# What makes your city unique? (Compared to the rest of the World)



## Giant (Mar 6, 2006)

For example: Philadelphia Cheestake, The constitution, Bill of rights, etc. Please submit your cities example of unique qualities?


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## Sinjin P. (Jul 17, 2005)

My city (Cebu City) is unique because it's an all-in-one city, with urbanity, mountains and beaches for everyone of different tastes.


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## Nick (Sep 13, 2002)

For Sydney

Our Harbour and urban beaches

For Osaka

The Bladerunner landscapes.


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## Sean in New Orleans (Apr 7, 2005)

Our approach to life...we have money and earn good livings, but, the main motivation here is good times, good food, and a spiritual depth that is hard to explain. We're different, in many ways. We're not into fast paced life, competition with other cities, and the dollar. That's why almost everyone that left with Katrina, has come back, or will be back by the Summer.


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## bay_area (Dec 31, 2002)

What makes my city unique?

Well,
Me of course :runaway:


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## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

*A Tale of Two Cities...*

*San Francisco (where I live): The city and county of San Francisco is one of the same. In other words, the only city in California's San Francisco county is the city of San Francisco itself.

Panama City (where I was born): Is the only skyscraper city in Central America and has the most conspicuous skyline in all of Latin America.*


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## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

East meets West.


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## kostya (Apr 13, 2004)

bay_area said:


> What makes my city unique?
> 
> Well,
> Me of course :runaway:



Duh, I wanted to say the same for me


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## SerfCity (Mar 9, 2006)

I'd have to say: TANGO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi61DAYGIkE


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## DecoJim (Dec 6, 2005)

Detroit:
1. Cars: Birthplace of automobile mass production. General Motors HQ. The Motor City.
2. Music: Motown sound, Madonna, Eminem, Industrial/Electronic.
3. Urban Decay. Favorite city for UE (Urban Explorers).
4. Architecture: Third best collection of Art Deco skyscrapers (after NY and Chicago). Architect Albert Kahn's auto factory designs heavily influenced the modern architecture movement in Europe during early 20th century.


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## Insignia (Jan 10, 2006)

Nottingham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sPenWMH3Hw&search=Nottingham

hehe.


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

For Copenhagen I guess the farytale image... with the old city center and the Royal family.. and the tons of castles and palaces spread around the downtown and metro area


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## wjfox (Nov 1, 2002)

London's incredible diversity, its mixture of old and new, rich and poor, ugly and beautiful, is what gives the city its unique character.


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## globill (Dec 4, 2005)

i have too many hometowns but since chicago has not been done yet, and seeing as i've spent somewhere north of 20 years in the monster of the midway............


1. skyscrapers
2. the burnham plan
3. public use of waterfront
4. twinkies
5. house music
6. sociology (u of c)
7. May Day
8. chicago blues
9. futures and options trading
10. center of prohibition (both the women's christian temperence union and al capone slugged it out in chicago)
11. rotary and lions clubs
12. the machine (democratic influence, dead chicagoans elected kennedy)


and many more fellow chicagoans will surely add


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## Alargule (Feb 21, 2005)

Canals and legalized drug abuse! Whoohoo!


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

wjfox2002 said:


> London's incredible diversity, its mixture of old and new, rich and poor, ugly and beautiful, is what gives the city its unique character.


I think it´s pretty cruel to say the mixture of rich and poor gives the city a unique look


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## wjfox (Nov 1, 2002)

"Cruel"? What do you mean?


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## ROCguy (Aug 15, 2005)

Sean in New Orleans said:


> *Our approach to life...we have money and earn good livings,* but, the main motivation here is good times, good food, and a spiritual depth that is hard to explain. We're different, in many ways. We're not into fast paced life, competition with other cities, and the dollar. That's why almost everyone that left with Katrina, has come back, or will be back by the Summer.


New Orleans is the second poorest city in the US. It is the few well off people in the city like (apparently) you that don't see the extreme poverty and hardships in the city that let it escalate to the degree it did pre katrina.


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## samsonyuen (Sep 23, 2003)

London also was the seat of one of the most, if not the single most, powerful empire in history, leaving its legacy behind in culture, law, and most importantly language, around the world.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

wjfox2002 said:


> "Cruel"? What do you mean?


Nobody care about poor people and no one wants to help them, no one even talks about them but you think they give your city a more unique look...i think it´s cruel to say so...and poor people isn´t a good thing either...


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## XCRunner (Nov 19, 2005)

Azn chi boi said:


> I will add more to globill's list about chicago
> 
> 13. Pizza
> 14. Large grid system


I think you could make 13 our food in general: pizza, hot dogs, italian beef, gyros, the maxwell st. polish

and to continue the list...

15. The L
16. O'Hare
17. A green river


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## Nadini (Mar 19, 2006)

Beirut - Lebanon, crossroad between three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe
It has everything, High mountains, snow-capped mountains in a distance, beach, tropical trees, great food and beautiful women. The only arab capital set in beautiful surroundings :


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## Slodi (Feb 25, 2006)

sinjin said:


> My city (Cebu City) is unique because it's an all-in-one city, with urbanity, mountains and beaches for everyone of different tastes.


My city, Gdynia, Poland has got the same as yours so, my friend, your city is not unique any more. Sorry! 
BTW: There are plenty cities like ours e.g. Rio de Janeiro


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## whatever... (Feb 23, 2006)

Vilnius - "southern Europe under a northern sky" - the most northern baroque city in europe, world too, 45% of cities teritory are forests and parks - dont know any other capital in the world with so many trees


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Nadini said:


> Beirut - Lebanon, crossroad between three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe
> It has everything, High mountains, snow-capped mountains in a distance, beach, tropical trees, great food and beautiful women. The only arab capital set in beautiful surroundings :


I love Beirut's settings although Haifa has some nice settings as well if you're talking about Middle Eastern cities.


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## Liwwadden (Nov 12, 2005)

For Leeuwarden:

- It's skyscrapers, 2 real scraper for a city with less than 100.000 inhabitants is pretty unique.
- It's canal's through the center (like Amsterdam)
- The language that's spoken, frisian, it's spoken in the whole province, but Leeuwarden is it's capital. It's an official language. Dutch is the most spoken language though.


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## SE9 (Apr 26, 2005)

I guess for London its been done, so for *Nairobi, Kenya*


- It's the only capital/large city in the world bordering a Game Park.

- Its got more species of bird than any other capital in the world.

- It is less than 200 miles from Africa's 2 tallest mountains.

- Very multicultural, with significant Indian and English presences.

- It holds many records, like Africa's largest ice rink, east Africa's largest population, east Africa's tallest tower etc.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

jamie_k44 said:


> Hollywood movies
> Hip Hop music and rappers
> Adorable clothes in Fashion district / JAVA market
> Gang fights, guns and drugs (that's the sad part)
> And... the 1st Hispanic mayor in the US


How about low-rise urban sprawl?


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## Küsel (Sep 16, 2004)

The setting - not absolutly unique (Vancouver, Geneva, Luzern, Lugano and Sydney have similar locations)









Highest density of clubs, street parties, swimming facilities and cinemas - AND: The street parade with 1mio participants ("rivals": London's Carnaval, Sao Paulo's Gay Parade and Berlin's Love Parade - but in a unique place)









Masoala Halle (Malagassy Rain Forest as a whole "artificial" ecosystem):









Craddle of Dadaism (Cabaret Voltaire)









One of the centers of Reformation (Zwingli)









1968 / 1980-82 (together with Paris and Berlin)









And don't forget the scenic dense old town along the Limmat river:


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## neil (Jan 20, 2005)

Manchester

Music
Birth place of the industrail revolution
Worlds first computer called (The Baby)
Women's suffragette's
O and Manchester United


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## Marco_ (Jan 15, 2006)

Smoking a joint while your walking over the red light district alongside a canal
the Amsterdam life described in 1 sentence


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## OtAkAw (Aug 5, 2004)

WANCH said:


> I think HK has the same level of Western influence except our is British while yours is Spanish/American.


When I went to Hong Kong, I observed that Hong Kongers (?) have managed to break away from their British influences, I havent seen a Chinese person surnamed Radcliffe or a teahouse offering the full English breakfast and I see no trace of Shakespeare. But you know that it's there, it's a force and it's very difficult to eliminate.


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## Paulo2004 (Oct 13, 2004)

Just the simple fact that Lisbon has it all. Not too big nor too small. It's one of the most beautiful capitals of the world, an unique link between the historic and the new, both of which are contemplated by the waters of the Atlantic and the river Tagus. Also considered the birthplace of the discoveries and starting-point of the sea-routes.


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## A42251 (Sep 13, 2004)

My city, Louisville, is unique because of its contribution to the world of sports. For starters, the Kentucky Derby is often called the greatest two minutes in sports. Also, Muhammad Ali was born and raised in Louisville. We have a huge museum all about him. Finally, there is the Louisville Slugger factory and museum. Near the entrance to the museum stands the world's largest baseball bat. 

I am originally from NYC and I can't believe nobody has discussed it yet on this thread. The most unique thing about NYC, in my opinion, is the unmatched collection of skyscrapers from all eras, most notably pre-war. In fact, NY's four tallest were all built in the 1930's! 

Before someone brings up Chicago, it is important to remember that Chicago has far fewer pre-WWII towers in both absolute numbers, as well as as a percentage of the skyline. Most importantly, Chicago's pre-WWII skyscrapers are generally much shorter than NY's because chicago was under a height restriction as the time NY was reaching for the sky in the 1920s and '30s.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

No matter what anyone says is unique, someone else is going to say it is not unique, but I think one thing different about Toronto is how it is composed of so many thriving
neighbourhoods with a completely different character to each other. The list is long-
Chinatown, Greektown, Koreantown, Little Italy, Gay Village, Little Portugal, Queen West, King West, Old Town, Little India, Cabbagetown, The Annex, Polish Roncesvalles, The Beaches, Yorkville, Bayview Village, Iranian area, ... the list could go on forever. I know someone is going to say New York has that too, and yes that is true to an extent but it is not the same in New York as it is just so massively built up and heavily populated that the villages have become less village-like. But I love the way it works in TO with all these little communities that are separate, yet part of the whole picture. People really do identify with their little communities. And nothing is more fun than going for a meal, say an Indian meal, and being surrounded by the flavour of India when you go... I never tire of it!


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## garpie (Jan 5, 2006)

There are two things that make my city famous:

1-FUN










2-AND BULLS












Guessed The City?


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## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

Not to give another post about Chicago - but I've always though it was unique because of all the cities in the world that have so MANY and such TALL buildings, Chicago was different in that there is no natural reason why we need them. The city has an almost perfectly flat plain for hundreds of miles to the south, west and east. New York, San Fran and Hong Kong for example, have strong incentives to build up - they're surrounded by water. Manhattan is surrounded by water that is not easily bridged, and Hong Kong has the water and mountains creating less and less useful space to build. While the Chicago River has somewhat enclosed the loop area, it has bridges spanning on literally every street that encounters the river - which for all intensive purposes creates the same travel patters as if there were buildings on that space instead of water (after all, the river is only a block wide). While other cities were driven to build skyscrapers because they made sense, Chicago did it because it wanted to.


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## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

Oops, obviously I mean south, west and north in my above post.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

garpie said:


> There are two things that make my city famous:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


the lovely Pamplona!!! :cheers:


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## MplsTodd (Apr 13, 2005)

Minneapolis:

Minneapolis is a midwest metro area that along with St. Paul has a metro area population of about 3 million people. Among our unique features are:

1. Lakes: Minneapolis is known as the City of Lakes and we have numerous lakes within the city limits. Most famous is our chain of Lakes--four lakes in the southwest section of the city (approximately 1.5 miles from downtown) that are all linked together with channels and/or walkways. Each lake has a unique personality:
Lake Calhoun is for sailboarders, volleyball on the beach; Lake of the Isles is the genteel lake with milliondollar mansions and canoers paddling peacefully, Lake Harriet is the family lake with the historic trolley car, bandshell concerts and the Rose Garden; and Cedar Lake is more natural and wooded and has the city's only nude beach.

2. Skyways: Several other cities have them (St. Paul, Calgary, Des Moines), but Minneapolis has a large collection of second story pedestrian bridges connecting buildings throughout our entire downtown. Given our very cold weather in winter, its great to be able to walk around the entire downtown without needing to go outside.

3. Mall of America: I'm not a big fan of this mammoth retail center, but it does attract tourists here (it wouldn't rank high on my list).

4. Great quality of life: The Twin Cities and Minnesota are continually at or near the top in the majority of quality of life rankings in the US. In terms of education, healthcare, parkland, crime rates (although parts of Mpls have crime issues, especially the Northside), and income levels, we consistantly rank as one of the best places to live.

5. Arts Scene: Minneapolis is widely known for its strong collection of art museums (Walker Art Center, Mpls Institute of Arts, Weisman Art Museum), theaters (I think we're the only metro area (beside NY) to have three tony winning theater troupes--The Guthrie Theater, Jeune Leune, and Mpls Children's Theater), and we have a good music scene (from the Replacements/Husker Du/Prince days in the '80s to The Jayhawks/Soul Asylum/SemiSonic in the '90s to Atmosphere/The Hopefuls and others currently.

6. On a negative side, we are incredibly slow in approving major capital projects. It took 20-25 years of debate before we could get our first light rail line. It also took 10 years to get approval for a new stadium, although as of this past weekend it seems like we're getting a new baseball stadium (for the Minnesota Twins) and a new football stadium (for the U of M Gophers).


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

neil said:


> Manchester
> 
> Music
> Birth place of the industrail revolution
> ...


Eeee! I say, don't leave out Coronation Street!


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