Category CAPITAL CITIES

          Some cities have an incredible capacity to attract people to it. In the case of Bangkok, it would be hard to pinpoint a single factor that entices visitors into it, as a host of features make it a magical city. Millions of tourists flock to Bangkok every year and the city is one of the most popular holiday destinations on the  planet.

          Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, and has been the capital from 1767 onwards. Since the eighteenth century, Bangkok has been a dominant city in Thailand. It is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, one of the most important rivers in Southeast Asia. The city under – went a transformation during the 1980s and 1990s when rapid modernization gripped Bangkok resulting in an economic and cultural expansion.

          Bangkok is Thailand’s major port; and therefore, plays a significant role of being a strategically vital place. The Chao Phraya River connects Bangkok to the rest of the world through the Gulf of Thailand.

          The city is known for its colourful street life and breathtaking cultural landmarks. Its ancient palaces and Buddhist temples make it the centre of Thailand’s culture and history. The largest gold idol of Buddha is found in Bangkok. The five-metre tall statue, weighing 5.5 tonnes, is located in the temple of Golden Buddha, Wet traimit.

          Bangkok keeps attracting more and more people every year with its charm and magic.

               Choosing a city to be the capital of a Country needs serious thought and extreme care. Some nations have switched their capital cities over the years for various political and strategic reasons. Islamabad was not Pakistan’s first choice for the capital. When Pakistan got independence from the British in 1947, Karachi was the first choice for the capital. However, in 1960, General Ayub Khan, the then president of Pakistan, built Islamabad as the new capital.

               Islamabad and Rawalpindi are twin cities in Pakistan. Islamabad is located near the Margalla Hills. Some of the special features of the city are its parks and terraces. The Shah Faisal Mosque, a magnificent edifice and great artistic accomplishment, is situated at the foot of the Margalla Hills. The mosque resembles an eight-faceted desert tent supported by four giant concrete girders and is surrounded by four towering minarets. The Pakistan Monument is another landmark of the city. Pakistan House, the home of the President, the National Assembly building, the National University, and the botanical garden are some of the other points of interest in the city. The famed ancient university of Taxila was situated near the city.

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            Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital of one of our neighbours, Sri Lanka. It was inaugurated as the new administrative capital in 1982.

            Sri Lanka got independence in 1948. As years passed, government offices had outgrown the country’s capital of Colombo, and the government decided to relocate offices outside the city. In 1982, the new parliament building was inaugurated in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. The following year other government offices began moving to the city.

            Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is now a planned city with government offices, universities and residential buildings.

            Colombo is the commercial capital, and is the largest city in Sri Lanka. Colombo has been a strategically significant city for thousands of years. The city has a large, deep natural harbour along the East-West trade routes. This geographical feature of the city enabled it to grow as a seaport for business and trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

            Colombo is a vibrant and busy city today. The 160-acre Lake Beira at the centre of the city and the two World Trade Centre towers are two familiar landmarks on the city skyline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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            Cities are built not merely of brick and mortar; they are monuments of Man’s struggle against time and degeneration. Some of the oldest cities in the world have witnessed Man’s journey through civilizations. Kathmandu, a 2000 years old city, is one such sublime place.

            Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal. It is located in the great Himalayan mountain range. A specialty of the city is its hidden temples. One of the most famous Hindu temples in the world is located in the city: the Pashupathinath Temple. The deity of the temple is Lord Pashupathi. Pashupathinath, in fact, is another name of Lord Shiva. After the devastating earthquake in 2015, the only structure that was left without much damage was the Pashupathinath temple.

            The temple stood tall and erect, with barely any cracks in its wall, when all nearby structures and monuments were turning into rubble and dust.

            The city abounds in large expanses of marigold gardens, golden pagodas and tiny workshops. Kathmandu exports red chillies and a walk through the outskirts of the city would present us with the spectacle of long stretches of drying red chillies in courtyards. The city hosts the headquarters of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, or SAARC.

            More than half of Nepal’s population is found in Kathmandu. The cultural scenario of the city is so diverse, that the city is sometimes referred to as a living museum of the world’s cultures.

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              Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. The city is one of the most splendid cities in the world. It is the hub of culture, politics and education in China. Beijing has a magnificent history to tell, as the city has over three thousand years of glorious antiquity.

             Beijing is one of the most populous cities in the world. Located at the northern tip of the North China Plain, the city is bordered by mountains to the north, northwest and west. There is desert beyond this region and the mountain ranges protect the city and the agricultural regions of Northern China from encroaching by the desert.

            Beijing boasts of a rich cultural heritage. There are seven UNESCO Heritage Sites in the city; and therefore, the city is a popular tourist spot. The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs, Zhoukoudian cave system, the Great Wall and the Grand Canal constitute the heritage sites. The city also has vast palaces, magnificent tombs, fabulous temples, exquisite parks and world-renowned art treasures, which have made it the pride of the world!

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            The cities in the eastern parts of the world are known for their vibrancy and colour. The capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, is a city full of life and vigour. The city has a glorious past and many rich cultural traditions.

            Dhaka is known as the city of mosques and muslin. There are countless ancient mosques in the city. Muslin, a delicate cotton fabric of plain weave, is said to have originated in Dhaka. The material is manufactured in the city and is in great demand across the globe.

            Geographically, Dhaka is located at the centre of Bangladesh. The city is situated in one of the world’s leading rice and jute growing regions. Dhaka has a distinguished history of being the Mughal capital of Bengal. It remained the capital city for 75 years. The British East India Company took control over the city later. Dhaka became the administrative capital of East Pakistan, when British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan in 1947. When Bangladesh was formed, the city was the obvious choice for the nation’s capital. As the capital city, Dhaka grew into a metropolis of about 8.5 million people. Dhaka remains the heart of Bangladesh’s industrial, commercial, cultural, educational and political activities today.

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              Men have always quarrelled over exquisite things and places from time immemorial. They have waged wars, slaughtered people, and destroyed monuments just to conquer them. Therefore, some of the most beautiful places have remained the most contested and strife-stricken places.

            The beautiful city of Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan. A city’s location is an important reason for the contest over its possession. Kabul lies in a triangular valley between high mountain ranges. It sits strategically along the trade routes of the ancient world. Therefore, many empires and mighty rulers have fought over this city for centuries. Hence, the city has been the location of many battles and rebellions, civil wars and uprisings. Today, governments are trying their best to bring stability and prosperity back to Kabul.

            One of the oldest cities in the world, Kabul is over 3500 years old. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world too. The city presents a curious blending of the ancient and the modern. There are innumerable historically significant monuments in the city. The tombs of its bygone rulers are a major tourist attraction. The city is known for its gardens, the most famous of which is, Babur’s Garden.

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              The people of Japan have always captured the attention of the world for their industrious nature and never-say-die attitude. Wars and natural calamities have devastated the country many times; yet it always bounced back strongly in no time! The city of Tokyo is the capital of Japan.

              Tokyo is the largest city in Japan, and is one of the most thickly populated metropolitan areas in the world. Literally, the name Tokyo means ‘eastern capital’. It is a city that hosts the latest trends and some of the oldest traditions in the world simultaneously. While the city is highly modern with its soaring skyscrapers, cosmopolitan industries, outsized shopping arcades and extravagant bars and lounges, it keeps and nurtures time-honoured traditions in the form of its shrines, guesthouses and many museums.

              The city is also home to a fast-growing business and finance sector. Some of the world’s most advanced investment banks and insurance companies are found in Tokyo. Fifty-one of the Fortune Global 500 companies are housed in the city. No other city in the world has that many companies in them!