The capital of Texas (USA) is the city of Austin. It was founded in 1839 and is now the center of the state's administrative and political activities. This metropolis is named after one of its founders. The local population is just over 885 thousand people. At the same time, in recent decades, there has been a tendency to increase the number of its inhabitants. This is mainly due to the constant migration processes in the country.
Geographic location
The state capital of Texas is located on the shores of the rather large Lake Lady Bird, in the central part of the state. Its total area is more than 770 square kilometers. Nearby, the Colorado River carries its waters. It should be noted that within the city there are several more artificial reservoirs. They are surrounded by numerous parks and gardens with dense greenery, which greatly contributes to the active participation in sports (especially water sports) by the locals. In addition, for about 300 days a year there is warm, sunny weather.
A Brief History
More inAt the beginning of the sixteenth century, the land on which the current capital of the state of Texas (USA) was built, caused increased interest among Spanish sailors. The fact is that among them there were legends about large reserves of gold in this territory. However, instead of him, the conquerors were expected by the tribes of native cannibals, who were very hostile to the conquistadors. Whatever it was, for the next 300 years, Spain managed to maintain control over this region.
Before the start of the Texas War of Independence, in 1835, at the present location of the city, in the area of the northern bank of the Colorado River, a village was founded, called Waterloo. Four years later, after the independence of the republic, its vice-president Mirabeau Lamar made a proposal to choose the village as the administrative center. Although many of his opponents were supporters of Houston, this proposal was nevertheless accepted. In 1839, the already sprawling city was renamed Austin. The capital of Texas retained its status after its annexation to the United States in 1845.
City of Bats
One of Austin's most famous nicknames is "Batcity", which means "city of bats" in English. This is due to the fact that every year thousands of these animals settle under the local Ann Richards Bridge, on Congress Avenue. The fact is that its design is an ideal breeding ground for bats. Thousands of people constantly come here to watch their evening hunting flight against the backdrop of the setting sun.
Tourist attraction
Texas' capital attracts large numbers of tourists with its natural beauty, art galleries, museums, historic buildings and vibrant nightlife. One of its most beautiful places is the State Capitol. In addition to it, the residence of the French ambassador, built in 1841, the campus of the University of Texas, as well as the oldest hotel in the city, the Driskill, which opened in 1886, are very popular among travelers.
Not far from the center of Austin is its largest natural area - Zilker Park. It is a very popular place among the locals. All its visitors have the opportunity to play football here, rent a bike or canoe, or just stroll through the excellent garden.
University of Texas
One of the best educational institutions in all of North America is the University of Texas, which is located in the capital of Texas. Its complex includes a total of seven museums and thirteen libraries. The opening of this educational institution took place in 1883. It served as a strong impetus for the development of the entire state. In 1924, considerable reserves of oil were found on the land that belonged to the university. This is what made it one of the leading cities in the whole country, which led to the rapid popularization and technological development of the city.
Development of modern technologies
At the beginning of this century, the capital of Texashas grown into one of America's largest centers of excellence. Due to the high concentration of businesses that operate in this area, the city is sometimes called "Silicon Hills". It is impossible not to note the role of the University of Texas mentioned above. This educational institution annually graduates thousands of specialists in programming and engineering. All of them have great job opportunities at leading IT companies based in Austin.
Sports
As noted above, the capital of Texas is an ideal place for sports. This is facilitated by the presence of not only parks and forest areas, but also a well-developed infrastructure. In particular, more than 45 kilometers of bicycle and pedestrian paths have been built in the city, as well as a large number of sports grounds, the total area of which exceeds seven thousand square meters. In addition, there are numerous tennis courts and clubs in Austin.
Interesting facts
Despite a well-developed sports infrastructure, the city is the largest metropolitan area in the United States, which is not represented by its team in any major American league. As a result, locals tend to cheer for the University of Texas teams.
Keep the City Unusual is the motto of Austin, which can be found on any souvenir purchased here.
The height of the local Capitol exceeds that of the Washington Congress buildingUSA, having the same architecture, by seven meters.
The capital of Texas in 2008 was named the most drinking city in the US according to Forbes. Studies have shown that more than 60% of its inhabitants consumed alcoholic beverages at least once a month.
