Pangur Bán
Deconstructed
I'm not sure how much purpose this serves, but still, here we go. I's just wondering, if you had to pick a current European city for its current and historical greatness and prestige, which one would you pick? To my mind, there are only a few candidates:
Rome - Home to the Vatican, and the centre of the world's largest religion. Historical birthplace of the Roman Empire.
London - the Wealthiest city in modern Europe; today it is Europe's third largest city depending on how one does the figures. More importantly, it is a world financial centre. It was also centre of the British Empire, the largest collection of territories ever gathered under one govenment.
Istanbul - Formerly Constantinople. Centre of the Roman Empire for over 1200 years before becoming the Ottoman capital for another 4 and a i/2 centuries. Centre for the Orthodox church. Was most consistantly the wealthiest and most important city of the middle ages. Still the 2nd largest city in Europe.
Moscow - The "third Rome", capital of the Soviet Union and today still Europe's largest city. One of Europe's top cultural and political centres since the Mongol period.
Paris - One of the largest cities in Europe. Probably Europe's most important secular cultural centre for the 18th and 19th centuries. Remains an attractive cultural centre for fashion and art.
St Petersburg - Capital of Tsarist Russia. Still the 2nd largest city in Russia and, depending on how you do the figures, Europe's 4th largest city today.
Berlin - Capital of Brandenburg-Prussia and now of Germany. Is an important and growing European cultural centre.
Vienna - Capital of the old Habsburg dominions. It is now the capital of Austria. Was to the German-speaking lands, what Paris was to France in the 18th and 19th century.
Please, I don't want to hear Swedes moaning about the exclusion of Stolkholm from the poll, or Dutch folk moaning about the absence of Amsterdam, or Albanians moaning about the absence of Tirana. All the serious candidates are in the poll already...AND SOME!!!
http://www.citymayors.com
Rome - Home to the Vatican, and the centre of the world's largest religion. Historical birthplace of the Roman Empire.
London - the Wealthiest city in modern Europe; today it is Europe's third largest city depending on how one does the figures. More importantly, it is a world financial centre. It was also centre of the British Empire, the largest collection of territories ever gathered under one govenment.
Istanbul - Formerly Constantinople. Centre of the Roman Empire for over 1200 years before becoming the Ottoman capital for another 4 and a i/2 centuries. Centre for the Orthodox church. Was most consistantly the wealthiest and most important city of the middle ages. Still the 2nd largest city in Europe.
Moscow - The "third Rome", capital of the Soviet Union and today still Europe's largest city. One of Europe's top cultural and political centres since the Mongol period.
Paris - One of the largest cities in Europe. Probably Europe's most important secular cultural centre for the 18th and 19th centuries. Remains an attractive cultural centre for fashion and art.
St Petersburg - Capital of Tsarist Russia. Still the 2nd largest city in Russia and, depending on how you do the figures, Europe's 4th largest city today.
Berlin - Capital of Brandenburg-Prussia and now of Germany. Is an important and growing European cultural centre.
Vienna - Capital of the old Habsburg dominions. It is now the capital of Austria. Was to the German-speaking lands, what Paris was to France in the 18th and 19th century.
Please, I don't want to hear Swedes moaning about the exclusion of Stolkholm from the poll, or Dutch folk moaning about the absence of Amsterdam, or Albanians moaning about the absence of Tirana. All the serious candidates are in the poll already...AND SOME!!!
http://www.citymayors.com
When I went there last year it was much better than I thought it would be anyway.
Are you serious? The scots are about as unfriendly as you get... then again I am english.... 
