Category Capital Cities

          The largest city in Central America, Guatemala City is the capital of the Republic if Guatemala. The city is also the country’s economic, social and cultural capital. Do you know that there is a parliamentary body for the Central American states called ‘the Central American Parliament’? Aso known as PARLACEN, the institution is officially located in Guatemala City. The city is home to the regional headquarters of the Organization of American States too.

          The city’s name originates from the Nahuatl language of an American Indian tribe. Although experts disagree over the source, some hold that the original name was ‘Quauhtemallan’ meaning ‘land of trees’, while some others believe that it is derived from Guhatezmalha, meaning ‘mountain of vomiting water’. There was a series of earthquakes that shook the city in 1917. The tremors and quakes that started in the mid November lasted more than six weeks. The city was destroyed completely. The earthquakes recurred in 1976, taking more than 23,000 lives and injuring around 76,000 people.

          There are several important museums and artistic, commercial, vocational and military institutions in the city. The concrete relief map of the country in Minerva Park, the archaeological and historical museums, the colonial aqueduct, the central market and the Olympic City, built for the Central American Olympic Games of 1950 are some of the monuments of tourist interest. 

            Bern is the capital of Switzerland. The antiquity of the city has been dated back to the 12th century. A major tourist destination, the city lies along a narrow loop of the Aare River. The cobblestone streets, sandstone arcaded buildings and the natural splendour of the city render it one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city is surrounded by wooded hills and steep riverbanks. The peaks of the Alps fill the horizon of Bern.

            Bern generates most of its revenue from the manufacture of of printing products, chocolate, machinery, electrical equipment and chemical and pharmaceutical products. The city houses the headquarters of the international postal, telegraph, railway and copyright unions. Cattle breeding and cheese making are also important industries of the city. Emmental cheese is a product from Bern and is a highly sought after food item across the world. Two important monuments of the city are the famous Clock Tower, with a 16th-century clock and mechanical puppets that perform four minutes before every hour, and the Cage Tower. They are the two remaining towers of the old walls that once protected the city. The bear pit, where bears had been kept on display since 1480 is perhaps the most famous landmark of the city.

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            You must have heard the name of the city associated with a psychological condition called ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ in the recent past. In 1973, a criminal convict took four employees of a bank in Stockholm hostage and by the time they were released they had developed an affinity towards their captor. However, Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is known more for its antiquity, splendour and beauty than for crimes committed in the city. It is said that the city was inhabited even in 8,000 BC.

            Located at the junction of Lake Malar and Salt Bay, the city is built upon numerous islands as well as the mainland of Uppland and Sodermanland. There was a rapid development for the city in the mid-17th  century as Sweden had become a great power for a short span of time. The city became the cultural centre of the country and many of its literary societies and scientific academies sprang up during this time. Stockholm relies on metal and machine manufacturing, paper and printing, foodstuffs and chemicals for its economy.

            One of the finest capitals in the world, modern Stockholm is known for its architectural brilliance reflected in its broad streets, many parks and wellplanned housing projects. The second largest port in Sweden, the city is often called the ‘Venice of the North’.

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            For centuries, Spain had been one of the mightiest colonial powers. Like Portugal and England, Spain too had colonies across the globe. Being the capital of Spain, Madrid played an important role as the political and diplomatic heart of the country. Although King Philip II had shifted the royal court to Madrid in 1661, the city was made the national capital only a generation later by King Philip Ill.

            Madrid is situated at the heart of the Iberian Peninsula. It lies on a sand and clay plateau known as the Meseta. The Madrid of the present day is a curious mix of contrasting features. The city has preserved its past very well, while it has coped up with modernity in style. The overcrowded city centre has its antiquity intact; however, the regions surrounding it have developed new palaces, convents, churches and public buildings.

            Madrid is also one of the cultural centres of Europe. Have you heard of a famous work called ‘Don Quixote’? This major work was written by Miguel de Cervantes, a famous writer from Madrid. Lope de Vega, Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Francisco Gomez de Quevedo y Villegas, Benito Perez Galdos, Mariano Jose de Larra, Pio Baroja and Azorin are other renowned artists and writers of Madrid. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, the National Archaeological Museum and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of the San Fernando Museum are some of the places of great tourist interest.

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          Bucharest is the capital and most prosperous city of Romania. It is also one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of Eastern Europe. Bucharest boasts of big convention facilities, educational institutes, cultural venues, traditional “shopping arcades” and recreational areas. Located in the southeast of the country, the city has a mixture of neo-classical, interbellum, communist-era and modern architecture. During the time between the World Wars, the city’s elegant architecture and the sophistication of its elite earned the city the nickname, ‘Little Paris’. In the 1980s, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu tried to turn Bucharest into a model socialist-planned city. Much of the old city was ordered to be demolished and massive new state buildings, most prominently the Palace of Parliament, the world’s largest civilian administration building, were constructed in its place.

          The major landmarks of the city are the Patriarchal Cathedral or Metropolitan Church, the New St. George Church, the Radu Vod and Stavropoleos Churches and the Athenaeum, devoted to art and music.

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          The Portuguese are one of the most adventurous and industrious peoples in the world. They explored the world like no other and ruled over more than half of the world for over six centuries. Lisbon, being the capital of Portugal, played an important role in the process of the country becoming a global powerhouse. It was a key city for exploration of the south Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as being one of Europe’s most important ports.

          Lisbon is Portugal’s largest city and its cultural, administrative, commercial and industrial centre. The chief source of income for the city is from agriculture, forest products and fishing. The production of textiles, chemicals and steel, oil and sugar refining, and shipbuilding are the main industries of the city. The Tagus, the beautiful river that runs through Lisbon, adds charm to the city. The official entrance to Lisbon is a broad marble staircase mounting from the water to the vast arcaded Commerce Square, and in the middle of the square, stands a bronze statue of King Joseph I on horseback, an important work by the sculptor Joachim Machado de Castro.

          Although the city has many museums, two specialized museums are the Azulejo Museum and the National Museum of Coaches.

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