Rimini is the capital of the Rimini Province of Italy and is situated on the Adriatic sea between the Marecchia and Ausa Rivers. It covers an area of fifty-two square miles and has a population of over one hundred and forty thousand residents. This city can trace its history back to the third century BC when the Romans founded Ariminum colony. Ariminus was a fortification to protect the area from the Gauls and was also a staging ground for the conquest of the Padana plain. Rimini at this time was a road junction that connected the fortification to northern Italy. It would go on to play an important role during the Gallic Wars and provided the Roman Empire with much military benefit.

In the fifth century, Rimini was conquered by the Goths. Eventually, the city would fall under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. It was momentarily taken by King Liutprand but was eventually went back under the control of the Byzantines in 735. By the sixteenth century, the city was a town of the Papal states and had a local government under the Apostolic Legate. It was during this time that the Piazza Tre Martiri was redesigned and a clock tower block was built. During the eighteenth century, the city was beset by several distasters which included invading armies, earthquakes, famines and floods. This provided an economic background in which the city had to resort to fishing in order to survive. This can be evidenced by structures that still exist in the city, such as a lighthouse and a fish market. In 1860, Rimini became a part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Today, Rimini is a world class tourist attraction and is the most famous resort in the Adriatic Riviera. A famous attraction in the city is the Castel Sismondo. The Castel Sismondo is a castle that was erected by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta in 1437. Though Malatesta did some of the design work himself, other architects are also known to have worked on it include architect Filippo Brunelleschi. The original castle contained a moat with a rivelin at the entrance. It is believed that the walls were reinforced enough to withstand artillery blasts that started appearing in Europe at that time. At one time there were four towers that each contained bronze cannons. In 1821, the castle became the barracks for the local Carabinieri. About four years after that the external walls were demolished and the moat filled in with earth. Today, all the remains of the structure is the main nucleus and the castle is mainly used for special events and exhibitions.

Another prominent attraction in Rimini is Tempio Malatestiano. Tempio Malatestiano is a cathdedral that is officially dedicated to St. Francis (thus its name is actually San Francesco), but takes its name from Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta was the one who had the cathedral reconstruced from architect Leon Battista Alberti. Tempio Malatestiano was a thirteenth century Gothic church that was the possession of the Franciscans. The church at this time had a rectangular floor plan with a nave, three apses and no side chapels. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta called on Leon Battista Alberti to transform the church and turn it into a personal mausoleum for himself and his lover at the time, Isotta degli Atti. Leading up the project was builder Veronese Matteo di Andrea de’ Pasti. Alberti’s original plan included a large dome that was similar to the Pantheon of Rome, but was never constructed. The top portion of the cathedral was also supposed to have a gable end, but that wasn’t finished either. In 1460, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta was excommunicated and he fell on hard times. As a result, the east end of the church was never completed and Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta died without seeing the fruition of his dream. Today, the church is known for its marble facade and its sculptures which were designed by Agostino di Duccio and Matteo de Pasti. The entrance has a triangular pediment over the door that is within the middle arch. Matteo de’ Pasti designed the interior, which is acknowledged by an inscription under the large arcades. To the right of the door is a sepulchre by Sigismondo Pandolfo. There is also a chapel that is dedicated to St. Sigismund and contains Agostino di Duccio sculptures. The chapel of Cappella degli Angeli is home to the Isotta tomb and also contains the Giotto crucifix which was painted in 1312. The Cappella dei Pianeti (aka Chapel of the Planets) is dedicated to Saint Jerome. It has zodialogical figures that were done by Agostino di Duccio. Other features of this cathedral include the Chapel of Liberal Arts, Chapel of the Childhood Games and Cappella della Pieta.

Another prominent attraction in Rimini is Ponte d’Augusto (also known as the Bridge of Tiberius) is a bridge that has five semicircular arches that have an average span of twenty four feet. The construction of the bridge was begun during the reign of Augustus and was finally completed in the first century, under the reign of Tiberius. An inscription on the bridge states that the bridge was given by both kings. Other popular attractions in the city of Rimini include Arco d’Augusto, Rock Island, Scuola Barche a Vela, Catamarani, Windsurf e Surf da Onda, Italy in Miniature Amusement Park, Castel Sismondo, Borgo San Giuliano, Antica Pescheria di Piazza Cavour, Anfiteatro Romano, Piazza Cavour, Antica Pescheria di Piazza Cavour , Chiesa della Madonna delle Grazie, Museo delle Grazie, Astoria Movie Theater, Apollo Two Movie Theater, Parco Marecchia, Modernissimo Movie Theater, Federico Fellini Museum, Bronz Statue of Pope Paul V, Rocca Malatestiana of Sigismondo Pandolfo, Garden Sporting Center and Church of San Fortunato. This city is also home to numerous restaurants, clubs and hotels. Popular restaurants in Rimini include Bounty Pub Ristorante Pizzeria, Hotel Accademia & Ristorante Gusto and Le Meridien. Hotels in the city include Hotel Corallo Gestione Rivi Fabio & C., Hotel De Londres, Hotel Polo, Hotel Biancamano 3 Stelle a Rimini, Hotel Mercure La Gradisca, Alberghi Brown Hotel and the Duomo Hotel.
—-

Charleston is the county seat and the largest city in Charleston County, South Carolina. The city covers and area of one hundred and seventy-eight square miles and has a population of over one hundred and twenty-six thousand residents. This city is situated south of the middle position of South Carolina’s coastline, right at the intersection of the Cooper and Ashley Rivers. The city gained its name from Charles Town, which was named after King Charles II of England.

Charleston is a city that can trace its roots back to the seventeenth century. Charles II of England granted the Carolina territory to eight of his friends, known as the Lords Proprietors. In 1670, the lords arranged the settlement and established Charles Town. It was then chosen by one of the Lords Proprietors, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, as a port town. Within ten years, the town had grown extensively and it was relocated to the position that it currently occupies. It was made the capital of the Carolina Colony, and as such was in the perfect position to continue with its expansion. The colony in its early days, was often attacked by Spain and France, who contested England’s claim on the region. The citizens of the city built a wall around the settlement to help defend it. During this time, Charleston began to flourish as a trade center and the hub for the Atlantic trade with the southern colonies. By the 1770s, it had grown into the fourth largest port in the colonies and gained a population of over eleven thousand residents.

Due to the deterioration between England and the colonists, the city became a point of focus during the American Revolution. In 1773, to protest the Tea Act, citizens of Charleston confiscated tea and put it in the Exchange and Custom House. A year later, the Exchange and Custom House saw representatives from all corners of the colony, elect delegates for the Continental Congress. Soon after, South Carolina declared its independence from British rule on the steps of the Exchange. The British were quick to respond to this insolence, by sending ships of war to attack the city. In 1780, General Harry Clinton attacked the town with a force of over fourteen thousand soldiers. Revolutionary General Benjamin Lincoln became trapped in the city and had to surrender to Clinton. Clinton then marched on to New York and left Charleston in the hands of Charles Cornwallis. Charles Cornwallis lost the city due to prolonged attacks by American guerrillas and irregular militia units. The British temporarily regained the city in 1782, but by the following year the British had left.

In 1788, the residents of the Carolinas met at the Capitol Building for the Constitutional Ratification Convention. During the convention, a fire broke out in the building and the delegates left to the Exchange and declared Columbia the new state capital. Over the next five years, the Capitol Building was rebuilt and became the Charleston County Courthouse. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the population of the town had grown to twenty-three thousand residents, with the vast majority of them being of black ancestry. As the city continued its growth, its industries and commercial institutions were adapted to support the community. In 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. A month later, Citadel cadets opened fire on a Union ship entering Charleston’s harbor. In 1865, Union forces seized the city and took Citadel Military Academy. After the Civil War, Union forces remained in Charleston during Reconstruction. In 1867, the city established the first free secondary school for blacks, the Avery Institute. In 1896, the United States Post Office was finished in the city.

Today, Charleston is known for its culture, which is a blend of West African, Southern American, English and French components. The city is also well known for its large number of attractions which include historical monuments, museums and parks. Parks in the city include Cannon Park, Hampton Park, Parkshore Park, White Point Gardens, Concord Park, Hazel Parker Park, Martin Park, Moultrie Park, Waterfront Park, Hester Park, Charles Towne Landing, McMahon Playground, Mitchell Park, Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, Brittlebank Park, Harmon Park, Sunrise Park, Corrine Jones Playground, West Ashley Park,
Etwin Park, Mary Utsey Park and Mall Park. The city of Charleston is also known for its sports teams which include a variety of professional, minor league and amateur teams. Some of these include Charleston Battery Soccer team, Charleston River Dogs Baseball team, Charleston Outlaws RFC Rugby team, South Carolina Stingrays Hockey team and the Lowcountry High Rollers Roller Derby team.

A major attraction in Charleston is the USS Yorktown. Its one of twenty-four Essex class aircraft carriers that were built for the United States Navy during World War II. The ship was commissioned in April of 1943 and was involved in several Pacific Theater campaigns which earned it eleven battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. It also served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. It earned five battle stars during Vietnam, giving it a total of sixteen battle stars. The ship was decommissioned in 1970 and is currently a museum ship. The ship is also a National Historic Landmark.

Other popular attractions in Charleston include the Walking Tour of Historic Charleston, Pub Tour of Charleston, The Schooner Pride, Aiken-Rhett House, Palmetto Carriage Works, H.L. Hunley Submarine, Drayton Hall, Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Edmondston-Alston Museum, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, The Calhoun Mansion, Middleton Place, Nathaniel Russell House, Morris Island Lighthouse, Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, American Military Museum, Old Slave Mart Museum, Kiawah Island, Magnolia Cemetery, South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston Visitor Reception and Transportation Center, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Thomas Elfe House, French Huguenot Church, Givhans Ferry State Park, Confederate Museum, Charleston Museum, St. Philip’s Church, Pink House, The Citadel, Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, The Powder Magazine, Charleston National Golf Club, College of Charleston, Heyward-Washington House, Warren Lasch Conservation Center, Old Exchange & Provost, Joseph Manigault House, Macaulay Museum of Dental History and Francis Marion Hotel.

Shenzhen is a Special Economic Zone in China’s Guangdong province that lies to the north of Hong Kong. According to the latest studies it is one of the fastest growing cities globally and is the second busiest port in China. This city was founded in 1410 during the period that is known as the Ming Dynasty. Traditionally the city had been a rural fishing village but that changed in 1979 when Deng Xiaoping designated Shenzhen to be the experimental model of market capitalism guided by the principals of Chinese socialism. It was chosen for the experiment because of its proximity to Hong Kong. Today, Shenzhen has developed well beyond what was previously thought and has burgeoned into an economic powerhouse and manufacturing bastion in China.

Shenzhen is a fairly large city that covers an area of over seven hundred and ninety square miles and has a population of over eight million residents. Only about a quarter of these residents are permanent residents of the city, however. This city is one that seems to be in a constant state of flux as it begins to cannibalize the area surrounding it to accommodate for its tremendous rate of growth. This city is also undergoing a consistent rise in the number of educational facilities available to its citizens. Some of the more popular universities located here include Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Institute of Information Technology, Graduate School of Harbin Institute of Technology, Graduate School of Peking University and Graduate School of Tsinghua University. As of 2009, the city is also contructing a new facility called the Southern University of Science and Technology.

Shenzhen is also a city that is developing a thriving tourist trade. This is due in part to the wonderful attractions and hot spots that are available to tourist. One of the most popular attractions is Window of the World. This is a huge theme park that is located on Shenzhen Bay. It consist of over one hundred and eighteen reproductions of the world’s most famous monuments. Here visitors can see scaled down reproductions of the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, just to name a few. There are also numerous exhibits on famous world figures and a whole lot of restaurants that cover a wide variety of cuisines from Japanese to Mexican.

Another popular theme park in Shenzhen is called China Folk Culture Village. This park sits on over two hundred square meters and consist of twenty four recreated villages that display the day to day life and architecture of China’s fifty plus ethnic groups. These villages are recreated on a 1:1 ratio and even the smallest detail is strictly attended to by the designers. The villiages represented here are Yi ,Miao, Dong, Naxi, Buyi, Yao, Zhuang, Mosuo, Dai, Wa, Hani, Gaoshan,Bai, Li, Jingpo,Tibetan Nationality, Uygur Nationality, Quadrate Yard, Mongolian Nationality, Korean Nationality, Cave-house in North Shaanxi and Tujia Village.

Adjacent to the China Folk Culture Village is Splendid China. Splendid China is a theme park that has reproduced all the historic and scenic locations in China. Here eighty miniature attractions are located on a map of China. All the landmarks are placed on the map in the same relation that they have in real life. Its a great way for visitors to learn more about China and the beautiful monuments located there.

Happy Valley is yet another popular theme park in Shenzhen. This park has exhibits and rides that are divided into nine distinct sections. These sections include Spanish Plaza, Cartoon City, Adventure Mountain, Happy Time, Gold Mine Town, Shangri-la Forest, Hurricane Bay, Sunshine Coast, Maya Water Park. All the sections are connected by the Happy Valley Tram. This is a theme park that is part tourist attraction and part water park.