Seven New Cities PDF

SEVEN NEW CITIES In the latest results to emerge from new7wonders.com, the new 7 Wonders Cities of the World have been revealed, following millions of votes cast from around the globe. The seven most outstanding are: Beirut, Lebanon...

SEVEN NEW CITIES In the latest results to emerge from new7wonders.com, the new 7 Wonders Cities of the World have been revealed, following millions of votes cast from around the globe. The seven most outstanding are: Beirut, Lebanon Doha, Qatar Durban, South Africa Havana, Cuba Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia La Paz, Bolivia Vigan, The Philippines BEIRUT, LEBANON-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coIXMyWzpAU  Beirut, Arabic Bayrūt, French Beyrouth, capital, chief port, and largest city of Lebanon. It is located on the Mediterranean coast at the foot of the Lebanon Mountains.  Beirut has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years, and was one of Phoenicia's most prominent city states, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. The first historical mention of Beirut is found in the Amarna letters from the New Kingdom of Egypt, which date to the 15th century BC.  Although the city is mentioned in Egyptian records, it did not gain prominence until it was granted the status of a Roman colony, the Colonia Julia Augusta Felix Berytus, in 14 BCE  The capital city of Lebanon has been rebuilt several times due to unrest. Beirut's architecture is a stunning mix of modern, Ottoman, and colonial French.  The Middle Eastern hub is often referred to as "The Paris of the Mediterranean."  the resident population of Beirut is more or less evenly divided between Muslims and Christians.  The antiquity of Beirut is indicated by its name, derived from the Canaanite name of Beʾerōt (Wells), referring to the underground water table that is still tapped by the local inhabitants for general use.  The downtown area of central Beirut (the old city) was destroyed during the civil war, becoming a belt of squatter-occupied ruins between East and West Beirut.  Because of the sporadic fighting that occurred between rival factions, central Beirut could not be reconstructed during the war, and all business moved out of the area to establish new premises in the Christian and Muslim sides of the city.  When the war ended in 1990, strong divisions arose between official and popular opinion over plans for reconstructing the old city. DOHA QATAR-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukcMJ5zQ5nU  Doha ad-Dawḥa or ad-Dōḥa; Arabic pronunciatio: “the big tree”, locally: “rounded bays”).  Is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Qatar.  Doha has a population of 1,351,000 in a city proper with the population close to 1.5 million.  The city is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in the east of the country.  Doha was founded in the 1820s as an offshoot of Al Bidda.  It was officially declared as the country’s capital in 1971, when Qatar gained independenc.  As the commercial capital of Qatar and one of the emergent financial centers in the Middle East, Doha is considered a world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.  Doha accommodates Education City, an area devoted to research and education.  The city was host to the first ministerial-level meeting of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization negotiations.  It was also selected as host city of a number of sporting events, including the 2006 Asian Games, the 2011 Pan Arab Games and most of the games at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. In December 2011, the World Petroleum Council held the 20th World Petroleum Conference in Doha. Additionally, the city hosted the 2012 UNFCCC Climate Negotiations and is set to host a large number of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZHw72ZXHdg  Durban , formerly Port Natal(Zulu: eThekwini, from itheku meaning “bay/lagoon”)  European settlement began with a band of Cape Colony traders led by Francis G. Farewell, who charted the port in 1824 and named the site Port Natal.  Durban was founded in 1835 on the site of Port Natal and was named for Sir Benjamin D’Urban, the governor of the Cape Colony. In the late 1830s and early ’40s the Boers clashed with the British over control of Durban. It became a borough (town) in 1854 and was created a city in 1935.  It is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.  Durban’s metropolitan municipality ranks third among the most populous urban areas in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town.  Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa.  It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city’s warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches.  The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 3.5 million, making the combined municipality one of the biggest cities on the Indian Ocean coast of the African continent.  The metropolitan land area of 2,292 square kilometres (885 sq mi) is comparatively larger than other South African cities, resulting in a somewhat lower population density of  1,513/km2 (3,920/sq mi). It has the highest number of dollar millionaires added per year of any South African city with the number rising 200% between 2000 and 2014. HAVANA, CUBA-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkYuOR8K1FU  It is the capital of Cuba, a port in the northwest on the Gulf of Mexico: the largest city in the Caribbean; founded in 1514 as San Cristóbal de la Habana by Diego Velásquez.  Havana is a centuries-old city covered in vibrant colors.  Prior to 1959, when Fidel Castro came to power,who were drawn by the city’s many attractions, which included climate and nightlife in addition to history  During the following years, however, despite its continued importance as the island’s major economic hub, Havana lost much of its lustre, because Castro’s socialist government redirected the country’s resources primarily toward the improvement of conditions in rural Cuba.  Havana thus deteriorated, even though rehabilitation projects began in the 1980s. The city’s Old Havana (La Habana Vieja) district and its fortifications were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982. KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MfneG2aWPg  Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia.  The cultural hub of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is known for its towering skyscrapers. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin buildings in the world.  The origin of Kuala Lumpur dates to 1857, when a group of 87 Chinese tin miners founded a settlement at what is now the suburb of Ampang.  Strategically commanding both river valleys, the community flourished as a tin-collecting centre despite its malaria-infested jungle location.  In 1880 Kuala Lumpur superseded Klang (now Kelang) as the state capital, and its rapid growth thereafter has been attributed to Sir Frank Swettenham, British resident after 1882.  He initiated construction on the Klang–Kuala Lumpur Railway and encouraged the use of brick and tile in buildings as a precaution against fire and as an aid to better health.  The city’s central position led to its choice as capital of the Federated Malay States (1895).  The city was occupied by the Japanese (1942–45) in World War II.  Kuala Lumpur lies in hilly country astride the confluence of the Kelang and Gombak rivers; its name in Malay means “muddy estuary.” LA PAZ, BOLIVIA-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Z6VxZGyfo  Founded in 1548 as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (“Our Lady of Peace”) by the conquistador Captain Alonso de Mendoza on the site of an Inca village, the city was renamed La Paz de Ayacucho in 1825, in commemoration of the last decisive battle in the wars of independence.  The seat of national government was established there in 1898.  Perched atop the Andes Mountains, La Paz is 11,975 feet above sea level. It is the highest capital city in the world. VIGAN CITY-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mWU-yOAz3U  Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia.  Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.  Vigan is the most intact example in Asia of a planned Spanish colonial town, established in the 16th century.  The total area of the inscribed property is 17.25 hectares.  The traditional Hispanic checkerboard street plan opens up into two adjacent plazas.  The area contains the historic footprint of the entire town and consists of a total of 233historic buildings tightly strung along a grid of 25 streets.  Most of the existing buildings were probably built in the mid 18th to late 19th centuries.  Due to the economic decline of Vigan as an economic center after the World War II, only a few of the historic buildings had internal reorganization for alternative use.  Vigan is unique for having preserved much of its Hispanic colonial character, particularly its grid street pattern and historic urban lay out. Its significance also lies on how the different architectural influences are blended to create a homogenous townscape.