# Capital Cities of the World



## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Italy: Rome*






Rome is probably the most enigmatic city in the world. The Western Civilization was mostly molded in this particular Culture who started from the middle region of the Italian Peninsula and then expanded its borders in what it was the most intelligent and successful conquest of the History, previously using the wisdom of the Ancient Greeks, with a strong republican system who served a base for the development of the other areas of the daily life, especially in the Arts and the Urbanism/Architecture, both directly connected to the War and the Commerce who supported the whole system of the expansion of Rome. This city was interesting from the very beginning, at its first centuries of life, where the population went to more than 1 million people, a huge and surprising number for those times that forced the engineers to think on some really beautiful creations such as the aqueducts, the sewage system and the bridges over the Tiber River. After several decades of destruction executed by the barbarians and when it entered the Middle Age, the city of Rome somehow managed to keep some of its splendor, though it never got to became again the center of the Mediterranean life, especially with the appearance of new powerful cities in the north such as Venice, Genoa, Milan and Florence. In the following centuries, many famous icons would lose its glory, such as the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, and many others would emerge, suchs as the Basilica of San Pietro at the 17th Century, the Fontana Di Trevi, and even the gorgeous Monumento a Vittorio Emanuelle II and the beginning of the 20th Century. Nowdays, Rome could be considered a huge open museum, with hundreds of buildings and places from all the historical periods, combined with the chaos of the new Italian life. You can literally feel all of the generations who lived there when you visit the city. After all, most of our roots as were born there.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


In HD:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Argentina: Buenos Aires*






The relationship between the city of Buenos Aires and Argentina as a whole is one of the big enigmas of the modern widest countries. While the population of Argentina, one of the biggest countries in the world, consist in 40 million people, almost 14 million of them live in the federal district and the two “rings” of the metropolitan area who surround it. The history of the city may be divided into three stages: the first one, when it was a strategic urban point for the Spanish Empire in the Americas, who also was the only place who did not perish before the British. This era ended at the beginning of the 19th Century, when the Independence was declared and the civil war started. On this second stage, Buenos Aires was the center of one of the two powers confronting for their different interests. And lastly, definitely the most interesting one, the period from 1880 to these days. In that decade, the so called “Generation of the 1880s” turned Argentina into a first-world country. This was the period when Argentina was one of the ten most relevant nations in the planet. From 1880 to 1930, most of the gorgeous public palaces that astonish us nowaday were built, such as the Water Company Palace, the Palace of the National Congress, the Court House, the Colegio Nacional Buenos Aires, among many others. They were accompanied by the new infrastructure, such as the first subway network of Latin America and the construction of one of the largest Rail Infrastructure in the world. In order to make this possible, several inmigration waves came to the country and they assimilated very fast to the culture of Argentina, in a similar way to the case of the United States of America. The private sector also flourished, with the birth of the first skyscrapers, like the Railway Building and the Barolo Palace, one of the most beautiful oldest skyscrapers in the world. And after the World War II and the rise of the Le Corbusier’s theories, the new waves of modern architecture, along with the International Style and the new architecture of the 1990s and the 2000s, with the presence of the most important architects worldwide, such as César Pelli, Calatrava, Norman Foster, and in the near future Zaha Hadid and Carlos Ott.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


In HD:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photo updates :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

Thank you!


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Quick City Overview: Bogotá*





With a population of approximately 10.000.000, Bogotá is currently the sixth biggest city of Latin America. Its characteristic color, like the other cities of Colombia, is the red of the bricks, widely used after the Second World War by many architects of the country, who had Rogelio Salmona as its most relevant figure. At the same time, Bogotá shelters another architectural curiosity: the large spectrum of Neogothic styles, from the variety of houses and mansions of neighborhoods like Chapinero to beatiful examples such as Calle Del Sol. Within the neighborhood of La Candelaria (historical district) also lies the core of the city, the Bolívar Square, who is surrounded by the Capitol, the Alcaldía Mayor, the Palace of Justice and the Cathedral. Directly connected this area also is the Palace of Nariño (the presidential palace) and the García Márquez Cultural Center, of a more modern style. Recently, near La Candelaria, a new pole of corporative towers is slowly rising with BD Bacatá as its most important complex (who surpass the 250 m. high barrier), who also join the spectrum of towers of Bogotá who were strongly influenced by the International Style like the Colpatria, the Avianca Tower, the Tequendama and the International Comerce Center.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


In HD:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos from Dublin :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Norway: Oslo*





Formerly known as Kristiania, the city of Oslo was destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times over its nearly 1000 years, since it was founded. Following the case of several cities in Northern Europe, its economy and development changed since the arrival of the shipyards, which were built during and after the Great Northern War at the beginning of the 18th Century, in which several empires fought over the regions of the Baltic Sea region. Already in the last decades of the 20th Century and in the early 2000s, Oslo entered, along witht other cities of Scandinavia, in a major urban renewal, the most relevant being the Barcode Project, which resulted in a new fresh skyline who's crowned by the Operahuset, the Norwegian Opera House that blends into the ground and uses its sloping roofs as public spaces.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos from Oslo


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## lazanoo (Nov 8, 2015)

Great thread EMARG . I'd say that's it's really educational; just to recommend it to someone who wants to find something new.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

Thank you!


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Sweden: Stockholm*





The area where Stockholm is located was populated since Prehistory and began to take its current form around 1000 years ago, being part of the trade routes of the vikings. During those times, the area that is now known as Gamla Stan (Historic Quarter) was urbanized, from which the city expands. Its rank of great capital emerged with the Swedish Empure of the 17th century. Later on, with the arrival of modernity in the last two centuries, there were very interesting expressions on its architecture repertoir, like the metallic structure of the old Telephone Tower (now demolished) and the early International Style of the Stockholm City Center, which resembles the XYZ complex in New York. The city is nowadays the most advanced and developed urban center in Scandinavia, with a population in constant growth and with a significant global impact.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Great, very nice photos from Stockholm


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Denmark: Copenhagen*




Although it was born around the 10th Century by the hands of the vikings, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark 500 years later. In the 18th Century, the aspect of the city changed with the construction of the palatial district of Frederiksstaden, emblem of the European Rococo Architecture. Next to this area, there's also a great variety of palaces which are built in particular danish styles of different eras, such as the Stock Exchange (Børsen), the Copenhagen City Council or the Rosenborg Castle. Already entering the second half of the 20th Century, in what was a project that finally failed its initial ambitions, emerged the "Free City of Christiania", a neighborhood that doesn't recognized otslef as a part of Denmark or the European Union, known for its "alternative" lifestyle, which generated some problems for the city in the recent decades. Outside this particular point, Copenhagen is a colorful, architecturally rich city with lots of life on the streets, almost at the same level of Stockholm. In addition, after the construction of the Øresund Bridge, a direct union was created between Denmark and Sweden, which made the cities of Copenhagen and Malmö a strongly related economic region.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Once again great, very nice updates :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks :colgate:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

Let's go to the next page ->


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Luxembourg: Capital City*






Luxembourg City stands at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers in southern Luxembourg, at the heart of Western Europe, situated 213 km (132 mi) by road from Brussels, 372 km (231 mi) from Paris, and 209 km (130 mi) from Cologne. The city contains Luxembourg Castle, established by the Franks in the Early Middle Ages, around which a settlement developed. As of January 2019, Luxembourg City had a population of 119,214, which is more than three times the population of the country's second most populous commune (Esch-sur-Alzette). In 2011, Luxembourg was ranked as having the second highest per capita GDP in the world at $80,119, with the city having developed into a banking and administrative centre. It's also one of the de facto capitals of the European Union (alongside Brussels and Strasbourg), as it is the seat of several institutions, agencies and bodies of the European Union, including the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors, the Secretariat of the European Parliament, the European Investment Bank, the European Investment Fund, and the European Stability Mechanism.
Source of Text


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Liechtenstein: Vaduz-Schaan *




Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein and also the seat of the national parliament. The town, which is located along the Rhine River, has 5,450 residents. Although Vaduz is the best-known town in the principality internationally, it is not the largest; neighbouring Schaan has a larger population. It was on January 23, 1719, that Liechtenstein became a sovereign member state of the Holy Roman Empire.
(Source of Text)


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice updates from Luxembourg and Liechtenstein :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Belgium: Brussels*







Brussels grew from a small rural settlement on the river Senne to become an important city-region in Europe. Since the end of the Second World War, it has been a major centre for international politics and the home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants. Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union, as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions, including its administrative-legislative, executive-political, and legislative branches (though the judicial branch is located in Luxembourg, and the European Parliament meets for a minority of the year in Strasbourg) and its name is sometimes used metonymically to describe the EU and its institutions. The secretariat of the Benelux and headquarters of NATO are also located in Brussels. As the economic capital of Belgium and one of the top financial centres of Western Europe with Euronext Brussels, it is classified as an Alpha global city. Brussels is a hub for rail, road and air traffic, sometimes earning the moniker "Crossroads of Europe". The Brussels Metro is the only rapid transit system in Belgium. In addition, both its airport and railway stations are the largest and busiest in the country. Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels saw a language shift to French from the late 19th century. The Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual in French and Dutch, even though French is now the de facto main language with over 90% of the population speaking it. Brussels is also increasingly becoming multilingual. English is spoken as a second language by nearly a third of the population and a large number of migrants and expatriates speak other languages. Brussels is known for its cuisine and gastronomy, as well as its historical and architectural landmarks; some of them are registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Main attractions include its historic Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, and cultural institutions such as La Monnaie and the Museums of Art and History. Because of its long tradition of Belgian comics, Brussels is also hailed as a capital of the comic strip.
(Source of Text)


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Netherlands: Amsterdam*





Amsterdam is the capital city and most populous municipality of the Netherlands. The city is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country but is not its capital, which is Haarlem. The Amsterdam metropolitan area comprises much of the northern part of the Randstad, one of the larger conurbations in Europe, which has a population of approximately 8.1 million. Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age (17th century), as a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading centre for finance and trade. In the 19th and 20th centuries the city expanded, and many new neighbourhoods and suburbs were planned and built. The 17th-century canals of Amsterdam and the 19–20th century Defence Line of Amsterdam are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since the annexation of the municipality of Sloten in 1921 by the municipality of Amsterdam, the oldest historic part of the city lies in Sloten, dating to the 9th century. Amsterdam's main attractions include its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, the Anne Frank House, the Scheepvaartmuseum, the Amsterdam Museum, the Heineken Experience, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, Natura Artis Magistra, Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, NEMO, the red-light district and many cannabis coffee shops. They draw more than 5 million international visitors annually. The city is also well known for its nightlife and festival activity; several of its nightclubs (Melkweg, Paradiso) are among the world's most famous. It is also one of the world's most multicultural cities, with at least 177 nationalities represented.
(Source of Text)


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos from Amsterdam :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Andorra: Andorra La Vella*







Andorra La Vella is one of the strangest enclaves in Europe. Like Switzerland, who's completely bordered by mountains, in this case the Pyrenees, it survived virtually to all of the war conflicts in history, including the two world wars. That is why it still retains the architecture, bridges and small churches that were built throughout its 800 years of existence. Andorra does not belong to the European Union, but its standard of living is one of the highest in the continent. Currently, in addition to being a popular ski resort, it is a city that mostly recieves senior tourism. Although it has an airport, it is used for helicopter connections to the nearby international airports in Southern France and Catalonia. It also doesn't have a rail infrastructure, though it is directly connected with shutters to the stations of L'Hospitalet (France) and Lleida (Spain). The best way to get there, however, is with the bus services who deoart from Barcelona-Nord Station.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Great, very nice new photos, EMArg


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Spain: Madrid*







Madrid is one of the most populated cities of Europe, along with London and Paris. The city lies on the River Manzanares in the centre of both the country and the Community of Madrid (which comprises the city of Madrid, its conurbation and extended suburbs and villages); this community is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha. Madrid houses the headquarters of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), belonging to the United Nations Organization (UN), the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), and the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB). While Madrid possesses modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighbourhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Royal Theatre with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro Park, founded in 1631; the 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; a large number of national museums, and the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three art museums: Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which complements the holdings of the other two museums. Cibeles Palace and Fountain have become one of the monument symbols of the city. (Fuente del Texto)


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos once again :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Portugal: Lisbon*




With a population of almost 4 million people, Lisbon is one of the major economic centres on the continent, with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe's Atlantic coast. It's one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city, just after Athens. Back in the Roman Era, Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been the political, economic and cultural center of Portugal, especially with the recent huge economic growth of the last couple of years.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos from Lisbon :cheers:


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

*Germany: Berlin*





Berlin straddles the banks of the River Spree, which flows into the River Havel (a tributary of the River Elbe) in the western borough of Spandau. First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes, Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417–1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933), and the Third Reich (1933–1945). Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media and science. Its economy is based on high-tech firms and the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, research facilities, media corporations and convention venues. Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail traffic and has a highly complex public transportation network. The metropolis is a popular tourist destination. Significant industries also include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, clean tech, biotechnology, construction and electronics. Berlin is home to world-renowned universities such as the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin), the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), the Freie Universität Berlin (Free University of Berlin), the Universität der Künste (University of the Arts, UdK) and the Berlin School of Economics and Law. The city has numerous orchestras, museums, and entertainment venues, and is host to many sporting events.Its Zoological Garden is the most visited zoo in Europe and one of the most popular worldwide. With the world's oldest large-scale movie studio complex, Berlin is an increasingly popular location for international film productions.It's also well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts and a very high quality of living. Since the 2000s Berlin has seen the emergence of a cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene.


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)




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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

^^


Video:


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## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

Great pics, thanks for the updates! kay:


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## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

*PRETORIA *

Pretoria by Wojtek, on Flickr
Pretoria by Harald Thiele, on Flickr
Südafrika by lepomada, on Flickr
dusty winter highveld by Eddie Clarke, on Flickr
Identified: Pretoria, South Africa by Andrew Dally, on Flickr
UNISA Pretoria, South Africa by Paul Saad, on FlickrPretoria City Center by Raphael de Kadt, on Flickr
Menlyn Maine by Michael Daniel, on Flickr


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## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

*CAPE TOWN* 

Cape Town, South Africa by Caroline Little, on Flickr
City Of Cape Town by Johann Coetzer, on Flickr
Cape Town At Dusk by Duncan Rawlinson - Duncan.co, on Flickr
Camps Bay by Neil Corder, on Flickr
Enjoying the Clifton beach (CAPE TOWN) by Miquel Armengol, on Flickr
Strand, Cape Town, South Africa by AD&DU, on Flickr
Simons Town & Naval Harbour by Wayne Horsley, on Flickr
Cape Town from castle of good hope by Henning Supertramp, on Flickr


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## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

^^ Its beautiful!


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## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

Great video and photos!


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## EMArg (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks


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## Déa_ (Nov 4, 2009)

Nice shots, @EMArg ! I always admire them!


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