Favorite of the EU 25 largest cities

[chegel]

Of the cities I have seen, Prague wins without question.
I am surprised by the votes for Athens. Has anyone who voted for this city ever been there? It is just so ugly.

 

[Marla_Singer]

And what is wrong with that?

The fact that 80% of the people living within the urban area aren't represented at the city council has awful social consequences over the city. Paris is a unique case in the Western world where the divide is that strong. There's absolutely no relationship whatsoever between the City of Paris as it is officially defined and its immediate environment, which is exactly as urban and economically integrated.

Btw, I personally like it that only the intra muros area is counted as Paris. Having spent a year in Paris, I would never consider most of what lies outside of the city itself actually to be part of Paris. It just feels different.

Manhattan "feels different" from the rest of NYC. That's not a reason to consider the Bronx, Brooklyn or the Queens as something else than NYC.

Furthermore, the difference is widely in people's head. Most of the municipalities surrounding Paris are just as densely built-up as the city of Paris. Here are some photos showing where stands the limit of Paris:

"Ceci n'est pas" Paris means "this is not Paris".
"Ceci est Paris" means "this is Paris"

Apart from that, I find it amusing that Marla gets all worked up about how Paris is not #1 in terms of population, importance or whatever. Who cares, really?

If that's what you got from my message, then you're totally off the point. This isn't about a contest. I just noticed that London and Paris are of similar importance in the EU, but one is a lot more identified than the other in people's minds. And I've given reasons for that.

 

[Marla_Singer]

And frankly, I wouldn't put Paris on par with London in importance as a financial centre either.

Read my post again, I've never said the opposite. However, the economy isn't all about the financial sector. There are other companies than banks and insurances in this world.

For instance, Paris is after Tokyo the 2nd city in the world with the most Fortune global 500 companies headquarters, ahead of London and New York. The Paris region GDP is similar to the one of the Netherlands, with 25% less people.

Let's make things clear: I'm not here to promote Paris and I don't care at all about it. My point was simply that this thread proves that, according to the average citizens we're all, London is perceived as the leader in the EU. Paris is now perceived behind.

 

[Perfection]

Why don't you care about Paris?

I think London is liked better here is because it's an English speaking city, and that's convenient for English speakers.

 

[Leoreth]

Well, I don't consider ANY city to be the "leading city" within the EU by any definition I can think of. That's the great thing about the EU: it's so polycentric.

(The only thing that could do without polycentrism is the EU's administration itself; I'm wondering if I'll ever see those superfluous branches in Strasbourg and Luxembourg removed in my lifetime).

 

[W|M]

Of all the cities in the list that I remember going to (Paris and London), Paris was by FAR the best.

London is as boring and grey as cities in Western China.

 

[Oruc]

On the other side, London is loved and promoted by everyone in the UK,

How did you get this idea? everybody but those from London hate London. It's a cesspit.

 

[Lillefix]

How did you get this idea? everybody but those from London hate London. It's a cesspit.

I think it's like that in all countries. Everyone outside of the capital hates the capital.

 

[W|M]

People in Rio de Janeiro don't hate Brasilia!

 

[classical_hero]

Read my post again, I've never said the opposite. However, the economy isn't all about the financial sector. There are other companies than banks and insurances in this world.

For instance, Paris is after Tokyo the 2nd city in the world with the most Fortune global 500 companies headquarters, ahead of London and New York. The Paris region GDP is similar to the one of the Netherlands, with 25% less people.

Let's make things clear: I'm not here to promote Paris and I don't care at all about it. My point was simply that this thread proves that, according to the average citizens we're all, London is perceived as the leader in the EU. Paris is now perceived behind.

Well we are on an English language forum, so it is only natural for most people to be familiar with the largest city that speaks the same language.

 

[metatron]

(The only thing that could do without polycentrism is the EU's administration itself; I'm wondering if I'll ever see those superfluous branches in Strasbourg and Luxembourg removed in my lifetime).

I'd see it the other way around. The parliament is the EU.
If anything they have to stop that antidemocratic nonsense in Brussels.

I get your point: It's about the locations not the institutions. But i couldn't resist nitpicking.

 

[bestrfcplayer]

Our friends across the pound deserve a vote (London)

 

[Babbler]

too bad Cardiff isn't on there.

You could vote for Birmingham. It's close enough, Welsh-speakers mutated the name like a native name (apparently) and, like Wales itself, nobody in England likes the place (I've heard), not even the people who live there.

 

[Verbose]

I think it's like that in all countries. Everyone outside of the capital hates the capital.

OFT.
Tends to be a love-hate relationship though.

 

[Arakhor]

Fun fact: Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice.

 

[Yared]

Stockholm's metropolitian area is more populated than Sofia's

I voted Brussels.

 

[kronic]

Brussels? WTH. Everytime I'm there I'm wondering how a city as dirty and ugly as Brussels can be the capital of the EU. Then I remind myself that Brussels may represent the EU mess better than anything else...

 

[gangleri2001]

Stockholm's metropolitian area is more populated than Sofia's

I voted Brussels.

Sorry, this is largest CITIES, not metropolitan areas.

 

[Verbose]

Sorry, this is largest CITIES, not metropolitan areas.

That tends to mean the actual city, but if you mean city centres then OK.

Stockholm, and I imagine a number of the others, suffers by comparison here because the city centre is increasingly business and public buildings, and not apartments.

Just generally I think the aggregate number usually gives a better grasp of the actual size of most of these place. E.g. Marlas pictures of Paris and non-Paris. (Is the historical coronation church of the French monarchy in St Denis Paris or not Paris?) Though as I guess Mathalamus hinted, if one delves fx into the urban sprawl in the German Rhineland, sorting out what bit of urban landscape actually goes where might be tricky.

 

[Shekwan]

I suppose this poll is being skewed by Americans confused as to where to place their patriotism in a poll where they have no options?

London is pretty boring compared to some of the other options.