Washington, New York
Washington DC (District of Columbia) is the capital of the USA. It is situated on the Potomac River. It is the seat of the federal government of the United States. It has population of 620 000 inhabitants. There are 70% black people and 30 % white. Washington’s principal industry has always been government. Many international and national organizations, press and lobbyists are related with the government.
History
The DC was established in 1790. The city was designed by a French engineer Pierre L’Enfant and the area was chosen by George Washington. The area for the city was taken from Maryland and Virginia. Streets and avenues were built according to the scheme of Pierre L’Enfant. The streets are numbered and avenues are named after the states of the Union.
Transport
There are 3 major airports: Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport and Baltimore airport. Other means of transport are buses, taxis and train, but in the centre it is best to walk.
Places of interest
The city’s landmark is the Capital. It is the seat of the Congress and Supreme Court. Another important place is Washington monument. It is a white marble obelisk. It was built in 1885. The next unforgettable sight is Lincoln Memorial inspired by the Greek architecture. There is a famous statue of a seated Lincoln. Another important memorial is Jefferson’s. It is a circular white marble structure with bronze statue of Jefferson. In Constitution Gardens is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It is a black wall with 58 000 names of killed soldiers. Not far is the Arlington National Cemetery. There are buried 200 000 soldiers. Close to the Cemetery is the Pentagon, the largest office of the world. The White House is the seat of the President.
Culture
There are many museums and galleries in Washington, for example The National Air and Space Museum, The National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian Institution, which is one of the largest museums in the world. It consists of 14 museums and the Zoo.
New York is the largest city in the USA and an industrial port. It lies on the east coast at the mouth of the Hudson and East Rivers. The number of inhabitants is about 18 million people. New York has five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (Richmond).
Queens – It is the largest borough. Queens is known for its numerous and enormous cemeteries.
Brooklyn – It is the most populous borough. It is the home of the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Botanic Garden.
Staten Island – It is mostly family houses.
The Bronx – It is one of the biggest Afro-American community. There is Yankee Stadium.
Manhattan – Its scenery is formed by skyscrapers (the Empire State Building). It is the center of cultural life and the center of trade.
History
In 1624 New Amsterdam was established by the Dutch. In 1664 New Amsterdam became an English colony and the town was renamed to New York. In 1789 New York became the capital of the United States for 2 years. In September 2001 the twin towers of the World Trade Center were the targets of terrorist attacks.
Transport
New York City has three main airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark International Airport and La Guardian Airport. In New York are the train connection and the bus connection. The New York Subway is the largest urban transportation system in the world.
Places of general interest
The Statue of Liberty commemorates French-American friendship. It is 91.5 m high from its pedestal to the torch. The Lady holds a book with the inscription “4th July 1776“, the date of the beginning of the independent United States. The statue was designed by F.A.Bartholdi.
Manhattan is famous of its skyline.
The United State’s financial world is centered round Wall Street. It occupies the place of a former wall. Apart from the Stock Exchange are located many banks. Probably the best known feature in Lower Manhattan was World Trade Center, domination of the 110 story twin towers. The WTC was destroyed by a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.
The most famous building of New York is Empire State Building, built in 1931.
The United Nations Organization was created after World War II (1945) and its buildings were finished in 1950.
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 14 buildings. Almost opposite Rockefeller Center stands St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was inspired by the great Gothic cathedrals in Europe.
Shopping
The busiest shopping streets are 5th Avenue (particularly Rockefeller Center, Broadway and Madison Avenue.
Parks
In 1858 Central Park was created, the largest of all New York’s parks. The Bronx has also the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo.
Schools
New York is the home to Columbia and New York universities.
Culture and Entertainment
Theaters, movie theaters and concert halls are centered round Times Square. Many theaters are also in Broadway. The Carneggie hall was built to house the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
Metropolitan Opera House is the next important place. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses a collection of art (paintings, sculptures, furniture) from Africa and other continents. The Guggenheim Museum is made up of five major private collections from the Impressionists to the present day.
New York is also known as the „Melting Pot“ because of its cosmopolitan society. More than 80 languages are now spoken in New York.
In New York many of the most influential newspapers and magazines are centered, such as The New York Times, the Washington Post, Time and Vogue.