This page will contain images about marseille, as they become available.Marseille |
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| City motto: Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis. (Latin: By her great deeds, Marseille shines in the world) |
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| City proper (commune) |
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| Région | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
| Département | Bouches-du-Rhône (13) |
| Mayor | Jean-Claude Gaudin (UMP) (since 1995) |
| Area | 240.62 km² |
| Subdivisions | 16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs) |
| Population (July 1, 2004 estimate) (March 8, 1999 census) |
(Ranked 2nd) 808,700 798,430 |
| Density | 3,361/km² (2004) |
| Metropolitan area (aire urbaine) |
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| Communes | 82 (1999) |
| Area | 2,830.2 km² (1999) |
| Population 1999 census |
(Ranked 3rd) 1,516,340 |
| Yearly growth | +0.46 % |
| Density | 536/km² (1999) |
| Intercommunality - president |
Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole Jean-Claude Gaudin (UMP) (since 2000) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Twin cities | Abidjan (Ivory Coast) Antwerp (Belgium) Copenhagen (Denmark) Dakar (Senegal) Genoa (Italy) Haifa (Israel) Hamburg (Germany) Kobe (Japan) Odessa (Ukraine) Piraeus (Greece) Marrakech (Morocco) Shanghai (China) |
Marseille (English alternative spelling Marseilles) (pronounced /maʀsɛj/ in standard French, /mɑxˈsɛjɐ/ in local Marseilles accent) (Provençal: Marsiho or Marsilha, both pronounced /maɾˈsijɐ/) is the second largest city in France and the third metropolitan area, with 1,516,340 inhabitants at the 1999 census. Located in the former province of Provence and on the Mediterranean Sea, it is France's largest commercial port and the largest in the Mediterranean.
Marseille is the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région, as well as the préfecture (capital) of the Bouches-du-Rhône département.
Marseille was founded in 600 B.C.E. by Greeks from Phocaea as a trading port under the name Μασσαλία (Massalia; see also List of traditional Greek place names). It was overrun by Celts and then conquered by the Romans. During the Roman times, it was called Massilia. In 1934 Alexander I of Yugoslavia arrived at the port to meet with the French foreign minister Louis Barthou. He was assassinated there by Vlada Georgieff who hated Alexander's refusal to recognise Croatia as a separate state.
Marseilles' harbor is the biggest of the country, and one of the most important of the Mediterranean Sea.
Marseille is divided into 16 municipal arrondissements, which are themselves divided into quartiers (111 in total). The arrondissements are regrouped in pairs into sectors, and 8 sectors have a council and a town hall, like the arrondissements in Paris and in Lyon.
The municipal elections are carried out by sector. Each sector elects its councillors (303 in total), one third of which are municipal councillors.
Number of councilors elected by sector:
The last mayors of Marseille :
The Sector Mayors :
The cantons of Marseille :
Marseille holds 25 of the 58 seats at the general council of the Bouches-du-Rhône. Since the last election, these 25 cantons are held by the following councilors:
The French national anthem "La Marseillaise" is named for the Revolutionary troops from Marseille.
The most widely circulated tarot deck comes from Marseille; it is called the Tarot de Marseille, and was used to play the local variant of tarocchi before it came to the notice of people who used it in cartomancy.
The vast majority of the Marsellaise are descendants of the waves of immigrants that arrived to the port in the early 19th century. Such as; Armenians, Spaniards, Italians, Greeks, Arabs, Jews, Russians and North Africans. Approximately 25 per cent of Marseille’s population is of North African origin, mostly Algerian, and Tunisian. The Jewish community is also the third largest in Europe.
The metro is a rubber-tiredtrain.
Marseille is served by the Aéroport de Marseille Provence, located in Marignane.
The city's main football club is Olympique de Marseille, UEFA Champions League winner in 1993 but tainted by the 1990s match fixing scandal by then-owner Bernard Tapie.
Marseille was the birthplace of:
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Marseille was the birthplace of:. They are:. The city's main football club is Olympique de Marseille, UEFA Champions League winner in 1993 but tainted by the 1990s match fixing scandal by then-owner Bernard Tapie. Melbourne has a number of sister cities. Marseille is served by the Aéroport de Marseille Provence, located in Marignane. There are a variety of interesting things to see outside Melbourne proper but still within a day trip of Melbourne. The metro is a rubber-tiredtrain. As one would expect from a city its size, Melbourne has a wide variety of pubs, bars and nightclubs, which can be found all over the metropolitan area. The Jewish community is also the third largest in Europe. Some of the best restraunts can be found in St Kilda along Fitzroy Street, South Yarra along Chapel Street, Fitzroy along Brunswick Street, Carlton along Lygon St, South Melbourne along Clarendon St, Richmond along Bridge Rd and Victoria St and Collingwood along Smith Street, as well as in the CBD and Southbank precincts. Approximately 25 per cent of Marseille’s population is of North African origin, mostly Algerian, and Tunisian. Melbourne's restaurants are numerous, and are generally of reasonable quality and good value. Such as; Armenians, Spaniards, Italians, Greeks, Arabs, Jews, Russians and North Africans. Melbourne will host the Commonwealth Games in 2006. The vast majority of the Marsellaise are descendants of the waves of immigrants that arrived to the port in the early 19th century. Melbourne's best-known sporting events are the Australian F1 Grand Prix, numerous international Cricket matches, the Australian Football League Grand Final and the Spring Racing Carnival wheich culminates with the running of the Melbourne Cup horse race at Flemington.
Marseille holds 25 of the 58 seats at the general council of the Bouches-du-Rhône. The Fitzroy Gardens in East Melbourne has many attractions including Captain Cook's Cottage. The cantons of Marseille :. Melbourne attracts large numbers of tourists, particularly young backpackers. The Sector Mayors :. Avalon Airport located between Melbourne and Geelong is a freight and maintenance facility and handles some low cost flights. The last mayors of Marseille :. Essendon Airport, which was once the city's main airport before the construction of Tullamarine, handles general aviation and some cargo flights, and is the base of the Victoria Police air wing and air ambulance. Number of councilors elected by sector:. Moorabbin Airport is a significant general aviation airport in the city's south east. Each sector elects its councillors (303 in total), one third of which are municipal councillors. Melbourne International Airport located at Tullamarine is the city's main international and domestic gateway. The municipal elections are carried out by sector. Melbourne has four significant airports. The arrondissements are regrouped in pairs into sectors, and 8 sectors have a council and a town hall, like the arrondissements in Paris and in Lyon. Station Pier in Port Phillip Bay handles cruise ships and the Spirit of Tasmania ferries which cross Bass Strait to Tasmania. Marseille is divided into 16 municipal arrondissements, which are themselves divided into quartiers (111 in total). Melbourne Airport is the nation's second busiest. Marseilles' harbor is the biggest of the country, and one of the most important of the Mediterranean Sea. The Port of Melbourne is Australia's largest container and general cargo port. He was assassinated there by Vlada Georgieff who hated Alexander's refusal to recognise Croatia as a separate state. The city has rail connections wth several regional cities in the state, as well as interstate rail services to Sydney and Adelaide. In 1934 Alexander I of Yugoslavia arrived at the port to meet with the French foreign minister Louis Barthou. From the 1920s to the 1940s it was the world's busiest passenger station. During the Roman times, it was called Massilia. Flinders Street Station is a prominent Melbourne landmark and meeting place. It was overrun by Celts and then conquered by the Romans. It has one of the world's most extensive tram networks, almost 300 bus routes and a train system with more than 15 lines. by Greeks from Phocaea as a trading port under the name Μασσαλία (Massalia; see also List of traditional Greek place names). Like many major cities in the world, Melbourne has an integrated public transport system, however some of its outlying suburbs still face transport difficulties. Marseille was founded in 600 B.C.E. Melbourne is served with an extensive public transport network. . Carols by Candlelight, first held in 1938, is a Christmas Eve tradition held annually at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Marseille is the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région, as well as the préfecture (capital) of the Bouches-du-Rhône département. Through her he has performed cutting odes to Melbourne mores and the middle class suburbs of Moonee Ponds and Highett, among others. Located in the former province of Provence and on the Mediterranean Sea, it is France's largest commercial port and the largest in the Mediterranean. Melbourne-born satirist Barry Humphries created his main character Dame Edna Everage as a comedic version of a suburban homemaker. Marseille (English alternative spelling Marseilles) (pronounced /maʀsɛj/ in standard French, /mɑxˈsɛjɐ/ in local Marseilles accent) (Provençal: Marsiho or Marsilha, both pronounced /maɾˈsijɐ/) is the second largest city in France and the third metropolitan area, with 1,516,340 inhabitants at the 1999 census. "Balwyn Calling", "Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo)" and "Toorak Cowboy" are examples.
Taxi 2 (2000). Some of the more famous include Mad Max, Chopper, Romper Stomper, featuring a young Russell Crowe as a terrifying Melburnian skinhead; Jackie Chan's Mr. Taxi (1998). In recent years, many more films have been made in Melbourne. Roselyne et les lions (1989). Similar filming was undertaken when a 2000 television movie remake was produced. Pépé le Moko (1937). The purported quote was invented by journalist Neil Jillett. Marius et Jeannette (1997). Filmed on location in and around Melbourne (a great novelty for Melbourne at the time), it is perhaps best remembered for a comment Ava Gardner possibly never actually made - describing Melbourne as 'the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world', commenting on the dreary conservatism of Melbourne in the late 1950s. Marius (1931). The film depicted the denizens of Melbourne quietly slipping off into eternity as the last victims of a global nuclear holocaust. La Lune dans le caniveau (1983). In 1959, it was made into a film directed by Stanley Kramer, and starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Anthony Perkins. Gomez & Tavarès (2003). Perhaps the best-known novel internationally is Nevil Shute's novel On the Beach. The French Connection (1971) and its sequel (1975). Frank Hardy's Power Without Glory tells the story of Melbourne businessman John West (based on the real-life John Wren) and is set in a thinly-disguised Collingwood, a Melbourne working-class suburb. Comme un aimant (2000). Fergus Hume's international best-seller Mystery of a Hansom Cab, which outsold the Sherlock Holmes stories at the time, was set in Melbourne of the Gold Rush era. Bye-Bye (1995). Melbourne has been the setting for many novels, television dramas, and films. Baise-moi (2000). The Melbourne Shuffle, a style of dance, had its birth here, and has been evolving ever since. 37°2 le matin (1986). There are dance parties happening almost every night of the year, frequently attracting some of the world's best DJs to the city. King Alexander I of Yugoslavia was assassinated on October 9, 1934 in Marseille along with French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou. The dance music scene in Melbourne is large and lively. French poet Arthur Rimbaud died in Marseille on November 10, 1891. Live shows constantly occur in the city with open-mic contests and performances by up-and-coming artists held throughout the week at different locations. Zinedine Zidane (born 1972), soccer player. Melbourne is home to a gritty style of home grown Hip Hop and is home to artists such as Lyrical Commission, Muphin, Reason and Pegz. Jean-Claude Izzo (1945-2000), author. Obese Records, a leading Australian Hip Hop recording label, was founded in 1995 in Melbourne and is located in Prahran, just off the famous Chapel Street. Jean Pierre Rampal (1922-2000), flutist. Melbourne is home to a large Australian hip hop scene, generally known as "Melburn" or "The Burn" throughout the unique sub-culture. Louis Jourdan (born 1919), actor. Melbourne's lively rock and pop music scene has fostered many internationally renowned artists and musicians, with links to AC/DC, Nick Cave, Crowded House, John Farnham, Graeme Bell, Kylie Minogue, and Jet. Eliane Browne-Bartroli (1917-1944), French Resistance, Croix de Guerre. Several professional theatre companies operate in Melbourne, of which the Melbourne Theatre Company has the most institutional support of any in Australia, and there is a wide range of smaller companies. Fernandel (1903-1971), actor. Many of its most significant works hang in the National Gallery of Victoria, which has one of Australia's top collections of visual art, particularly early Australian western-tradition art. Vincent Scotto (1876-1952), guitarist, songwriter. It was largely the work of Melbourne-based artists, and was arguably the first distinctly Australian art movement (in the Western canon, at least). Edmond Rostand (1868-1918), poet and dramatist. The Heidelberg School was an Australian art movement of the late 19th century centered in Melbourne. "Le Pétomane" (1857-1945), entertainer. Melbourne was strongly associated with the establishment of Australia's visual arts. Joseph Pujol, aka. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is highly regarded both at home and internationally. Olivier Émile Ollivier (1825-1913), statesman. Melbourne is the home of the Australian Ballet and the second home of Opera Australia. Joseph Autran (1813-1877), poet. Annuals arts celebrations include the Melbourne Arts Festival, the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Melbourne International Film Festival, and Moomba. Honoré Daumier (1808-1879), caricaturist and painter. Melbourne has a large and vibrant arts and cultural life. Etienne Joseph Louis Garnier-Pages (1801-1841), politician. Melbourne also boasts a number of community radio stations, of which the best known are 3RRR and 3PBS. Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877), first president of the Third Republic. 3AW is consistently the city's highest-rating commercial radio station. Désirée Clary (1777-1860), wife of King Carl XIV Johann of Sweden, and therefore Queen Desirée or Queen Desideria of Sweden. Melbourne has a wide range of radio stations and is the base for the Australia-wide Austereo network. "Dugazon" (1746-1809), actor. There are three commercial television channels: the Seven, Nine and Ten networks — and three public channels: ABC, SBS, and a community television channel, Channel 31 Melbourne. Jean-Henry Gourgaud, aka. Melbourne has two major daily newspapers, The Age and The Herald Sun, as well as the free afternoon tabloid mX. Maurice Béjart (born 1927), ballet choreographer. In 2007, Melbourne will be the host of the FINA World Aquatics Championships. Antonin Artaud (1897-1948), author. The 2006 Commonwealth Games will be held in Melbourne, the first time the city has hosted the event. The calanques. Melbourne co-hosted the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, including many pool matches as well as a quarter final – all of which were played at the Telstra Dome; broke new ground as the first city outside the United States to host the World Police and Fire Games in 1995, and the President's Cup golf tournament in 1999; and was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to host the World Cup Polo Championship in 2001. Unité d'Habitation de Marseille, by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Since the 1956 Olympic Games were held in Melbourne, the city has hosted numerous sporting events which rotate host cities. Château d'If, an ancient prison island, where The Count of Monte Cristo was jailed, in Alexandre Dumas' novel. The Wallabies, Australia's national rugby union team, usually also play at least one Test annually at Melbourne's Telstra Dome. Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. Annually, Melbourne hosts the Australian Open tennis tournament, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments; the Melbourne Cup horse race; the 'Boxing Day' cricket test match held each year from 26-30 December at the Melbourne Cricket Ground; and the Australian Grand Prix Formula One championship. The old harbor. The city has hosted several major international sporting events. Watcha Clan. The city also has two National Basketball League franchises, the Melbourne Tigers and the South Dragons (to enter the league in 2006). Massilia Sound System. Olympic Park is also the home of Melbourne Victory, a team in the newly formed Australian football (soccer) competition, the A-League. The French rap band IAM is from Marseille. Melbourne Storm, a National Rugby League team, are based at Olympic Park. General Councilor: Henri Jibrayel PS. It is the traditional venue for the Boxing Day cricket Test match. 35,752). The MCG was the site of many events at the 1956 Summer Olympics, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Marseille-Verduron (pop. The AFL Grand Final, one of the biggest sporting events in Australia, is played on the last weekend in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a massive arena that has held up to 120,000 spectators. 29,668); General Councilor: André Malrait UMP. The city is home to nine of the sixteen teams in the Australian Football League (AFL), whose five Melbourne games per week attract an average 35,000 people per game. Marseille-Vauban (pop. Melbourne is where Australian rules football originated, and it still the most popular sport in Victoria. 25,324); General Councilor: Christophe Masse PS (Representative). A majority of the oldest schools in Melbourne belong to the Associated Public Schools of Victoria and Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria associations. Marseille-Les,Trois,Lucs (pop. From years 7 to 12 students attend high schools. 40,392); General Councilor: Jeanine Porte PCF. Primary school consists of seven grades; a preparatory year and grades 1 to 6. Marseille-Saint-Mauront (pop. Melbourne has numerous government, independent and other secondary schools. 29,981); General Councilor: Jean Bonat PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille). Several other universities are also located in Melbourne, including Deakin University, La Trobe University, RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria University of Technology and the St Patrick's campus of the Australian Catholic University. Marseille-Saint-Marcel (pop. Both are also highly ranked among the best universities in the world by The Times Higher Education Supplement. 26,218); General Councilor: Robert Assante UMP (Adjoint au Maire de Marseille). They are both members of the Group of Eight, a lobby group including the most prestigious universities in Australia. Marseille-Saint-Lambert (pop. Melbourne's two most notable tertiary institutions are the University of Melbourne and Monash University. 32,749); General Councilor: Michel Pezet PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille). 36,868); General Councilor: Didier Garnier UMP. Although Brisbane and Perth are growing faster in percentage terms, and Victoria's net interstate migration has fluctuated, the Melbourne statistical division has grown by approximately 50,000 people a year since 2003, more than any other Australian city. Marseille-Sainte-Marguerite (pop. The newest wave of immigrants comes from North Africa, particularly Sudan. 37,629); General Councilor: Denis Rossi PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille). Melbourne also boasts the largest Jewish community in Oceania (See Judaism in Australia). Marseille-Saint-Barthélemy (pop. Refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam made Melbourne their home in the 1970s and 1980s and were joined by people from India, the Philippines and Malaysia. 33,206); General Councilor: Félix Weygand PS. Melbourne has one of the world's largest population of people with Greek ancestry outside Greece -- in fact it is 3rd only to Athens and Thessaloniki as a metropolis for Greek-speakers [4]. Marseille-La,Rose (pop. Large numbers from Italy and Greece arrived in the 1950s and 1960s, to become the largest groups after those from Britain and Ireland. 38,701); General Councilor: René Olmeta PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille). The need for a population increase and a labour force saw many British, Yugoslav, Dutch, German, Arab and Maltese migrants arrive in 1945 after the devastation of the homelands in World War II. Marseille-La,Pomme (pop. As a consequence property prices took decades to recover. 31,116); General Councilor: Richard Miron UMP. Much of Melbourne's population loss during the 1890s was the result of the unemployed moving west seeking gold, or, employment in the burgeoning industries stimulated by gold. Marseille-La,Pointe-Rouge (pop. During the 1890s a world economic depression hit Melbourne's overleveraged economy with particular savagery. 27,052); General Councilor: Marius Masse PS. In the following decades of the 1870s and 1880s, Melbourne was Australia's most populous city and led to a spectacular property boom, and exuberance still in evidence in the much loved late Victorian architecture. Marseille-Les,Olives (pop. From 20,000 inhabitants in 1851, an additional 15,000 arrived almost overnight with the discovery of gold in August 1852 [3]. 33,472); General Councilor: Joël Dutto PCF. Melbourne's population exploded during the 1850s' gold rush. Marseille-Notre-Dame-Limite (pop. As the capital city, Melbourne has over time become a large urban centre and the home to around 80% of the state's population. 31,107); General Councilor: Jocelyn Zeitoun PS. Almost a quarter of Victoria's population was born overseas and come from 233 countries, speak over 180 languages and dialects and follow 116 religious faiths. Marseille-Notre-Dame-du-Mont (pop. Today Melbourne is one of the world's most diverse and multicultural cities. 33,644); General Councilor: Maurice Rey UMP. In 2006, Melbourne will play host to the summit of G20 finance ministers. Marseille-Montolivet (pop. At a cost of $434 million the project involves reconstructing the old Olympic and Ponsford stands. 35,890); General Councilor: Didier Réault UMP. At the centrepiece of the Commonwealth Games projects is the redevelopment project for the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the stadium set for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. Marseille-Mazargues (pop. The project is set for completion in early 2006, before the start of the Games. 29,060); General Councilor: Jean-Noël Guerini PS (Sénateur, Président du Conseil Général, Municipal councilor of Marseille). Such projects include the $AUD700 million Southern Cross Station redevelopment, including a $350 million world-class transport interchange facility with $350 million also set aside for office accommodation, residential towers and hotel and also a retail plaza. Marseille-Les,Grands-Carmes (pop. Most current major infrastructure projects are generally centred on the upcoming 2006 Commonwealth Games, which are to be held in the city. 29,846); General Councilor: Marie-Arlette Carlotti PS (Representative européenne). Melbourne is home to Australia's largest seaport and much of Australia's automotive industry (including the engine manufacturing facility of Holden and the Ford and Toyota manufacturing facilities), in addition to many other manufacturing industries. Marseille-Les,Cinq-Avenues (pop. The peak body representing workers in Australia, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, is also headquartered in Melbourne. 34,292); General Councilor: Janine Ecochard PS. Many of Australia's largest companies have their headquarters there, and many multinational corporations (approximately one-third of the 100 largest multinationals operating in Australia as of 2002), have their main Australian office there. Marseille-La,Capelette (pop. Melbourne is a large commercial and industrial centre. 27,506); General Councilor: Antoine Rouzaud PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille). 30,168); General Councilor Maurice Di Nocera UDF. Because three quarters of Victoria's population lives in Melbourne, state governments have traditionally been reluctant to allow the development of city-wide governmental bodies, which would tend to create a rival to the state government. Marseille-La,Blancarde (pop. These include public transport, main roads, traffic control, policing, education above preschool level, and planning of major infrastructure projects. 27,992); General Councilor: Fortuné Sportiello PS. Most city-wide government activities are controlled by the state government. Marseille-Belsunce (pop. Melbourne's overwhelming dominance of the state of Victoria's population and economy means the Victorian state government is also effectively the city government of greater Melbourne. 25,878); General Councilor: Lisette Narducci PS (Mayor of the 2ème sector de Marseille). The councils are collectively represented by the Local Government Association of Victoria. Marseille-La,Belle-de-Mai (pop. Councils levy rates from their residents to pay for these services. 8th sector (15th and 16th arrondissements): Frédéric Dutoit (representative) PCF. These include planning, rubbish collection, beaches, parks and gardens, child-care and preschool facilities, local festivals and cultural activities, services to the elderly, supervision of public health, sanitation and similar matters. 7th sector (13th and 14th arrondissements): Garo Hovsepian PS. These municipalities all have elected councils and are responsible for a range of functions delegated to them by the Victorian state government. 6th sector (11th and 12th arrondissements): Roland Blum (representative) UMP. The rest of the metropolitan area is divided into 30 municipalities, all of which are styled as cities except for five on the city's outer fringes which are styled as shires (see a list of these at Local Government Areas of Victoria). 5th sector (9th and 10th arrondissements): Guy Teissier (representative) UMP. The current Lord Mayor is John So. 4th sector (6th and 8th arrondissements): Dominique Tian (representative) UMP. However the head of the Melbourne City Council, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, is frequently treated as a representative of greater Melbourne (the entire metropolitan area), particularly when interstate or overseas. 3rd sector (4th and 5th arrondissements): Bruno Gilles (representative) UMP. The Melbourne City Council governs only the City of Melbourne, which takes in the CBD and a few adjoining inner suburbs. 2nd sector (2nd and 3re arrondissements): Lisette Narducci (General Councilor) PS. There are also many parks in the surrounding suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the cities of Stonnington and Booroondara, south east of the CBD. 1st sector (1st and 7th arrondissements): Jean Roatta (Representative) UMP. There is an abundance of parks and gardens close to the CBD with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways, and majestic tree lined avenues that help make Melbourne one of the world's most livable cities. 1995- : Jean-Claude Gaudin UMP (relected in 2001). Melbourne is often referred to as Australia's garden city. 1986-1995 : Robert Vigouroux PS (reelected in 1989). The central business district (the original city) is laid out in the famous mile-by-half-a-mile Hoddle Grid, its southern edge fronting on to the Yarra. 1953-1986 : Gaston Defferre (already mayor between 1944 and 1946, relected in 1959, 1965, 1971, 1977, 1983). Geologically it is built on the confluence of Quaternary lava flows to the west, Silurian mudstones to the east and Holocene sand accumulation to the southeast along Port Phillip, its suburbs sprawling to the east, following the Yarra River out to the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges, south-east to the mouth of the bay, and following the Maribyrnong River and its tributaries west and north to flat farming country. Melbourne is located in the south-eastern corner of mainland Australia, and is the southernmost mainland capital city. This has continued under the government of current Premier Steve Bracks (Labor). In the 1990s, the Victorian state government of Premier Jeff Kennett (Liberal) sought to reverse this trend with the aggressive development of new public buildings, such as the Melbourne Museum, the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (nicknamed "Jeff's Shed"), Crown Casino, capital works (most notably the City Link tollway), the selling off state assets (the State Electricity Commission and redundant state schools), the pruning back of state services and the publicising of Melbourne's merits both to outsiders and Melburnians. After a boom in the 1980s Melbourne experienced a largely property market and manufacturing driven slump from 1989 to 1992, with a loss of employment and a drain of population to New South Wales and Queensland. Melbourne also developed as a centre of the arts. Even after the national capital moved to Canberra, Melbourne remained Australia's business and finance capital until the 1970s, when it began to lose this primacy to Sydney. Melbourne continued to expand steadily throughout the first half of the 20th century, particularly with the post-World War II influx of immigrants and the prestige of hosting the Olympic Games in 1956. The seat of government and the national capital remained in Melbourne until 1927 when it moved to the new capital city of Canberra. The first Federal parliament was opened on 9 May of that year in the Royal Exhibition Building. Melbourne became Australia's national capital at Federation on 1 January 1901. Victorian architecture abounds in Melbourne and today the city is home to the largest number of surviving Victorian era buildings of any city in the world other than London. During the 1880s, Melbourne was the second largest city in the British Empire, and came to be known as "Marvellous Melbourne". Later it became Australia's leading manufacturing centre. With the discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s, leading to the Victorian gold rush, Melbourne quickly grew as a port and service centre. It was the capital first of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales and then of the separate colony of Victoria. Ultimately, settlement continued regardless [2]. A transaction was negotiated for 600,000 acres of land from eight of their representatives; this was later anulled by the New South Wales government (then governing all of eastern mainland Australia), who compensated the settlers in exchange. The area was already inhabited by the Kulin people, then indigenous to the area. The European settlement at Melbourne was founded in 1835 by settlers coming from Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land), where they had difficulty finding available land. Melbourne in Derbyshire derives its name from the Old English for Mill Stream (Mylla Burne). The city was named after the British Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, whose home was near the village of Melbourne in Derbyshire. . A resident of Melbourne is referred to as a Melburnian. It has one of the highest numbers of international students studying in its universities, after London, New York City, and Paris. Melbourne has undergone a major urban 'revival', such that it is sometimes classed as being in a second tier of "world cities"; the GaWC study group in the UK ranks Melbourne, on the basis of relative availability of specialised "advanced services," as a "minor world city" comparable to cities such as Montreal, Osaka, and Prague. The US's Utne Reader puts it thus: "Add a long tradition of civic pride, communities of new immigrants from around the world, and the best food in Australia, and you have a recipe for what many claim is the hippest city in the Southern Hemisphere" (Nov/Dec 2001). In 2005, however, it was ranked 2nd, behind Vancouver, Canada. Melbourne has twice ranked first in a survey by The Economist of The World's Most Livable Cities on the basis of its cultural attributes, climate, cost of living, and social conditions such as crime rates and health care, once in 2002 [1], and again in 2004 – a year in which the Economist truly took a shine to Australian cities, with the five largest cities in Australia given rankings of 6 or better. It is also considered to be the fashion, shopping, dining and cultural capital of Australia. Melbourne is considered by most Australians to be the sporting capital of Australia, as it is home to The Melbourne Cup, Australian F1 Grand Prix, Australian Open Tennis, AFL Grand Final and MotoGP Motorcycle Grand Prix, and will host the Commonwealth Games in 2006. Melbourne was the capital city of Australia from 1901 until 1927. The city's name is pronounced as either /ˈmel.bən/ or /ˈmæl.bən/. Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3.8 million (2006 estimate) in the Melbourne metropolitan area and 69,670 in the City of Melbourne (which covers only the central city area). ^ Coban, Suzie: “The immigration rush”, Special Broadcasting Service, (Unknown date). Retrieved December 14, 2005. Melbourne and Vancouver are the world’s best cities to live in . ^ Economist Intelligence Unit (2002). Galle, Sri Lanka – 2005 (after the 2004 tsunami disaster Melbourne adopted Galle in order to fund the reconstruction of its cricket ground). Milan, Italy – 2004. Saint Petersburg, Russia – 1989. Boston, United States – 1985. Thessaloniki, Greece – 1984. Tianjin, China (PRC) – 1980. Osaka, Japan – 1978. |