Canberra is the capital of Australia. Canberra: attractions

On the question of which country of Canberra, without hesitation, one can answer only one thing: it is not a country, but a city. And almost any senior high school student will tell you about this, of course, if he listened attentively to the material presented by the geography teacher. Along with this, not all adults know that this city is the capital of Australia, and not Sydney or Melbourne, as many believe. This is a truly amazing creation of the twentieth century, in which one can not find ancient buildings or narrow streets. The city has its own special spirit. It was carefully thought out and planned to trifles, and in general for the country is atypical.

History of foundation

For a long time the question of the capital of Australia was very acute. The fact is that the right to be considered the administrative center of the state was claimed by two large and important cities, like Melbourne and Sydney. In order not to infringe upon the interests of any of them, in 1909 the government decided to erect the capital of the state on a neutral territory. The place where Canberra is located on the map was indicated by the Australian Parliament. At the same meeting, a competition was announced for a new city project. Representatives of different countries took part in it. The winner was the architect from Chicago, Walter Burley Griffin. As a result, his project in 1913 laid the new administrative center of Australia, and the time of its erection took about half a century.

Features of construction

The locality, where the city of Canberra is located, is a valley covered with rare plant species and surrounded by hills. It is located 650 kilometers (northeast) of Sydney and 370 kilometers to the southwest (from it the same). In literal translation from the aboriginal language, the name of the Australian capital means "meeting place". According to the proposed construction plan, the city is clearly divided into districts, each of which has a specific purpose - for administrative buildings, trade and office buildings, educational and cultural institutions and so on. The layout of houses is strict and accurate. The official status of the capital of the Australian Union Canberra was in 1927. Then the parliament and the government residence moved here.

general description

Canberra, whose coordinates are 35 degrees south latitude and 149 degrees east, is located in the central part of the Australian mainland, at a great distance from the coast, at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level. The area of its territory is about 800 kilometers square. The population exceeds the mark of 380 thousand people. In the heart of the Australian capital is Lake Burley-Griffin, which due to the dam is separated from the Molonglo River. The scenery of their landscapes, the area where Canberra is located, owes its surrounding eucalyptus forests, savannas, green meadows and marshes. Moreover, the region is characterized by a high level of environmental friendliness, the air of Canberra is always fresh and clean. Continuous construction, as well as the construction of industrial enterprises are prohibited here. Human imagination affects the diversity of the species of birds that have chosen these territories. As for the animal world, in the urban surroundings you can meet a wild dog dingo, kangaroos, marsupials, and many other fauna. In addition, there are also poisonous snakes, the number of varieties of which reaches several tens.

Ethnic composition of the population, religion and language

The locality where Canberra is located, and its environs in its overwhelming majority are inhabited by descendants of immigrants from European states (mainly Irish and English). In addition to them, the city has a large number of immigrants from Asian countries, Italians, Armenians, Russians, Ukrainians and Greeks. English is the state language. In addition, many residents of the Australian capital speak Russian, Greek and Italian. As for religion, about 80 percent of the population are Christians (Protestants and Catholics). Of other religions there is not much, but still widespread Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism.

Climate

The determining factor in the formation of the climate of the city of Canberra is the coordinates of the Australian capital. Due to the remoteness from the coast, less humid weather prevails here, in comparison with the settlements of the coastal states. The same nuance is the cause of pronounced seasons. Throughout the year in the city falls no more than 620 millimeters of precipitation. The rainiest period begins in June and ends in August. At this time, the daytime air temperature is in the range of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, and at night there are frosts. Snow is very rare in this case. If it drops out, it stays for a maximum of several hours. From November to January, there is a lot of heat, and the thermometer reaches 32 degrees above zero. In general, the weather in the city can change very rapidly, and for the night and daytime temperatures are characterized by strong fluctuations. The optimal time to visit is the period from December to February.

Transport

Canberra is the capital, which boasts high-quality roads. This is largely facilitated by the policy of improvement, constantly conducted by local authorities. Despite the fact that the most common means of transportation here is a car, the city has a developed network of urban transport. The fastest and most comfortable are buses that run strictly on schedule and allow you to reach anywhere in the capital without problems. The cost of a one-way trip is $ 2.5, while for a daily ticket you should pay about $ 6.6. Buy them directly from the driver or at specialized kiosks. Bus stops not everywhere, therefore, in order not to miss your stop, it is necessary to press the corresponding button in the salon in a timely manner. Whatever it was, moving on foot or by bike is a priority for many residents of the city of Canberra. The capital of Australia, among other things, has its own airport. With the largest economic centers of the state (Melbourne and Sydney) it is connected not only by highways, but also by railways.

Architecture

The city of Canberra, where there is a large number of modern national monuments, galleries, historical museums and other cultural institutions, boasts well-designed architecture. All the above-mentioned objects are mainly located around artificial large lakes. There are very few high-rise buildings here. All of them are concentrated on the river embankment. Thus, the Australian capital quite elegantly combines the features of a modern metropolis and a provincial town with an abundance of picturesque places and superb natural landscapes. Canberra - the capital, which is significantly different from other, built by the West European type, Australian major cities. The fact is that it was planned as a state center for the development of science and culture, and also as a government residence.

Connectivity

An interesting local feature is the abundance of telephone booths. They meet at every corner. At the same time, you can call from them to foreign countries. The cost of internal calls is $ 0.4, and calls to other states are paid depending on the time and subscribers. You can buy a phone card at almost any kiosk or store in Canberra. The country as a whole is quite developed in terms of communication: the Internet, including 3G, is widely used here. You can buy a SIM card of a local operator with roaming at any mobile phone point.

Interesting places

As already noted above, in 1913 the city of Canberra was laid. Sights and historical monuments in connection with this here are not so often. Despite this, the Australian capital has many interesting sites. Huge popularity among local residents and tourists enjoys the Botanical Garden, covering an area of 50 hectares. There are about 6 thousand varieties of plants in it. The artificially created Lake Berlie-Griffin deserves a separate word, which is located in the heart of the city. It should be noted that it was named after the architect who had planned Canberra. In the middle of a powerful jet of it beats the fountain named Captain Cook. It is worth visiting and the Metropolitan Hill - a small area with government buildings. The ideal place for walking, according to the residents of the capital, is the park "Cokington Green", the image of which is formed by miniature houses and gardens filled with various exotic plants.

sights

In the city of Canberra, the sights are mostly represented by objects created in a modern style. This is not surprising, because the Australian capital appeared on the map of the state only in the last century. The most interesting local architectural monument is the old parliament building, built in 1927 and located in the heart of the city. It consists of two floors and is built of white stone. The structure is surrounded by the National Rose Garden and stands out against the backdrop of other structures with its massive columns.

The Australian War Memorial is the most famous landmark of Canberra. It is a whole complex, which includes a memory hall, a historical museum, and a research center. The memorial was built to perpetuate the memory of the Australian soldiers who died during the two world wars. On its walls one can see the designations of the places where the inhabitants of the country perished - Crete, Mesopotamia, the Coral Sea and others. The names of all the dead are on the bronze slabs inside. In the halls are presented dioramas of battles, samples of tanks, airplanes, weapons, as well as paintings of local artists dedicated to the same topic. Next to the complex is the Garden of Sculptures. Nearby is a column with a height of 66 meters, on which the figure of an eagle is mounted. The sculpture was erected in gratitude to the USA for the help rendered during the Second World War.

Canberra is the capital not only political, but also scientific. The building of the National Academy of Sciences is located here and is one of the local attractions. Its appearance is something like the houses of Eskimos from the ice, so the Australians call it "yaglu."

Separate attention deserves the Tower of Telstra, built in 1980. At its top is an observation deck. It offers an excellent panoramic view, and many tourists try to be photographed against its background. In addition, there is a souvenir shop, a cafe and a city museum inside.

Sport

The city of Canberra, where there is a huge number of cross-country and bicycle paths, special recreational areas, tennis courts, water complexes and simulators, is a real paradise for sports fans and active lifestyles. In the Australian capital, as in the whole country, tennis, basketball, golf, rugby and cricket are quite developed. Competitions at the central stadium are held almost all the time. Despite the relatively modest size of the city, there are many teams that represent different kinds of sports.

Real estate and business climate

Many foreigners invest their money in urban real estate. At the same time, they usually pursue investment and immigration goals. It should be noted that the Australian capital in this regard is more popular, compared with the largest subjects of the country - Melbourne and Sydney, where prices are higher.

Government administration and defense are the main spheres of the economy of the city of Canberra. Australia is generally considered a country with a developed industry. However, this does not apply to its capital. In the two areas mentioned above, about 40 percent of the local population is employed. In addition, the city can be called very progressive, because here are the headquarters of a number of software developers. This area of activity here has become the most profitable.

Food

Most of the local restaurants are located in the central areas of the city. If you want, you can try almost any cuisine. The level of service is at a fairly high level, and the quality of food from year to year is getting better. It should be noted that Australian cuisine, which used to be practically the same as the English one, has recently acquired its own features. In particular, its invariable attribute is now seafood. In the Australian capital, cheese is excellent, and on the market you can find very exotic products - for example, shark lips or crocodile meat.

Accommodation, recreation and entertainment

Since Canberra is the capital of a large state, it is easy to find housing there. Variants for accommodation of visitors of a city and tourists strongly differ in cost and comfort - beginning from cheap hotels and finishing magnificent villas and hotels. Prices for renting rooms start at $ 30 per day. As for the cultural program, it is perfectly combined with walks, rest, as well as visiting all kinds of entertainment facilities. In particular, the National Zoo together with the aquarium functions daily. In addition to it, it will be interesting for connoisseurs of nature to visit the Tidbinbill National Reserve. The Australian capital is famous for its many nightclubs and entertainment venues, so you can safely say that the leisure area is around the clock. Stores mostly work seven days a week. They can buy almost any thing, including products from the famous Australian wool.

Nuances that should be remembered for tourists

It is not desirable to use water from a local water supply. It is not dangerous to human health, however, due to cleaning, it can delay acclimatization.

Smoking in public places is strictly prohibited, and the use of alcohol is allowed only at a certain time, and it is not everywhere.

When walking in nature, do not forget about the means of protection against insects, which are very intrusive here.

As for the time in which Canberra lives, the time zone of the city is UTC + 10.

Canberra in our days

As of today, the whole political power of the country has concentrated in the city. Here is located not only the government residence, but also embassies of other states. One of the most visited cities in the world by foreign tourists in recent years has become Canberra. The capital of Australia, despite this, boasts a very low crime rate. If there are serious offenses, they immediately become public. The likelihood of becoming a victim of scammers or pocket thieves is almost zero.