Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. The origin of the city's name is unclear. In the Middle Ages, both the river and the town were also known by the German name Laibach. This name was in official use as an endonym until 1918, and it remains frequent as a German exonym, both in common speech and official use.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the area. Ljubljana itself was first mentioned in the first half of the 12th century. It was under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Situated at the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, it was the historical capital of Carniola, a Slovene-inhabited part of the Habsburg Monarchy.
The city, with an area of 163.8 square kilometers, is situated in the Ljubljana Basin in Central Slovenia, between the Alps and the Karst.
The city's architecture is a mix of styles. Despite the appearance of large buildings, especially at the city's edge, Ljubljana's historic center remains intact. Although the oldest architecture has been preserved from the Roman period, Ljubljana's downtown got its outline in the Middle Ages.
The central square in Ljubljana is Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg) where the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation is located. Built between 1646 and 1660, it replaced an older Gothic church on the same site.
Ljubljana is famous for its bridges. The most notable bridges of Ljubljana are the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje), the Trnovo Bridge (Trnovski most), the Dragon Bridge (Zmajski most), the Hradecky Bridge (Slovene: Hradeckega most), and the Butchers' Bridge (Mesarski most). The Trnovo Bridge crosses the Gradaščica, whereas the others cross the Ljubljanica.
Each year, over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city, including ten international theater, music, and art festivals. The Ljubljana Festival is one of the two oldest festivals in former Yugoslavia (the Dubrovnik Summer Festival was established in 1950, and the Ljubljana Festival one in 1953).
Duisburg
The Rhine metropolis of Duisburg has a population of about 496,000 people and is located on the Lower Rhine. The history of the town dates back to the Roman era and is thus one of the oldest cities in Germany. In the Middle Ages it developed into a flourishing trading city and is now a major industrial city in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Although Duisburg got its popularity from its steel mills, which produce up to 35% of steel in whole Germany, Duisburg also has a lot of other cultural and historical landmarks to offer, such as the following:
The Galeria Duisburg: The Galeria Duisburg is a shopping center and it is situated in an impressive glass palace. Here you can shop to your heart's content and recover yourself in the restaurant after a whole day shopping.. The Studio 47 station in Duisburg is based here.
The Theater Duisburg: The Theater Duisburg was opened in November 1912 and is located in the inner city. Its characteristics are the Roman columns. Theater, opera and philharmonic concerts take place here.
The Casino Duisburg: The Casino Duisburg is located in the entertainment complex City Palais and is one of the biggest casinos in Germany. After a game of roulette, poker or slot machines, the restaurant and bars invite you to satisfy your sophisticated palate with their culinary experience.
The Old Reichsbank: The Old Reichsbank is a building of the former Reichsbank and has been built in an impressive Italian palazzo style. Today, a Brauhaus is housed on the ground floor and is open for the visitors.
Citibank Tower: The Citibank Tower is the tallest building in Duisburg with a height of 72 meters and 16 floors. The office tower was built within ten months near the main station and opened in 1999. There is situated the main center of Citibank Private Customers AG.
Duisburg Zoo: The Duisburg Zoo was opened in 1934 and is the home of over 2100 animals, which can be admired. These include, for example, fossils, belugas, red river hogs or gorillas. Since 1994, koalas have also been raised here.
Duisburger Six-Lakes-Plate: The Duisburger Six-Lakes-Plate is a large recreation area in the district Weldau. The six lakes Wambachsee, Haubachsee, Böllertsee, Masurensee, Wolfs-See and Wildförstersee form the lake plateau. On the Wolfs-See the Wolfsberg was built in 1967 and features a view tower, which offers a wonderful view over the landscape and an outdoor pool available for visitors to swim. It is allowed to sail and swin in each lake.
Duisburg Cultural and Historical Museum: it was founded in 1902 and it givesa glimpse into the city's history. It is located at the inner harbor of the city and offers an insight into the history of Duisburg. Close to the museum is the partially preserved city wall.
Enjoy the benefits of urban life. From the small street festival in the neighborhood to the big live concert: Duisburg has so much to offer. Particularly at the weekend it attracts with many events and parties in Duisburg. Numerous cinemas, restaurants, bars and pubs ensure a successful start into the nightlife. Whether musicals, theaters or comedy - at present 8209 events in the event calendar in Duisburg is the right thing for every taste.