Albrecht
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Albrecht is the capital and largest city of Candelaria And Marquez, the site of the C&M national government and parliament, and the country's cultural and economic hub. Despite its importance however, only six percent of the Republic's population resides within the city's modern boundaries.
As with other national capitals, the word "Albrecht" is often used by metonymy to refer to the country's government, though "Robinson House" generally represents the Presidency itself.
Though one of the first stable British communities in the Candelarias, its first official city, and long-time administrative centre; there was for many years a deliberate effort to ensure Albrecht did not expand exponentially, and help create a reasonably even population spread across the islands. As such, the city's primary employers remained its port and the national government throughout most of the twentieth century. The make-up of the city’s work force has however changed dramatically in recent years.
One of the most significant changes in city's history occurred in 1986, when Albrecht's boundaries were officially expanded beyond those of traditional "Old Albrecht" to include five formally independent municipalities. In part because of this, modern Albrecht is considered by many to lack a unique identity of its own, being a conglomerate of many small "urban villages". The great variation in architectural and housing styles - though all admittedly rather conservative - helps to add to this 'hotchpotch' air.
Administratively speaking; there are upwards of eighty districts, of widely varying sizes.
The Republic is most famous internationally for being a minor football-playing nation, and Albrecht has thus gained a modest notoriety through the presence of the country's national football ground, the Millerman Sheppard Stadium (or the MSS). In the Rushmore region it has firmly established itself as a major centre of all the main facets of human life, though its relatively small size, and that of C&M as a whole, means that it is unlikely to ever become considered a true "global city".
'Albrecht' is commonly both pronounced and written as 'Alber' by residents and pronounced as 'Bect' by other Candelariasians. In the presence of foreigners, however, both will generally give the name its full, throaty, value. Like a cat coughing up something unspeakable. To suggest that this is appropriate is disappointingly unfair. It’s rather pleasant, really.
Contents
History
Following the purchase of land at Scandolo Cove (later Libbis Cove and finally Albrecht Cove) by the Timmins Brothers whalers of Clotaire, a party of European settlers led by Alexander Morgan and the Anglo-German entrepreneur Thomas Albrecht established themselves in what is now the Albrecht area, early in 1840. Several ships landed at what became Morganstown shortly afterwards, though the majority of the area's early population settled from elsewhere on Candelaria.The town of Albrecht was then established, south-west along the coast and around a mile inland. By the early 1850s, roads ran from Albrecht to Bovington (later Bove) and Starless City, while the country's first public railway line opened from Albrecht to the once-bustling port of Gordon Bay in the south-west of Candelaria.
The success of the agricultural and pottery industries in the town allowed it to effectively absorb the Morganstown port by the mid- 1860s. Albrecht became a city by Royal Charter on 12 June 1843, the first such in the Candelarias. Many of the city's fine Victorian buildings date from this boom period. The city and its port remained hugely important to the Candelarias, not least from 1863 when Albrecht succeeded Brayton as the seat of administration for Candelaria, becoming capital of the Dominion of the Candelarias in 1868. Until relatively recently however it remained smaller than many cities in the islands, with increasing numbers of immigrants - even those who had arrived via the port, and young people, preferring to settle elsewhere. As a result, Albrecht was for many decades merely the largest settlement in a large number around Albrecht Cove. By the late 1970s however, human habitation in the whole Cove region was effectively continuous; the situation being officially recognised in 1986 when the city's borders were massively expanded to take in five other municipalities, leaving the city once again C&M's largest.
Despite a challenge from El din, Marquez; it was the only clear choice to become the capital of the Republic following full independence from Britain in 1947.
The city's population survived the early Civil War period relatively healthily, with the Socialist Party unwilling to cause too much pain in their base of operations. After several months of clear atrocities meted out on nearby cities, however, public mood rapidly turned against the government who by late 1959 were forced to flee the city to avoid a humiliating uprising. The main governmental offices were gutted by a series of arson attacks by McManus loyalists before Opposition troops were able to seize power, which they were successful in doing after several days of fierce conflict within downtown Albrecht. The city remained an Opposition-controlled enclave in Candelaria for two more months before McManus' troops pulled back to the north-east of the island.
Geography and climate
Albrecht is located along the northern side of Albrecht Cove, on the west coast of the Candelarias' largest island. Morganstown Harbour - usually referred to simply as Harbour - is by far the city's largest. The city's growth has essential eliminated the original beaches.
It should be noted that the capital's degree of urban sprawl has made the city almost continuous with the city of Bove to the north, and several smaller town to the south-west. Equally, the ease and rapidity of transport along the west coast of Candelaria and east coast of Marquez has led many to consider Albrecht, Arrigo, Bass, Bove and many other urban areas as acting increasingly as a single super-city.
Climate
Albrecht enjoys a maritime temperate climate characterised by mild winters, cool summers, and a lack of temperature extremes. The city does not experience as high rainfall as much of the rest of the Candelarias; the far west of Candelaria receiving twice that of the capital city.
The average maximum January temperature is 8 °C (46 °F), the average maximum July temperature is 20 °C (68 °F). The sunniest months, on average, are May and June, with six hours of sunshine daily (though daylight in these months is a lot more). The wettest months, on average, are December and August, with 74 mm (2.9 inches) of rain. The driest month is April, with 45 mm (1.7 inches). The total average annual rainfall (and other forms of precipitation) is 762 mm (29.5 inches).
Due to Albrecht's high latitude, it experiences long summer days (around 19 hours of daylight) and short winter days (as short as nine hours). Like the rest of the Candelarias it is relatively safe from common natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis.
Strong winds from Rushmori storm systems can affect Albrecht, though usually less severe than other parts of the Candelarias. Severe winds are most likely during mid-winter, but can occur anytime, especially between October and February.
An urban heat island effect means Albrecht is a few degrees warmer than surrounding areas. There is also a slight temperature difference between the city centre and the city's suburbs, with the city centre slightly warmer, as it is more built up.
The city is not noted for its temperature extremes due to its mild climate. Typically, the coldest months are December, January and February. Temperatures in summer in recent years have been rising to substantially above average figures, e.g. 31 °C (88 °F) in July 2006, over 11 °C higher than the average maximum. There was a serious heat wave in 2003.
The main precipitation in winter is rain. The city can experience some snow showers during the months from November to April, but lying snow is rare (on average, only 4/5 days). Hail occurs more often than snow, and is most likely during the winter and spring months. Another rare type of weather is thunder and lightning, most common in summer.
Neighbourhoods
The City of Albrecht encompasses a geographical area formerly administered by six small municipalities. Though now controlled by the single City Council, their names remain in common use among Albrechters. Throughout the city there exist hundreds of small neighbourhoods, and some larger neighbourhoods covering up to a few square kilometres. The former municipalities are Hoxton, Lexaton, Liverpool, Magnus, Old Albrecht and Sorres.
The many residential communities of Albrecht express a character distinct from that of the governmental and commercial core. Victorian and Edwardian -era residential buildings can be found in enclaves such as Cockyard, Extra, Hell's Bells, Hill Side, Moor Road, New Cockyard and Roby Park.
Old Albrecht
The Old City of Albrecht covers the large area generally known as Downtown. It is the historic core of Albrecht and remains the most densely-populated part of the city. The small but influential Financial District is along Capenton Street. Most other prominent buildings are situated in the area known locally as 'Central', along Claude Lenglet Street, St. Michael Street and Cohonda Street. The rest of Downtown essentially encircles Central. Downtown Albrecht is also home to several historically wealthy residential enclaves, such as Bramlive, Clamber Away, Extra, Hell's Bells, Hill Side, Limbel, Moor Road and Roby Park, most stretching away from downtown to the north. These neighbourhoods generally feature upscale homes, luxury condominiums and high-end retail. At the same time, the downtown core vicinity includes neighbourhoods with a high proportion of recent immigrants and low-income families living in social housing and rental high-rises, such as Cockyard, Kingston, Launzer, Mary's Park and Sinjun City. North and west of Central, neighbourhoods such as Capana, Deevin, New Cockyard, Songstress and Thompsontown, are home to bustling commercial and cultural areas, with an increasing proportion of middle and upper class professionals that mix with the working poor or those on some form of government assistance. Few neighbourhoods in the central city retain a distinct ethnic identity, though exceptions include the trendy Irish Street vicinity, Little Turkey and the new Chinatown formally in Middem Village. The separate districts of Harbour, Morganstown and Dockyards are all considered part of the Downtown 'ring'.
Suburbs
The inner suburbs are contained within the general areas of Lexaton and Hoxton. These are mature and traditionally working class areas, primarily consisting of post-World War I small, single-family homes and small blocks of flats. Neighbourhoods such as Etton, Impossible Bay, Moon Town and Thornywood, consist of mainly high-rise flats which are home to many new immigrant families. Recently, many neighbourhoods have become ethnically diverse and have undergone gentrification, as a result of increasing population and a housing boom during the late 1990s. The first neighbourhoods affected were in the south-west, gradually progressing into the north-eastern neighbourhoods in Lexaton. Some of the area's housing is in the process of being replaced or remodelled, but most streets, particularly in the large Dale, Kien House, Kinsmen and Michael Halford districts still share the same characteristics of the "old" city.
The outer suburbs comprising the areas of Magnus, Liverpool and Sorres largely retain the grid plan laid before post-war development. Sections were long established and quickly growing towns before the suburban housing boom began in the 1950s, such as Barton, Pretty England and Ritez in Magnus, and Banfleet, Silverwood Parks, Sorrell and Soulsey in Sorres. Suburban development grew quickly after the second war to include such upscale neighbourhoods as Manna and the Pony Trek in Liverpool, the area surrounding the Liverpool Hills, and most of central Magnus, such as Hanna's Village and King’s Town.
Transportation
Over the last twenty years Albrecht, and C&M as a whole, engaged in mostly anti-automobile transport policies; and the capital has a very low vehicle-ownership rate for a developed country. Around 33% of all journeys in the Albrecht region are undertaken by rail; a slightly larger percentage by buses (of which there are a bafflingly large number and can be hopped on and off freely by tax-paying residents, and by tourists with the purchase of a Crustacean Card. The earliest settlers on Candelaria used crab shells as an impromptu form of currency for about a week. Apparently). Most of the rest are taken by road, with a heavy emphasis on bicycles. Privately-owned motorcars and 'bikes are usually C&M-made, and to quite strict environmental standards. Albrecht City Council is perpetually involved in large-scale projects to improve the quality of the rail network. The A-A Integral is the country's newest and most expensive rail expressway, running underwater from Albrecht to Arrigo. The National Highway road network runs several miles west of the eastern costal communities of Candelaria, and does not significantly intersect the cities.
The city's swarms of bright yellow taxis punctuate the otherwise surprisingly sedate feel of the city centre.
Albrecht's ports are generally considered the largest in the country, though are effectively continuous with those of Arrigo, Bass and Bove. The port facilities have healthy rail access to the public, though freight usually arrives and is distributed via road. Albrecht is a major cruise ship stopover point for wealthy Rushmoris.
The National Ferry Service runs extensive, relatively plush, networks to all major costal conurbations in Candelaria Island and Marquez, as well as to all the Outlying Islands.
Albrecht has various small regional airports as well as Albrecht International Airport, by far the busiest in the country. As with most similar industries in C&M's mixed economy; the nationally-owned Candelarias Air has a virtual monopoly on international flights, though 'budget-airline' simpleFlight has begun to make in-roads in CA's domination, and major automobile manufacturers Patton-Carmichael are slowly expanded a line of predominately 'business-class' flights.
Primary industries
Albrecht's primary employers are the Candelaria And Marquez national government and the info-tech industry. Numerous major pharmaceutical, information and communications technology companies, both C&M-registered and foreign, have offices in the city; though the capital's relatively small size has encouraged others to set up home in the country's other major urban areas. Several global software manufacturers have established large plants in the western suburb of Lasana.
Albrecht's status of the economic centre of the country is based on the commercial and industrial areas of the city. Though as with the country as a whole it is far from an economic power-house; banking, finance and commerce have become increasingly important to the city in recent years. The country's Stock Exchange, National Mint, and National Bank etcetera are based in Albrecht, mostly along Capenton Street in the heart of Downtown.
In recent times, there has been a modest but noticeable increase in construction, which is now a key employer, especially for recent immigrants. Redevelopment is taking place in the Old Dockyards, Newport Basin, and others, transforming once run-down industrial areas in the city centre. The City Council maintains limits on "high-rise" structures, with the TV1 and Memorial towers still being the city's highest points.
Tourism also plays an important role in Albrecht's economy, both from domestic visitors and foreigners. There are several casinos - gambling being a major source of revenue for the country - though most are located in the traditionally more liberal north-east of Candelaria (particularly Alvery and Caires); and a limited book publishing industry, though the bulk of this is located some way to the north in the country's media capital, Bove.
The city Harbour was traditionally the largest source of employment, and still maintains a small part of the workforce. With the increasing degree of cooperation with Arrigo, Bass, and Bove in the spheres of shipbuilding, the import and export of goods, and other maritime activities, and the advent of containerisation; the city's docks have become largely obsolete as workable entities in their own right. Much of the work done in Harbour is now on behalf of the country's other main seaports.
Government
Having formerly been controlled by a Lord Mayor, and later by six such individuals; the city is now governed by Albrecht City Council, which is presided over by the Council Leader, who is elected for yearly terms. Albrecht City Council is based in two major buildings. Council meetings take place at City Hall, the former Royal Exchange taken over for city government use in the early 1900s. Many of its administrative staff are now based at the controversial Civic Offices in Morganstown.
The City Council is a unicameral assembly of 66 members, elected every four years from 41 "Local Election Areas", and 25 'top-up' seats. The party with the most seats decides who sits of what committee, what policies are followed and who becomes Council Leader. Chaired by the CL, the council has a high degree of devolved control, with a large annual budget for spending on traffic management, refuse, drainage, housing etc.
At the last elections in 2006, the Unionist Party - not traditionally the major force in Albrechtine local politics - won eighteen seats allowing former member of the House of Representatives, Hebe Davidson, to become Council Leader. The previous controlling forces, the Modern Liberals, hold sixteen seats; the Social Democratic & Green Party eleven; the Conservative Party nine; the Worker's Party two and the Millennium Fish Party one. Independents of various political leanings hold the other nine seats.
In the House of Representatives; the larger cities in C&M are deliberately under-represented in the 60 constituency seats. Albrecht is however the only city to currently have three seats in the House, being;
- Albrecht Central, comprising Downtown and parts of Hoxton. Eric Bruns, a self-made millionaire through his pencil sharpeners business, was the surprise choice for Unionist Party candidacy in 2004. Despite accusations of being a 'champagne socialist', and comments made disparaging the capital's particular, traditional, slant on multiculturalism; he comfortably won the seat from the SD&GP’s Dan Hanson. Unusually for a constituency MotH, Bruns currently serves as a key minister as Secretary of State for Urban Affairs.
- Albrecht Docks, named for the Old Dockyards, but also comprising the Lexaton, Magnus and the rest of Hoxton, essentially encircling the Albrecht Central constituency. A very varied seat, with consequently closely-fought elections. Despite all the media attention being on the 'cat-fight' between Unionist candidate Pippa Yamaguchi and the Modern Liberal's Debbie Hurst; the seat was narrowly won by the SD&GP’s Daniel Adimola, a key party figure who had been twelfth on the SD&GP list prior to his surprise win.
- Albrecht West, comprising Liverpool, Sorres and the rest of the western suburbs and several satellite towns and villages. A suburban and thoroughly centre-ground constituency, the Modern Liberals have taken this seat since its creation in 1992. At the last election, Jon Lake retained the post he took in 2000.
Albrecht as C&M's capital
Candelaria And Marquez' national Parliament is based entirely in the city. The single legislative chamber, the House of Representatives, is located on Claude Lenglet Street; the President himself resides at the Robinson House building. The small, now largely advisory, National Council is located on St. Michael Street. The former Senate building on Claude Lenglet was entirely gutted in the closing stages of the Civil War, the Senate later meeting variously at City Hall, and buildings in Arrigo, Bove, Clotaire and Sloane, until the entity was abolished in 1992.
The C&M government is based at various buildings across Central, collectively known as the Offices of Government. Most are on St. Michael Street and its assorted tributaries.
Sport
Albrecht is arguably the centre of sport in the country; having its fair share of share of soccer and cricket grounds, and venues for motor sports, tennis, badminton, netball, swimming, rugby, and many other sports. Its harbour areas serve as the centre of C&M's large sailing community.
Football
In common with most of the rest of the country, the city's most popular sports teams are the soccer clubs. Albrecht FC (the 'Scorpions', who have won four of the last five CMSC seasons) and A.Turks (fully Albrecht Turkish Club, known as the 'Millermen' among other names) both play at the 45,000-seater Millerman Sheppard Stadium.
Of the city's lower-league clubs; the Alber City Wasps now play at Albrecht FC's historical ground, New Park. Albrecht Independent FC (the ‘Indies’) play at The Army Ground, in Hoxton. A.Turk's ground since 1924, Morgan's Field, became luxury flats in 2006.
Motor sport
Albrecht's City West circuit will host the twelfth and final stage of the World Grand Prix Championship's sixth season, assuming it ever happens.
Media
The overwhelming majority of television in C&M has nationwide coverage; only Spanish-language networks gaining any real popularity on a community basis. As a result, the most popular stations in the city remain TV1, TTO and Onwere TV; with WorldVision and the various channels provided by LBG also notable. The country's television remains analogue and terrestrial - other foreign networks are available over the internet.
As with the rest of the country, radio remains an equally popular medium split between youth-orientated music station Radio Zero Alvery; the more adult Bass FM; classical music and news station Sunset Radio and the immensely influential, left-leaning talk station Radio One. However community radio - particularly internet based - has become rapidly more popular across the country in recent years, with NewAlbrechtFM being the most notable both in the city and surrounding area.
On-line take-up is not especially high, though the numbers Internet Cafés in the capital have grown rapidly since the turn of the century.
Newspapers
Though the newspaper industry has traditionally been as spread-out as the 20th century media types; the country's two main national dailies are published in the city; namely the centrist, former broadsheet the Albrecht Herald (founded 1896) and sensationalist tabloid the Albrecht Mercury (founded 1977). In the city itself, the right-leaning tabloid the Daily News and the liberal Albrecht Republican are the equal of their nationwide colleagues their daily sales.
Albrecht University publishes its own paper, the Albrecht University Journal. There are a variety of community papers, most notably the Irish Street Times and the Albrecht Gazetesi (Turkish), as well as the Financial Gazzetta.
The Rushmore Independent News Association (RINA) has one of its three major headquarters in Central, and is generally considered a reliable and reasonably unbiased source of C&M-related news both in the Republic and overseas.
Demographics
In 2005 the population of the city of Albrecht was 576,221 (229,336 households, and 155,580 families of which 77.1% were married couples living together, 12.8% were common-law couples, and 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present). In 2005 females made up 51.23 percent of the population. Youths under 14 years of age number 19.30 percent of the total population, while those of retirement age (65 years and older) make up 10.81 percent resulting in an average age of 36.6 years of age.
Unsurprisingly, Albrecht's position as the cultural, economic and governmental heart of the country, as well as its high degree of urbanisation and its port, has allowed it to become C&M's most cosmopolitan city.
Though once strongly separated along ethnic and cultural lines, with individual communities dominating their own neighbourhoods or streets; the city is now rather more homogenised. Approximately 77% are of largely European origin with British ancestry being the largest contributor. As well as the inevitably large Hispanic contingent, there have also been substantial influxes of Italian, Dutch and Czech immigrants in line with most of the rest of the Candelarias.
Traditionally, the largest independent communities belonged to the Irish and Turks; the latter still maintains a heavy presence now alongside other Muslims of a wide variety of national origins. Together they make up around 7% of the city's religious base, making Islam the largest religious alignment in Albrecht after Christianity and those claiming to be of no religious persuasion.
Today, there are also smaller but influential Chinese, West Indian, Indian and Arridian minorities.
Crime and other social issues
Albrecht's crime rate is notably worse than most of the rest of the country, and the city has been the scene of several drug-related and gangland murders in recent years. Drug-related crime is a particular issue, owing to C&M's prohibitive attitudes to narcotic and addictive substances. Levels of drug-use and violent crime are particularly high among and between young men of recent immigrant backgrounds. There is a high degree of contributing family breakdown among the non-white population in poorer areas, which no amount of civic funds appears capable of rectifying. In general however, violent crime rates are low compared to most other Western cities.
Despite at times resembling more a conglomeration of small towns and neighbourhoods than a city; Albrecht is generally considered to possess an admiral degree of cohesion between oft disparate communities. In recent times, a number of arrests of Islamic extremists living in the city have generated a certain amount of ill-feeling, culminating in a major Freedom Party demonstration earlier this year. The march ended in serious violence with nearly 100 people injured, including one fatality. Most of those marching - including the deceased - came from outside the city, and community relations within city borders remain generally good.
Albrecht has as high a degree of any Candelariasian city of people on some form of state welfare. This is a constant bone of contention in the city's politics and media, with many arguing that there is no excuse for the city's high unemployment rate, particularly among the young. Out-of-towners commuting into the city to work have been blamed in part for this; however the city merely reflects a major issue in the country as a whole.
Education
Albrecht has a multitude of primary and secondary schools, with the Albrecht (Boys') Grammar School, Albrecht Girls' Grammar School and the Liverpool Hills Girls' Grammar School being amongst the most famous. The majority of such facilities however are co-ed free state schools; Candelariasians as a whole being traditionally unsympathetic to the concept of exclusive, fee-paying schooling. At secondary level, there is however a considerable amount of streaming both between and within schools based on academic ability. On average, Albrecht's primary and secondary schools are both considered among the better in the country.
All education is theoretically supposed to be secular; though Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Islamic education is available at primary level. There is however currently no secondary provision of this nature.
Amongst the most important tertiary educational institutes are Albrecht University, Albrecht Polytechnic, Albrecht University of Technology, Lippey University and the McMillan Institute of Technology.
Twinning
Albrecht is officially twinned with Merano, the largest city in Zwangzug. Joe Arnaud, a geography teacher at the Liverpool Hill Girls' Grammar School, is President of the Twinning Association.
Landmarks and notable institutions
The following is a list of tourist attractions and landmarks in the Albrecht metropolitan area. Items are in Central Albrecht unless otherwise stated.
- Albrecht Civic Theatre
A large heritage theatre seating 2,298 people, in downtown Albrecht. A notable example of an ‘atmospheric theatre’, in which lights and design where used to convey an impression of being seated in an outdoor auditorium at night. It was opened in 1932, and re-opened in 2001 following extensive renovation. Or ‘butchery’, as it is more commonly known.
- Albrecht Portrait Gallery
Only the country's sixth-largest art gallery, though the home of many of C&M's most prized artworks. Once specialising in portraits, the APG on Claude Lenglet Street (on the opposite side of the road from the Parliament Building complex) has expanded to include many other forms.
- Albrecht Public Library
The country's second-largest by borrowings, its largest branch to be found on Livermore Road in Capana, with a smaller, older, establishment on Capenton Street in the Financial District in Central.
- Albrecht University
- Albrecht University Library
- Balfour Street
'Baffers', a street in upper central Albrecht known for its bars, small shops, and clubs - the most famous and most often police-raided being Virus, Gulag, and Dave's Fish 'n' Chips. Other notably shopping streets in Central include Bishopsprick (chain stores and restaurants, with a few independent outlets, popular with young shoppers and tourists), Mortimer Street (major department stores and numerous international brands' flagship stores), and Thirty-Fourth Street (known for its distinctly Arab flavour, its many late-night bars and cafés, and for being so densely populated as to be almost a district in its own right.
- Bank of the Candelarias
C&M's central bank created in 1934, when it succeeded the Bank of Bass in the role, it is the sole issuer of banknotes and the central bank for the Reformed Pound. The Bank of the Candelarias Building is located on the corners of St. Michael and Candelaria Streets in Downtown.
- The Bird in Flight
The city's largest public sculpture, in New Cockyard. Essentially a bloody great thrush. Not especially cherished by the city's residents but a notable landmark in the maze of identikit streets. Situated on a traffic islands - on opposite sides of the road sit the large, iconic pubs The Bird In Flight and A Pint By The Bird.
- Candelarias Museum
The national museum, and its most visited alongside the adjacent Museum of People. CM is by far the elder, having been established on its now vast site on Salt Street in 1897, and the more traditional; focusing on a fairly staid arrangement of around 250,000 artefacts from both the islands and abroad. The building housing the MOP remains controversial, with many feeling it is not in keeping with the general design of Salt Street, its contents and internal design has been met with general approval since 1997. Across the two museums, popular current exhibits include: the Random Odd Regions Exhibit, the Highly Debatable Wonders of the Modern World, and Things We Stole From Poorer Countries In The Regrettable Old Past But Which We've Still Yet To Give Back Exhibit.
- Catspaws
Formally a popular pub for Albrecht dockworkers, this Morganstown establishment reinvented itself in the twentieth century as the country's premier intimate music venue. The automatic first destination for unsigned acts since the sixties; it also regularly holds gigs from the current wave of internationally-known C&M outfits including Patsy's Magic Bullet, Hola Señor, Big Foot Social Club, Guy Hirsz, Kitty Said What? and The Will You Three Keep It Down Up Theres.
- Christ Church Cathedral
More commonly known as St. Catherine's, though the origin of this name is unclear. The earliest church was established in 1840, the first large congregation in the town. Eventually, in 1899, it was confirmed that the church would officially become the Cathedral of the Diocese of Central Candelaria Island. The Right Reverend Julian P. Underground serves as the Bishop of Albrecht.
- City Hall
The former Royal Exchange; built in what once - and is now again - a modest Chinatown. Since 1900 it has been the base of the Lord Mayor and the scene of council meetings, a status it continued to enjoy after the massive expansion of what is considered "Albrecht" in 1986.
- Civic Offices
Most of the city council's administrative staff are based in these buildings in Morganstown. A visually unattractive complex, they were built to great expense in 1999.
- Claude Lenglet Street
The main street of the city, running from Balfour Street down to the Harbour. Named for a former mayor of the city, it is the home of numerous key institutions including the Parliament Building, as well as the embassies of Jarridia, Kura-Pelland and Ullriah. Often referred to separately as "Upper Claude" and "Lower Claude", owing to the considerably differences between the city centre areas and somewhat less salubrious areas elsewhere.
- Cohonda Street
An important and historical pedestrianised street running parallel to Claude Lenglet Street. Home to Christ Church Cathedral, several key financial buildings, Monument Place, the largest Public Library and the Ministry for Social Affairs.
- Dee Street
Long ago one of the poorest and most densely-populated districts in the city (named for the major road that passes through it), it became gentrified in the mid-20th century. Still the home of a great many expensive houses and apartments, as well as the embassies of Ok-La-Ho-Ma, Kirav, and Tweetonia; its 'upper' half has been reclaimed by the general public after a fashion, by the controversial opening of the country's largest shopping centre.
- Fitz Inn
The city's plushest hotel, the name of which would cause much mirth if it were actually funny. An attempt at re-naming it the Fitz Hotel in the mid-Seventies failed miserably, and while it is now officially known as the marginally less risible Fitz Albrecht, the original title is the only one in general use. Rooms include Jacuzzis and a piano and whatnot.
- Harbour
The city's once-extremely-important-now-a-tad-less-so port. Which isn't a harbour at all. No-one really knows exactly how it received its name, aside from the probability of general stupidity on behalf of landlubbing government clerks, or something. Despite its significant downsizing in favour of the ports at Arrigo and Bass, it remains a major employer and handler of grain, oil and other such goods, as well as people. It operates twenty-four hours a day, thanks to its now limited capacity. Synonymous, perhaps unfairly, with the slightly grubby residential district of Harbour.
- Holy Trinity Church
Anglican church off Dee Street, built in the late 1800s. Designed by the then-prominent architect (he's not any more, on account of being dead) LK Andrews out of limestone.
- Hutton Road Museum
More commonly known as the Museum of Unfortunate Things, the 'Hutter-Ro' is a large, imposing, red-brick building on the corner of a busy pedestriansed intersection. A frequent destination for reluctant school pupils; it is home to innumerable displays on unpleasant parts of the Candelarias' history with areas devoted to the National Eugenics Council of the '50s; the segregationist policies of various other public bodies; Abuses Committed In Our Jails; and chauvinistic, homophobic and Islamophobic incidents throughout time, among many others. The display on the horrors committed during the Socialist Party and Civil War eras is relatively small by comparison; leading some to complain that the Museum and its supporters in state education are guilty of institutional left-wing bias.
- HumphreyWorld Gardens
A large series of botanical gardens in Lexaton representing one of the few genuinely successful examples of a privatised public place. HumphreyWorld itself is an amusement park several miles to the west of the city in the village of Jena.
- Irish Street
A district and main street west of central Albrecht known today for arts, cafes and culture. It remains the centre of the traditional Irish community, with Gaelic still spoken in some quarters; but is also home to various other, relatively well-to-do, immigrant communities.
- Kalman Building
The first purpose-built national governmental building in the city, constructed in 1872. The home of the President && and Prime Minister's Office, it is in effect the de facto headquarters of the C&M executive. Unlike most of the Offices of Government, it sits on Claude Lenglet Street, across the road from Monument Place.
- Kyle's Follies
A series of six iron towers built in late 1983. Ordered by the then President, Irish Street-born Harry Kyle, to form the basis of a planned system to defend the capital against aerial attack and severe weather. Though widely derided even at the time, the project was one of Kyle's few to pass successfully through the House of Representatives. The full project was quickly abandoned following his failure to secure re-election as Unionist Party leader, and the towers were left redundant. Still the tallest structures in the city, one has been sequestered by TV1, another has become the Kyle Viewing Tower, and another was re-named the Memorial Tower, though no-one has ever had the heart to ask exactly what it was in memory of.
- Limbel Christian Fellowship
The country's largest Pentecostal church, and one of the city's most frequented places of worship. Often the attractor of controversy over all manner of nastiness, it's located in the small, wealthy Downtown district of Limbel.
- Little Street Mosque (Abdul-Ur-Umar)
Though no longer in the geographical heart of the city’s Islamic community; the ‘A-Bur’ is still the religions most significant place of worship in C&M, and often treated the community’s moderate heart. Having been badly damaged during the Great And Very Localised And Not At All Racist Thunderstorm of ’83; the Mosque was largely rebuilt, and in a larger area of about an acre. Enclosed in a walled garden, with a separate minaret, the building combines traditional Islamic architecture with the Victorian-Edwardian style housing common in much of Albrecht. Holding - at a push - up to 1200 worshippers; it also includes a meeting hall, sports facilities and a cafeteria.
- Martin Square
The hub of downtown Albrecht besides Claude Lenglet Street, it is often the site of crafts markets, rallies or arts festivals.
- Meissner Hotel
Intended to be a modern, trendy, but unfailingly classy establishment when opened in 1984; it has been somewhat co-opted by foreign visitors (particularly football teams and their supporters) and those in the 'lower classes'. Much to the horror of the residents of the shamelessly upper-crust Bramlive district it inhabits.
- Metropolitan Zoological Centre
Or Albrecht Zoo, located in a 350 acre site in Liverpool. Home to over 2000 animals representing over 200 distinct species. The Smeeting Zoo was originally established as a tiny curiosity in 1888, the site eventually housing the national and city Zoo by 1970. By far the largest in the country, it includes a variety of quietly disappointing rides and animals just on the wrong side of flea-bitten. It does however do good work in conservation and the rescue of animals in unfortunate circumstances both in C&M and elsewhere in the world. As well as extensive breeding programmes to help the Candelarias' endangered native species including the red squirrel, red deer, terminal burrowing zpinh and treeshrew; the Zoo also homes various more exotic rare creatures including many ivory-billed shrew, paradox albatrosses, white-whiskered spider-monkeys, nail-tailed warty dormice, yellow-nosed kingfishers, fish-eating moss-pigs, white-headed swamp mice, and poisonous pond-partridges. There's also various monkeys, lions, tigers, pandas, penguins and all that jazz. The city of Albrecht's own domestic fauna is generally limited to a few slightly dull birds, urban foxes, domestic pets, and of course the occasional exotic fish. There is also a small colony of capybaras in Songstress and at least one panther in the Magnus area.
- Millerman Sheppard Stadium
The city's primary sports stadium, in the district of Songstress, opened in 2005 as the home of the national football team and various sporting cup finals. Though almost invariably packed to the rafters, it is not an especially popular arena, being considered something of a shoebox with poorer atmospherics than its predecessor for such events, Northern Ponds.
- Monument Place
A large square whose primary purpose has been co-opted as a general meeting place for locals and tourists alike, and a site of demonstrations and rallies of various types. Often considered the heart of the city, it is an entirely pedestrianised area and a major link between Claude Lenglet Street, St. Michael Street, Cohonda Street, and, if you can be bothered with a short walk, Capenton Street and Balfour Street. Its dominant feature is the tall war memorial to those killed in WW1, the Civil War and the Gordon Bay Incident.
- Museum of Literature
It's a big building with books and stuff in.
- National Aquarium
Based in the northern Impossible Bay suburb, it shows a wide variety of fish, sharks, and dolphins. Until recently, its outer walls were translucent and filled with live fish and crustaceans, allowing passers by to watch marine life as they went to and from their homes and places of work (Impossible Bay is the base for the city's pharmaceutical industry). A crack, which developed over several weeks and somehow went un-noticed; caused the Great I-Bay flood of '05. Residents still find exotic fish in their cisterns.
- National Defence Headquarters
The main NDH building is at 95 Claude Lenglet Street near the intersection with Robinson Street. The headquarters of the Ministry for Defence rather than the country's Armed Defence Forces - its own HQ and those of the Candelarias Armed Defence, Candelarias Naval Defence, and Candelarias Military Intelligence being based in unobtrusive locations elsewhere in the city and country as a whole.
- National Gallery
The country's premier art gallery, housed in a striking glass building on Robinson Street with a notable view of the Parliament Building on Claude Lenglet.
- National Library
A semi-autonomous government department responsible for the collection and preservation of the documentary heritage of the Candelarias through texts, pictures and other documents relevant to the culture and politics of the islands. The building is at 167 Claude Lenglet Street, though the archives themselves have over into various buildings dotted around Downtown.
- National Mint
Makes coins.
- Newport Basin
A marina and residential development in downtown Albrecht, and the base venue for most of the country's beloved national regattas.
- Northern Ponds Stadium
Formerly the nation's national stadium - now downsized to host speedway and horse racing, and rock and pop concerts.
- Parliament Building
The C&M executive, with sits on a distressingly flat Parliament Hill off Claude Lenglet Street. The main building, much deeper than its modest facade would suggest, contains the Debating Chamber (the House itself), Speaker's Office, Visitors' Centre, and committee rooms. The adjoined buildings to the left, considered part of the same complex, contain the Cabinet offices on the second floor, with high floors containing the offices of individual ministers, and various function rooms.
- Re-Unification Building
Extremely flash building a short walk from the Parliament Building, the 'Rub' was commissioned in 1961 following the Civil War as a general all purpose place to show off to foreign dignitaries and such like. Such individuals also often reside here during state visits and similar occasions.
- Robinson House
The semi-official place of residence for the C&M President (or formerly, Prime Minister), named for and first bought by the first PM of the Candelarias, William D. Robinson. Although traditionally it was used exclusively as a home, various leaders including current President James Anderson have taken to using it as much as a place of work. Others have only used it as such, choosing to live elsewhere; while others still have ignored it altogether - President Israel Clark (1996-2004) is one such. The House, something of a 'pile' thanks to extensive extension work, backs onto a communal garden used (at least in theory) not only by the occupants of the houses next door - also usually government members or other high-ranking officials -, but the somewhat less up-market half dozen houses backing on to it. The inhabitants of these buildings are extensively vetted before being allowed to buy the properties. For the record, the House is officially designated 13 Robinson Street.
- Roby Park
Not the huge green expanse it once was, having been covered greatly by the modern Roby Park residential area; though it is still the largest public park in Central Albrecht.
- Transport City
The hub around which the city revolves (?), anyone thoroughly lost by Albrecht's maze of streets and highly flexible attitude to geography can generally find the way to wherever they want to go via the T-City inconveniently located in Thompsontown, a large district in the western portion of Downtown. Failing that, flag down a taxi. It'll get you there quicker, but costs more and requires considerably tolerance towards far-right political views.
