Showing posts with label city. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city. Show all posts

Monday, June 22, 2026

What is the least visited capital city in Europe?

 If you consider a "visit" every time someone crosses the city limits, this would be nearly impossible to calculate. If you mean tourist visits, it's an easier question to answer.

Surprisingly, despite a wealth of tourism data by country, it's difficult to find these statistics broken down by individual cities, especially for smaller nations. However, with a little detective work, I think I've figured it out.

The least visited European capitals

There are only nine European capitals with an average of fewer than 5,000 daily tourists:

1.) Vaduz, Liechtenstein 274

2.) Minsk, Belarus 319

3.) Podgorica, Montenegro 411

4.) Chișinău, Moldova 477

5.) Skopje, North Macedonia 803

6.) Monte-Carlo, Monaco 998

7.) Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,790

8.) Luxembourg, Luxembourg 2,852

9.) Belgrade, Serbia 3,409

Additionally, Ljubljana, Slovenia, has approximately 3,100 tourists staying in hotels each year, but there are no figures for day visitors to the city without an overnight stay. However, there would certainly be enough day visitors to exceed 5,000.

Thursday, June 18, 2026

What was the largest city in ancient times?

Cities originated as small villages along riverbanks, and with population growth and increased activity, they evolved into more complex cities. The earliest records of social organization were found along the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia; the Nile in Egypt; the Indus River in India; the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in China; and the San Juan River in Mesoamerica.

Given the complexity of activities, it became necessary to create states for military defense and the construction of large-scale works (irrigation systems, temples, canals, etc.), in a process of civilization formation.

In Europe, the first prominent civilization was the Greek, whose records of city-states date back to the 8th to 6th centuries BC. The best-known Greek cities were Athens and Sparta, which for centuries dominated trade in the Aegean Sea and part of the Mediterranean, also leaving as an important legacy philosophical, political (democracy), legal, military, and artistic aspects that are still perceptible today. However, the most notable case of an ancient city is Rome.

from twin brothers nursed by a she-wolf, the greatest empire of the period was formed, with Rome as its capital. From the Republic onwards, the Romans expanded throughout Europe and much of Asia, dominating these regions economically, militarily, and culturally for centuries.

An archaeologist named Italo Gismondi spent over 35 years of his life building a scale model of ancient Rome, which gives us an idea of ​​the colossal size of this city. This incredible plaster model of Ancient Rome, known as Plastico di Roma Imperiale, was intricately designed by the archaeologist throughout his life to depict what the ancient city was like in the 4th century AD.

Gismondi worked on this model between 1935 and 1971.

Italo Gismondi: Mussolini commissioned the model that Gismondi continued making for most of his life.

The model is actually based on Rodolfo Lanciani's 1901 map, but was enlarged by Gismondi into this 1:250 scale model between the 1950s and 1970s. It is housed in the Museum of Roman Civilization and has even been used in films such as Gladiator. The entire model is approximately 16.5 m wide by 16.5 m long.

Gismondi's precision has earned this model a distinct reputation for being an important reference for monuments throughout Rome, such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon. The scale model was actually commissioned by Mussolini in 1933 and resides in a small neighborhood in Rome.

Some believe the model's purpose was for city planning and propaganda purposes by a fascist regime. It measures 55 feet wide and 55 feet long and now serves as an educational reference for students and tourists living and traveling throughout the old city.

The entire project consists of approximately one hundred and fifty window frames, mounted, in almost all cases, along the road axes.

Saturday, June 6, 2026

Which is the most architecturally-rich city in India?

 Personally I feel Mysore, be it the stunning palaces, the administrative buildings, the beautifully laid out gardens, the temples, the churches, it is one treasure trove of architectural delights.



Apart from the magnificent
Mysore Palace, with it's opulent interiors, and rich architecture, the city also has some other fabulous looking palaces.



Lalita Mahal palace, on the way to Chamundi hills, in the style of St.Paul's cathedral in London. Built by Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV, for the Viceroy of India then, it is now a five star hotel, and also a popular location for many movies shot here.



Jaganmohan Palace, which was built as an alternative by the Mysore Maharajas in 1861, when the existing Mysore Palace was then undergoing reconstruction. It is a must watch, for it's Art Gallery, that has a large collection of Raja Ravi Varma paintings.


Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, built in 1905 by Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV for the princess Jayalakshmi, it now houses University of Mysore's Post Graduate center.



The magnificent
Brindavan Gardens, with it's awesome fountains, especially worth a watch during night time. Most Hindu, Telugu, Kannada movies of the 70's, 80's were set here, with the hero and heroine crooning sweet nothings. And the adjoining Krishna Raja Sagar dam makes for an imposing spectacle.



The majestic Chamundeswari Temple on top of the Chamundi Hills, housing the patron deity of Mysore, a fine specimen of Dravidian architecture. Also the huge monolithic Nandi on the road to Chamundi Hills, worth a watch.


The St. Philomena's Church, which is modelled on the Cologne Cathedral, built in 1843 by Krishna Raja Wodeyar.



Oriental Research Institute, that houses an excellent collection of Kannada and Sanskrit, rare manuscripts, and around 33,000 palm leaf manuscripts too.



Crawford Hall, the main building in the University of Mysore campus.

And coming to the 21st century, the campus of Infosys in Mysore, itself worth a look.



Mysore, with it's blend of past, present and future, and architecture, that is a mix of Dravidian with Victorian styles, is worth a visit for the connosieur.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

What are some things you shouldn't do when you live in New York City?

 

  1. Do not stop or park your vehicle under an elevated railway line [railway bridge].
  2. Do not drive/walk through Times Square; the locals know the area better and try to stay away from the area between 42nd and 47th Streets and 6th and 8th Avenues
  1. Don't stare at people on the subway or they'll startle you with a "What are you looking at?!" and you won't even notice what you were actually looking at.
  2. I know you're going to cross the street at the pedestrian crossing because you see everyone else doing it, but don't do it while you're talking to someone on your mobile phone.
  3. When you're walking in the middle of the street and you see a car coming toward you, the worst thing you can do is hesitate and run back. If you have to, be confident and walk in a shorter, straight line between the sidewalks. The car saw you and expects you to drive around it while you run across to the other side of the street.
  4. I drive a Vespa [Scooter] and we come out of nowhere, so be careful not only with cars, but also with motorbikes and cyclists, especially the latter because even though we get fined and have our licenses revoked if we hit you, they're not really regulated, so they run red lights and break traffic rules.

Welcome to The City and get ready to have a wonderful time!!!

Monday, June 1, 2026

What is the tallest building in New York City that has never been built?

 The Metropolitan Life Insurance company constructed a 700 foot tower on Madison Ave just north of 23rd St. in 1909 which took the title of world’s tallest building and held that title for over 4 years. in 1929 MetLife decided they wanted the title back and began construction of what would have been the first 100 story skyscraper.

That’s the original 700 foot tall MetLife Tower on the right.

At 390 to 400 meters, or 1280 to 1310 feet tall, it would have been the world’s tallest. Taller than both the Empire State Building & the Chrysler Building.

Unfortunately, due to the Great Depression, it was never completed. So instead, here’s what we have today.

Wow! I can’t believe over 110 upvotes! Now I know what some folks like. Be ready for more architecture & skyscraper entries.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Which is the most overrated and underrated Indian city?

 The most overrated Indian city that I feel is Mumbai.

Nicknamed as the City of Dreams, Mumbai used to be the dream City for many people who came to the city in search of a job, starting a new business or achieving their dreams, but all that is in the past. Today, Mumbai is one of the most polluted cities in the world and the cost of living is sky high. It is probably the most expensive city to live in in India and, being in very close proximity to the sea, the humidity is always on the higher side and is prone to frequent floods.

I had a friend, an ex-colleague who started his career with me at TCS. After our training, he was posted to Mumbai and I came to Kolkata. He shared a 1-BHK flat with four other roommates — three slept on the bed and two slept on mattresses on the floor and their rent was 20,000 rupees a month! On top of that is the maddening crowds of the Mumbai local trains. It is a good city to visit if you are there for a week or so, stay at a fine hotel, visit the Marine Drive in the evenings, get your pictures clicked in front of the Gateway of India, visit the Elephanta Caves, but that's it. Do not extend your stay beyond that, because it isn't worth it.

While Kolkata is extremely underrated when it comes to listing the best cities to stay in, I would not consider Kolkata because of the summer heat and the humidity. Instead, Chandigarh is the city that I think is the most underrated. I was there in Chandigarh for a few days last year and I fell in love with the city. The city is well planned, which is probably why everything is in place over there. The roads are neat and clean, there is proper pavement everywhere and a dedicated bicycle track too! It is so convenient for vehicles, cycles as well as pedestrians.

The food is super cheap and delicious! The cost of living is quite decent and definitely not as overpriced as the metropolitan cities. Chandigarh doesn't have many sightseeing places, maybe that's the only downside to it. But it has some places, like the Sukhna Lake and the Rock Garden, which are some of the beautiful places to visit if you are in Chandigarh for a couple of days.

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Why is Dubai called a fake city?

 I've been to Dubai, and I found it to be quite a boring city, especially for those who aren't filthy rich. There's nothing to do there because the entertainment is all about luxury and expensive shopping.

There's no scenery at all. The only things there are tall buildings and luxury buildings for photo ops; the rest is just sand.

Yes, this is the entertainment. Looking at the sand and walking on it.

During the trip, the sidewalks are just filled with sand if we don't live in a luxury area.

I love going to malls. But the Dubai Mall is too big and I find it monotonous. When I go to Dubai, I end up shopping at a factory outlet or a kind of discount shop next to the hotel. There are lots of really cheap branded items. Vans for 300,000 Rupiah, Balmain for under 1 million Rupiah, Tommy Hilfiger sweaters for 150,000 Rupiah, Tsum Tsun dolls for 15,000 Rupiah, and many more.

So my advice, if your travel budget doesn't reach hundreds of millions per day per person, it's better not to go to Dubai. It's a loss, it's better to take a road trip to European countries (during the road trip, we can cry with joy if we're in Europe, the scenery is so beautiful).

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

What city has the most stunningly modern skyline?

 It’s pretty subjective but one that is often underappreciated is Jakarta, as it is absolutely enormous:

The greater Jakarta metro area has 42 million people, which puts it as the most populous capital in the world (it recently passed Tokyo for this title in 2025).

It’s definitely on my list of cities to visit.

Friday, April 18, 2025

Best Cities For Students


Surprisingly, no city from the U.S. is in the top 10 best city for students list , having the best universities like Harvard University, MIT, and Stanford University.

1. London, UK 🇬🇧

2. Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵

3. Seoul, South Korea 🇰🇷

4. Munich, Germany 🇩🇪

5. Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺

6. Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺

7. Paris, France 🇫🇷

8. Zurich, Switzerland 🇨🇭

9. Berlin, Germany 🇩🇪

10. Montreal, Canada 🇨🇦

Saturday, March 8, 2025

10 beautiful city aerial view

 1. Naples, Italy 🇮🇹

2. Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦

3. Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪

4. Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺

5. Sevilla, Spain 🇪🇸

6. La Plata, Argentina 🇦🇷

7. Shanghai, China 🇨🇳

8. Taipei , Taiwan 🇹🇼

9. Singapore 🇸🇬

10. Vancouver, Canada 🇨🇦

Monday, February 3, 2025

Before and after pictures of city that how cities are developed Faster

 1. Dubai UAE

2. Seoul, South Korea 

3. Abu Dhabi UAE 

4. Singapore Singapore 

5. Tokyo Japan 

6. Sydney, Australia 

7. Shenzen, China 

8. Fortaleza, Brazil 

9. Melbourne, Australia 

10. Mumbai India