![logo](/img/xlogo_small.webp.pagespeed.ic.Rif_4bzYCq.webp)
Privacy
Amiens | |
---|---|
State | Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy |
Country | France |
Capital | |
Population | 133327 |
Postcode | 80000 |
Amiens (English or AM-ee-ənz,; French: [amjɛ̃]; Picard: Anmien, Anmiens or Anmyin) is a city and commune in northern France, 120 km (75 mi) north of Paris and 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Hauts-de-France. The city had a population of 136,105 according to the 2006 census, and has one of the biggest university hospitals in France with a capacity of 1,200 beds. Amiens Cathedral is the largest church in France by volume, estimated at 200,000 cubic metres (260,000 cu yd). It is also a World Heritage Site. The author Jules Verne lived in Amiens from 1871 until his death in 1905, and served on the city council for 15 years.
The town was fought over during both World Wars, suffering significant damage, and was repeatedly occupied by both sides. The 1918 Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Hundred Days Offensive which directly led to the Armistice with Germany. The Royal Air Force heavily bombed the town during the Second World War. In the aftermath the city was rebuilt according to Pierre Dufau's plans with wider streets to ease traffic congestion. These newer structures were primarily built of brick, concrete and white stone with slate roofs.
Bandung | |
---|---|
State | West Java |
Country | Indonesia |
Capital | |
Population | 2390120 |
Postcode | 40252 |
Bandung () is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia. One of Indonesia's most populous cities, Greater Bandung is the country's second-largest metropolitan extended with over 11 million inhabitants. Located 768 metres (2,520 feet) above sea level, approximately 140 kilometres (87 miles) southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler year-round temperatures than most other Indonesian cities. The city lies on a river basin surrounded by volcanic mountains that provides a natural defense system, which was the primary reason for the Dutch East Indies government's plan to move the capital from Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) to Bandung.
The Dutch first established tea plantations around the mountains in the 18th century, and a road was constructed to connect the plantation area to the colonial capital Batavia (180 kilometres (112 miles) to the northwest). In the early 20th century the Dutch inhabitants of Bandung demanded the establishment of a municipality (gemeente), which was granted in 1906, and Bandung gradually developed into a resort city for plantation owners. Luxurious hotels, restaurants, cafés, and European boutiques were opened, leading the city to be nicknamed Parijs van Java (Dutch: "The Paris of Java").
After Indonesia declared independence in 1945, the city has experienced ongoing development and urbanisation, transforming from an idyllic town into a dense 16,500 people/km2 (per square kilometre) metropolitan area with living space for over 8 million people.