Baltimore SVG is the largest city in Maryland, known to most Russians, perhaps only from a detective series about the “homicide department”. The more enlightened knowing that the great Edgar Poe lived and published here. Basically, both of them are well combined with the current appearance of the city: harsh, tough, concrete.
Baltimore SVG History
The history of Baltimore began not with one, but with a few villages, which chaotically emerged on the Atlantic coast around the 17th century. In 1729, they were united into one, named after the first colonial ruler, Lord Baltimore. Historically, the city standing on the Patapsco River near its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay was divided into a lower and an upper one – but not a river, but the border between the Atlantic Plain and the Pidmont Plateau. All this has made Baltimore a changeable city, with many hills and lowlands and height differences of one and a half hundred meters. And according to official statistics, almost a third of the city occupies water areas.
The Americans themselves admit that Baltimore is a black city. About 65% of the population of African-American descent, and about the same percentage can boast at least a secondary education. The development of heavy industry (metallurgy, steelmaking) and shipbuilding has led to the dominance of the corresponding class in society. The same statistics report that about a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line. That’s one of the reasons why the police show was moved here. One way or another, in recent times Baltimore has become a major city of millions and an important port, whose population is nevertheless steadily declining.
Edgar Alan Poe lived in the city in hits and assaults for only a few years. This is where he married his 13-year-old cousin. And in 1849, the writer died in Baltimore.
Baltimore SVG attractions
Baltimore has a clear division into zones. The northern parts of the city are the neighborhoods of the “white rich”. And the south is the centre of industrial buildings mixed with working class housing. It’s a place where you can meet the most diverse crowd. Unlike the eastern and western parts of Baltimore, the population here is almost entirely African-American. It also has the highest crime rate, so that west and east of the city centre are not the best places for hiking.
And the best places for them are, of course, the center and downtown. The main attraction here is the Inner Harbor, the pride of the city. There are art galleries, museums, cafes, designer shops and clubs in the docks and warehouses around the water. There are also ships moored here, sometimes quite old, which you can visit with a tour. In particular, it is the Coast Guard boat, Torsk submarine from the Second World War, the sailing ship Constellation. The latter, by the way, can be considered as one of the last courts of the Civil War, preserved in a decent condition and almost on the move. In addition, it is in the Inner Harbor that the main attractions of the city are concentrated: the Aquarium, the State Science Center, the Children’s Museum “Port Discovery” and the World Trade Center.
The main historical landmark of the city is the so-called Baltimore Basilica. Its construction began in 1806 and was completed in 1821. The Basilica of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception was the first Cathedral in the United States. Almost 100 years before the American Revolution, the Catholic Church in the country had little weight, but with the adoption of the Constitution, church leaders wanted to build a cathedral that would symbolize the spirit of the new America. The architectural appearance of the basilica is therefore deliberately made different from the dark Gothic and medieval European churches: it is a bright classic cathedral, majestic and symmetrical, which at the time of construction could compete with the Washington Capitol. In 2006, the large-scale restoration of the basilica was completed, and today it is open to the public, as is the small museum attached to it.
The most famous monument of the city is the monument to George Washington, which was the first in the country and is now the oldest surviving monument. The construction of the monument began in 1815 and was completed in 1829. The monument is a more than 50-meter high white marble column of Doric warrant, at the base of which a small museum is opened. There are 228 stairs that can be used to climb to the top of the city and see the city. The monument is located in Mount Vernon, probably the most beautiful quarter of the city, north of downtown. Mount Vernon is considered to be the “cultural district” of Baltimore SVG, originally inhabited by the wealthiest and most respected families, and today it is home to the most important cultural sites of the city: the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, the Historical Society, the Museum of Modern Art, the Symphony Hall, the Opera House, the Art School, the Enoch Pratt Library and the Methodist Church in a beautiful building dating back to 1872, a beautiful example of Victorian Gothic.
Close to the harbor is a curious quarter: “Little Italy”. It is inhabited mainly by members of the Italian diaspora, which is quite large, and here, of course, there is a paradise for gourmet pasta eater and pizza lover. By an interesting coincidence, the same area is the safest in the city in the criminal sense.
East of downtown is Fell’s Point, an area that once served as a sailor’s resting place. Traditionally, the place is full of bars and snack bars, and the place is still very popular for entertainment. This neighborhood is considered the best place to have a drink in Baltimore. You can also take a water taxi to Fells Point. And south of the Inner Harbour is the Federal Hill, where you can get great pictures of the harbour.
Baltimore SVG Kitchen
The most famous local dish is crabs. Actually, the blue crab with its juicy and sweet tender meat is the pride of Maryland. In mid-summer, the city even hosts a crab and beer festival. The rest of the time you can try crab dishes in restaurants (recommended – in the inner harbor), buy ready-made meals to take for a picnic in the park, or even try to catch arthropods yourself. The most popular method of making crustaceans in the state is steaming. And the most famous delicacy of crab in Baltimore is a crab-cake, which is essentially a kind of cutlet or pancake.