of finance, publishing and

advanced technologies. Munich is one of the most prosperous

and fastest growing cities in Germany, and the seat of numerous

corporations and insurance companies. It is a top-ranked

destination for migration and expatriate location, despite being

the municipality with the highest density of population (4,500

inh. per km²) in Germany. Munich achieved fourth place in the

frequently quoted Mercer livability rankings in 2011[7] and

2012.[8] For economic and social innovation, the city was ranked

15th globally out of 289 cities in 2010, and 5th in Germany by

the 2thinknow Innovation Cities Index based on analysis of 162

indicators.[9] In 2013, Monocle ranked Munich as the world's

most livable city with the highest quality of life.

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Allianz Arena –

Bayern munich The year 1158 is assumed to be the foundation date, which is

the earliest date the city is mentioned in a document. The

document was signed in Augsburg.[11] By that time

the Guelph Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, had

built a bridge over the river Isar next to a settlement

of Benedictine monks—this was on the Old Salt Route and a toll

bridge.

In 1175, Munich was officially granted city status and received

fortification. In 1180, with the trial of Henry the Lion, Otto I

Wittelsbachbecame Duke of Bavaria and Munich was handed

over to the Bishop of Freising. (Wittelsbach's heirs,

the Wittelsbach dynasty, would rule Bavaria until 1918.) In 1240,

Munich was transferred to Otto II Wittelsbach and in 1255, when

the Duchy of Bavaria was split in two, Munich became the ducal

residence of Upper Bavaria.

Duke Louis IV was elected German king in 1314 and crowned

as Holy Roman Emperor in 1328. He strengthened the city's

position by granting it the salt monopoly, thus assuring it of

additional income. In the late 15th century Munich underwent a

revival of gothic arts—the Old Town Hall was enlarged, and

Munich's largest gothic church, now a cathedral—

the Frauenkirche—constructed in only twenty years, starting in

1468.

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When Bavaria was reunited in 1506, Munich became its capital.

The arts and politics became increasingly influenced by the

court (see Orlando di Lasso, Heinrich Schuetz and

later Mozart and Richard Wagner). During the 16th century

Munich was a centre of the German counter reformation, and

also of renaissancearts. Duke Wilhelm V commissioned the

Jesuit Michaelskirche, which became a centre for the counter-

reformation, and also built the Hofbräuhaus for brewing brown

beer in 1589. The Catholic League was founded in Munich in

1609. In 1623 during the Thirty Years' War Munich became

electoral residence whenMaximilian I, Duke of Bavaria was

invested with the electoral dignity but in 1632 the city was

occupied byGustav II Adolph of Sweden. When the bubonic

plague broke out in 1634 and 1635 about one third of the

population died. Under the regency of the Bavarian electors

Munich was an important centre of baroque life but also had to

suffer under Habsburg occupations in 1704 and 1742.

In 1806, the city became the capital of the new Kingdom of

Bavaria, with the state's parliament (the Landtag) and the

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new archdiocese of Munich and Freising being located in the

city. Twenty years later Landshut University was moved to

Frauenkirche

Munich. Many of the city's finest buildings belong to this period

and were built under the first three Bavarian kings. Later Prince

Regent Luitpold's years as regent were marked by tremendous

artistic and cultural activity in Munich (see Franz von

Stuck and Der Blaue Reiter).

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, life in Munich

became very difficult, as the Allied blockade of Germany led to

food and fuel shortages. During French air raids in 1916, three

bombs fell on Munich. After World War I, the city was at the

centre of much political unrest. In November 1918 on the eve of

revolution, Ludwig III and his family fled the city. After the

murder of the first republican premier of Bavaria Kurt Eisner in

February 1919 by Anton Graf von Arco auf Valley, the Bavarian

Soviet Republic was proclaimed. When Communists had taken

power, Lenin, who had lived in Munich some years before, sent

a congratulatory telegram, but the Soviet Republic was put down

on 3 May 1919 by the Freikorps. While the republican

government had been restored, Munich subsequently became a

hotbed of extremist politics, among which Adolf Hitler and

the National Socialism rose to prominence.

In 1923 Hitler and his supporters, who were then concentrated

in Munich, staged the Beer Hall Putsch, an attempt to overthrow

theWeimar Republic and seize power. The revolt failed, resulting

in Hitler's arrest and the temporary crippling of the Nazi Party,

which was virtually unknown outside Munich.

20

The city once again became a Nazi stronghold when the

National Socialists took power in Germany in 1933. The National

Socialist Workers Party created their first concentration

camp at Dachau, 10 miles (16 kilometres) north-west of the city.

Because of its importance to the rise of National Socialism,

Munich was referred to as the Hauptstadt der

Bewegung ("Capital of the Movement"). The NSDAPheadquarters

was in Munich and many Führerbauten ("Führer-buildings") were

built around the Königsplatz, some of which have survived to

this day.

The city is known as the site of the culmination of the policy

of appeasement employed by Britain and France leading up to

World War II. It was in Munich that British Prime Minister Neville

Chamberlain assented to the annexation of Czechoslovakia's

Sudetenland region into Greater Germany in the hopes of sating

the desires of Hitler's Third Reich.

Munich was the base of the White Rose, a student resistance

movement from June 1942 to February 1943. The core members

were arrested and executed following a distribution of leaflets

in Munich University by Hans and Sophie Scholl.

The city was heavily damaged by allied bombing during World

War II — the city was hit by 71 air raids over a period of five

years.

21

San Francisco

U.S.A

22

The only consolidated city-county in California,[22] San Francisco encompasses a

land area of about 46.9 square miles (121 km2)[23] on the northern end of the San

Francisco Peninsula, giving it a density of about 17,867 people per square mile

(6,898 people per km2). It is the most densely settled large city (population greater

than 200,000) in the state of California and thesecond-most densely

populated major city in the United States after New York City.[24] San Francisco is

the fourth-most populous city in California, after Los Angeles, San Diego and San

Jose, and the 14th-most populous city in the United States—with a Census-

estimated 2013 population of 837,442.[19] The city and its surroundings are known

as the San Francisco Bay Area, part of the San Jose-San Francisco-

Oakland combined statistical area, with a population of 8.5 million.

San Francisco (Spanish for "Saint Francis") was founded on June 29, 1776,

when colonists from Spain established a fort at theGolden Gate and a

mission named for St. Francis of Assisi a few miles away.[25] The California Gold

Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth, making it the largest city on the West Coast at

the time. Due to the growth of its population, San Francisco became a consolidated

city-county in 1856.[26] After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906

earthquake and fire,[27] San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-

Pacific International Exposition nine years later. During World War II, San

Francisco was the port of embarkation for service members shipping out to

the Pacific Theater.[28] After the war, the confluence of returning servicemen,

massive immigration, liberalizing attitudes, along with the rise of the

"hippie" counterculture, the Sexual Revolution, the Peace Movement growing

from opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War, and other factors

led to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement, cementing San Francisco

as a center of liberal activism in the United States.

San Francisco is a popular tourist destination,[29] known for its cool summers, fog,

steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of architecture, and landmarks including the Golden

Gate Bridge, cable cars, the former prison on Alcatraz Island, and

its Chinatown district. San Francisco is also the headquarters of five major banking

institutions and various other companies such as the Gap Inc., Pacific Gas and

Electric Company, Yelp, Pinterest, Twitter, Uber, Mozilla and Craigslist.

The earliest archaeological evidence of human habitation of the territory of the city

of San Francisco dates to 3000 BC.[30]

The Yelamu group of the Ohlonepeople

resided in a few small villages when an overland Spanish exploration party, led by

Don Gaspar de Portolà arrived on November 2, 1769, the first documented

23

European visit to San Francisco Bay.[31] Seven years later, on March 28, 1776, the

Spanish established the Presidio of San Francisco, followed by a mission, Mission

San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores), established by the Spanish

explorer Juan Bautista de Anza.[25]

Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico. Under

Mexican rule, the mission system gradually ended, and its lands

became privatized. In 1835, Englishman William Richardson erected the first

independent homestead,[32] near a boat anchorage around what is

today Portsmouth Square. Together with Alcalde Francisco de Haro, he laid out a

street plan for the expanded settlement, and the town, named Yerba Buena, began

to attract American settlers. Commodore John D. Sloat claimed California for the

United States on July 7, 1846, during the Mexican-American War, and

CaptainJohn B. Montgomery arrived to claim Yerba Buena two days later. Yerba

Buena was renamed San Francisco on January 30 of the next year, and Mexico

officially ceded the territory to the United States at the end of the war. Despite its

attractive location as a port and naval base, San Francisco was still a small

settlement with inhospitable geography.[33]

Francis Samuel Marryat, Hilltop of San Francisco, California, Looking toward the

Bay, 1849. M.& N. Hanhart Chromolithograph

Port of San Francisco in 1851 The California Gold

Rush brought a flood of

treasure seekers. With

their sourdough breadin

tow,[34] prospectors

accumulated in San Francisco over rival Benicia,[35] raising the population from

1,000 in 1848 to 25,000 by December 1849.[36] The promise of fabulous riches was

so strong that crews on arriving vessels deserted and rushed off to the gold fields,

leaving behind a forest of masts in San Francisco harbor.[37] California was

24

quicklygranted statehood, and the U.S. military built Fort Point at the Golden

Gate and a fort onAlcatraz Island to secure the San Francisco Bay. Silver

discoveries, including theComstock Lode in 1859, further drove rapid population

growth.[38] With hordes of fortune seekers streaming through the city, lawlessness

was common, and the Barbary Coast section of town gained notoriety as a haven

for criminals, prostitution, and gambling.[39]

Entrepreneurs sought to capitalize on the wealth generated by the Gold Rush.

Early winners were the banking industry, with the founding of Wells Fargo in 1852

and the Bank of California in 1864. Development of the Port of San Francisco and

the establishment in 1869 of overland access to the Eastern U.S. rail system via

the newly completed Pacific Railroad (the construction of which the city only

reluctantly helped support[40]) helped make the Bay Area a center for trade.

Catering to the needs and tastes of the growing population, Levi Straussopened a

dry goods business and Domingo Ghirardelli began manufacturing chocolate.

Immigrant laborers made the city a polyglot culture, with Chinese railroad

workers creating the city's Chinatown quarter. In 1870, Asians made up 8% of the

population.[41] The firstcable cars carried San Franciscans up Clay Street in 1873.

The city's sea of Victorian houses began to take shape, and civic leaders

campaigned for a spacious public park, resulting in plans for Golden Gate Park.

San Franciscans built schools, churches, theaters, and all the hallmarks of civic

life. The Presidio developed into the most important American military installation

on the Pacific coast.[42] By 1890, San Francisco's population approached 300,000,

making it the eighth-largest city in the U.S. at the time. Around 1901, San

Francisco was a major city known for its flamboyant style, stately hotels,

ostentatious mansions on Nob Hill, and a thriving arts scene.[43] The first North

American plague epidemic was the San Francisco plague of 1900–1904.[44]

At 5:12 am on April 18, 1906, a major earthquake struck San Francisco and

northern California. As buildings collapsed from the shaking, ruptured gas lines

ignited fires that spread across the city and burned out of control for several days.

With water mains out of service, the Presidio Artillery Corps attempted to contain

the inferno by dynamiting blocks of buildings to create firebreaks.[45] More than

three-quarters of the city lay in ruins, including almost all of the downtown

core.[27] Contemporary accounts reported that 498 people lost their lives, though

modern estimates put the number in the several thousands.[46] More than half of

the city's population of 400,000 was left homeless.[47]Refugees settled temporarily

in makeshift tent villages in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, on the beaches, and

elsewhere. Many fled permanently to the East Bay.

25

Golden Gate Bridge

26

Barcelona

It is a Spanish city, capital of the province and autonomous community of

Catalonia. With a population of 1,620,943 inhabitants in 20123 is the second

largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the eleventh of the European Union.

The metropolitan area of Barcelona, including the urban area of Barcelona, has

5,029,181 inhabitants (2011), making it the sixth most populous city in the

Europea.4 Union

Located on the Mediterranean Sea, just 120 km south of the mountain chain of

the Pyrenees and the border with France, in a small coastal plain bounded by

the sea to the east, west Collserola, the Llobregat river Besos river south and

north. By being the county town of Barcelona, is often referred to it with the

name of Ciudad Condal antonomastic.

27

Barcelona has been the scene of many world events that helped shape the city

and give international exposure. The most relevant are the Universal

Exhibition of 1888, the International Exhibition of 1929, the Summer Olympic

Games 1992 and the Universal Forum of Cultures 2004. It is also home to the

Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterráneo.5

Today, Barcelona is recognized as a global city for its cultural, financial,

commercial and tourist importance. It has one of the largest ports in the

Mediterranean and is also an important point of communication between Spain

and France, due to motorway connections and high-speed rail

Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula,

right in the middle of river deltas of the rivers Llobregat, southwestern, and

Besos, northeast. Its municipal term limits, from south to north and clockwise,

with the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Hospitalet de Llobregat,

Esplugues de Llobregat, San Justo Desvern, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Molins de

Rey, San Cugat del Vallés, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Moncada and Reixach, Santa

Coloma de Gramanet and San Adrián de Besos. The first two and the last two

are the municipalities with which the city maintains a close contact with a

dense continuous urban network that connects them, on the contrary San

Cugat del Valles Cerdanyola del Vallès Barcelona remain far apart as the

Sierra Litoral and the natural park of Sierra de Collserola act as natural

barriers.

Barcelona has a small part of its municipal Llobregat in the slope of the Sierra

de Collserola. It is Vallvidrera and Les Planes that are somewhat

institutionalized within the natural park of Collserola. Also part of the

municipality of Santa Cruz Olorda, riding between Western Vallés and Lower

Llobregat.

28

Middle Ages

After arriving in the V century the Visigoths made for a few years the capital

of the Spanish territories, after transferring the power to Toledo. In the

eighth century it was conquered by Al-Hurr, but returned to Christian

territory by Louis the Pious of the Carolingian Empire in 801, incorporating the

Marca Hispanica. Muslim attacks did not stop, and 985 troops of Almanzor

destroyed virtually the entire city. Borrell II reconstruction began giving way

to thriving county period. During this period the city noted between Catalonia

and the whole domain of the Crown of Aragon, and was, along with other ports

of the Crown, as Tortosa, 18 Palma de Mallorca, 19 Naples or Valencia, 20

where they left numerous troops and resources to the company taking new

possessions. The city flourished and would become a major western

Mediterranean in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The city stood on a

commercial level, but below Genoa and Venice, which dominated trade in the

Mediterranean and between Europe and Asia.

29

Modern Age

1698 French map of the city of Barcelona with indications for a plan of siege.

The decline began in the fifteenth century with ups and downs, and would

continue throughout the following centuries. Tensions arising from dynastic

union with Castile, which began with the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon

and Isabella of Castile, reached its climax with the War of the Reapers,

between 1640 and 1651, and later the War of Succession (in 1706-1714), which

meant the disappearance of many of Catalonia's own institutions, but also

meant the economic revival of the city thanks to integration with the rest of

Spain, and trade with America.

30

Industrial revolution

Plan of the Eixample in

Barcelona, by Ildefonso

Cerdá (1859). Paradigm

of nineteenth extensions

in Spain.

The economic recovery

that began in the late

eighteenth century and

industrialization in the

nineteenth century led to

Barcelona again become a

major political, economic and cultural center, in front of the Renaissance call

(Renaissance), include the industrialization process in the monopoly textile

trade between Spain and Cuba which was set in Barcelona, in a moment of

crisis in the cotton textile industry, and settled industrialization in Catalonia

and the growth differential, while other parts of the country the industry

languished before the crisis. Another consequence of this textile monopoly in

the nineteenth century between Barcelona and Cuba, was the complaint of

Cubans on the "funnel theory" wide for Spain and close to Cuba, and that was

the root of Cuban unrest and riots generated and the independence movement

in search of economic equality with the support of EE. UU.

31

XX century

Bombing of Barcelona

in March 1938 during

the Spanish Civil

War.

In the early

twentieth century

highlighted both

economic growth

(especially derived

from the First World

War) as the

proliferation of new

ideologies embraced

by large sections of the population, especially the working .. During the war

the city was bombed several times. Franco's troops occupied the city in late

January 1939.

The military dictatorship Barcelona designated as a development promoting

intensive industrialization led to a strong and prolonged immigration mostly

from the south of the peninsula. The new social and economic conditions more

dynamic city and radically transformed the urban layout, highlighting the

emergence of densely populated working-class neighborhoods and major roads.

The subway was expanded and trolleybuses appeared (1940) diversifying

transportation.

After the death of General Franco and the difficult beginning of the

democratic period,

32

PARIS Eiffel tower

The Eiffel Tower is an iron construction 300 meters high, which was

created for the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889. Currently is the

most representative symbol of Paris.

The birth of the tower

Eiffel tower

The Eiffel Tower, symbol of

Paris

Eiffel Tower views

Views from the top floor of

the Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower from Trocadero

Eiffel Tower from the

Trocadero

With a design created by

Gustave Eiffel, the

construction of the Eiffel

Tower lasted just over two

years and it worked 250

workers

In the early twentieth

century, with the arrival of

world wars, authorities

found its usefulness as a

broadcasting antenna and

with it captured messages

that helped the allies

decisively.

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Invalides

The imposing architectural complex formed by the National des

Invalides (Hôtel National des Invalides) was built in the seventeenth

century as a residence for retired French soldiers of service.

Ancient inhabitants of

the Invalides

Invalides, Napoleon's

Tomb

Tomb of Napoleon at

the Invalides

During the year 1674 began to

arrive the first guests of the

Invalides, becoming more than

4,000 at the end of the century.

The soldiers who had served in the

French army during more than ten

years could retire and, far from

what one might think, there spent

their time telling stories about the

war and play cards, but what

advantage for culturizarse and

perform arranging some work

uniforms or shoes, among other

tasks.

34

Cathedral of Notre Dame

Built between 1163 and 1245 on the Île de la Cité, Notre Dame

de Paris is one of the world's oldest Gothic cathedrals. The

name means Our Lady Cathedral and is dedicated to the

Virgin Mary.

In its eight centuries of

history, Notre Dame

Cathedral has been

renovated several

times, the most

important mid-

nineteenth century.

Throughout these years

the flying buttresses

were replaced, southern

rosette was inserted,

the chapels were

reformed and statues

added.

The towers of Notre

Dame

Notre Dame has two

towers of 69 meters on

its facade. Accessing the

top of the towers, while

appreciating the

fantastic views, you can

visit the belfry in which

lived the legendary

Hunchback of Notre

Dame and see up close

the many gargoyles.

35

Dubái Attractions

Burj Khalifa (Burj Dubai)

The Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) is

the tallest building in the world with

a

height of 828 meters. In the building

has involved more than 12,000

people

in 30 countries. Formerly known as

Burj Dubai (Dubai Tower).

Viewpoints of Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa has two

viewpoints

that offer views amazing. In the

124

plant, located 442 meters high,

you will

find that until now was the only

viewpoint

of the Khalifa Tower,

undoubtedly the

best place to view the city Dubai.

36

Around the Burj Dubai

Next to the Burj Khalifa is

a large artificial

lake where the Dubai

Fountain, one of the

essential attractions

installed. Around the

lake you will find bars and

restaurants

and, of course, the famous

Dubai Mall shopping

center.

How much sleep on it?

As you can imagine, sleeping on

the Burj Al Arab is not particularly

cheap. Rates start from € 1,300 per

night, including breakfast, dates,

chocolates and even a complete

set of products Hermes for men

and women.

To see what makes it so special

simply enumerate some of its

features: it is built on its own

artificial island 280 meters from

the coast, measures 321 meters, all

rooms are suites (the smallest of

175 square meters) and hotel

shuttle service consists of BMWs,

Rolls Royce and a private

helicopter.

Its hard to build five years and the

hotel opened in December 1999.

Currently its sail-shaped structure

makes it one of the most

photographed buildings in the

world.

37

palm Jumeirah

Located on the coast of

Dubai, the Palm

Jumeirah is one of the

most popular

attractions of Dubai.

Consists of a set of

artificial palm tree

shaped islands

composed of a trunk,

branches and a semi-

circle 17 which acts as a

breakwater.

The construction

of the palm began

in 2001 and was

completed in 2008.

For construction

sand and rocks

were used enough

to form a wall six

feet tall able to

make three turns

to earth, which

provides a total

area of 31 square

kilometers.

38

PHOENIX

ARIZONA. It is the capital of the state of Arizona and Maricopa County. Also known as the Valley of the Sun, is the largest and most populous city in the state officially reached and according to the population census of 2010 the 1,445,632 inhabitants in the municipality, while the number of people in its metropolitan area including amounts to 4,192,887 inhabitants according to the census of 2010, being therefore the fourteenth most populous city in the United States.

39

The name of the city comes from the Latin word phoenix, referring to the fabulous bird that old thought it was unique and was reborn from its cenizas.6 would beat Darrel Dupa, symbolizing the birth of a new civilization on Hohokam ruins of settlements. Although the majority use Spanish is the original spelling, documented sometimes with the spelling 'Phoenix'

HISTORYThe area

now occupied by the city of Phoenix was

inhabited by more than one

thousand years by

the Hohokam.10

This town built the

first irrigation system Valle del Sol, establishing a system of channels of about 217 km in length allowed to bring water from the Salado river, thus establishing the first farms in the desert became possible. Pueblo Grande Ruins occupied between 700 and 1400 d. C. are the remains of the first settlement in the ciudad.11 Father Eusebio Kino (1645-1711) was one of the first Europeans to visit the place in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. The Spaniards were mainly concentrated in the missions of the Pima Indians in southern Arizona, so the Salado river valley remained uninhabited for several centuries before 1860.

40

At the end of the US intervention in Mexico in 1848, much of northern Mexico was annexed by the United States and included in the territory of New Mexico (including the area of the current Phoenix). In 1867, the adventurer Jack Swilling stopped to rest in the north of the mountains "White Tank". He discovered that the area has numerous, frost-free agricultural areas. Only water is needed. In 1868 he built a canal that brought water from the Salt River and founded a small colony about 6 miles from the present town. The

city was officially recognized on May 4, 1868.

WEATHERPhoenix has an arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters typical of the Sonoran Desert, in which it is located. The average summer high temperature is the highest of all populated areas of the United States. The temperature reaches or exceeds 38 ° C on an average of 110 days during the year, including most days from late May to early September, and during an average of 18 days a year reaches or exceeds the temperatur e 43 ° C. On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached 50 ° C incredible. March is the wettest year (27 mm) with June being the driest month (2 mm) month. Although thunderstorms are possible at any time of year, they are more common in the months of July, August and September.