european-cities « WordPress.com Tag Feed

A journey to Athens

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:22:27 +0000

The most of the Greek population of Athens was increased after 1921 by an influx of refugees expelled from Asia minor. At the same years the small number of Turks then residing in Athens was departed. 99% of the population belongs to the Greek Orthodox church, and Athens is the seat of the Orthodox Arcibishop of Greece. Athens is the center of the Greek government and parliament and the capital of the department of the prefecture of Attica. The old palace of the foreign kings of Greece is now used as the house the Greek parliament. Athens is the main financial and commercial center of Greece and is the main junction of the air, road and rail system . Most of Greece's maritime trade is at the port of Piraeus. Athens has an international airport in Spata. Manufacturing, textile, electronic,shipyards industries have been developed primarily in and near Piraeus and further on the Attica basin. Light engineering, textiles, chemicals, and cement making are important, as are distilling, milling, tanning, tobacco preparation, oil refining, and the processing of other local agricultural products. Tourism is also important.Athens is surrounded by mountains: Aigaleon to the west, Parnitha to the north, Penteli in the northeast, and Hymettus to the east. Most mountains are made of limestone, granite or marble, from which materials the ancient buildings of the city were constructed. The valley on which Athens lies contains isolated limestone hills, including the Lykavittos hill, which rises 339 meters above the sea level , and the rock of Acropolis, 156 meter high, around which the city of Athens grew. Ilissus and Kifisos River are partly dry for much of the year and carring water only after winter storms and rain falls. Athens has Mediterranean climate, with very hot and dry summers and mild winters. Rainfall is slight. Athens Day trips can be done to many of the areas and islands that are near to Athens.
Athens is the main cultural and educational center of Greece and has a university, founded in 1837 a polytechnic, many private universities, as well as many professional schools and TEI. The city of Athens is world famous for its amazing archaeological collections, especially the ones that are in the National Archeological Museum of Athens. Athens most important cultural remains are its numerous architectural and historical monuments, dating from ancient times and later periods. Most famous among these is the Acropolis, the ancient fortified rocky hill on which stands the Erechtheum temple, Parthenon temple, and the Propylaea, all of the 5th century BC the golden age of Athens. To the south of the Acropolis are the Odeum of Herodes Atticus, and the Theater of Dionysus and the Areo pagus in which St. Paul spoke. The ancient agora is partially excavated. The stoa, or colonnaded walk, of Attalos, which is located near by, has been reconstructed and now holds a great collection of Greek antiquities. The city also has many Orthodox churches from the Byzantine period.

Does distance matter? Technologies and territory

Marc — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:00:58 +0000

In a recent article in Wired, Tim Harford analyses the relationship between technology and distance. All I need to get my work done is a place to perch and a Wi-Fi signal, says Tim, but if that's true, why do I still live in London, the second most expensive city in the world? The question brings us to the old prophecy about technologies killing distance, that seems to be false. In an older post in this blog, I spoke about the strength of weak ties created through internet, with software like skype. In my daily work, technologies are useful to be connected to my other partners of the european projects working in other places overall Europe, from Riga to Lisbon. Nevertheless, as Tim Hardford points out, techonologies reinforce also my face-by-face relations in Barcelona. In that sense, communications technology and face-to-face interactions are complements like salt and pepper, rather than substitutes like butter and margarine.

That brings me to another issue on technology and distance: new technologies in means of transport. Newer, faster and more sustainable means of transport in the european cities will have a deep impact in the european system of cities. Since today, the High Speed Train connects Barcelona and Madrid, but also the the medium and small cities in the middle. With a new bet for the railway system (not only the high speed train but also the improvement of traditional railway), technologies and face-by-face relations will be more compatible.

I have a friend, usual reader of this blog, who lives in a small village far from Barcelona. He works in the university and hires a flat in the metropolitan region, but he spend most of his time in his village. There he can help family bussiness in agriculture and, with the help of technologies (laptop, blackberry and internet), continue doing his research in sociolinguistics for his PhD. When necessary, he spends some weeks working in Barcelona, where he can cultivate also close relations with other research colleagues (fortunately I'm one of them). I think that this way of life will be much more common in a near future. With good transport infrastructures, it is not necessary to live in the city centre to enjoy the city centre.

Note: This post in english is a test. In doing the post in english, I have widened my potential readers but the possibilities of finding the blog in the internet is much more little than in catalan. I will inform you about audiences.

Free Tours in European Cities

Erica Johansson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:14:53 +0000

Visit Sandemans New Europe for free guided tours in Europe. Their famous 3,5 hour New Paris Free Tour covers all the main sites such as Notre Dame, The Louvre, Palais Royal and Arc de Triomphe.

Other tours include London, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Edinburgh.

Free Tours in European Cities

Erica Johansson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:14:53 +0000

Visit Sandemans New Europe for free guided tours in Europe. Their famous 3,5 hour New Paris Free Tour covers all the main sites such as Notre Dame, The Louvre, Palais Royal and Arc de Triomphe.

Other tours include London, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Edinburgh.