The Ohio metropolitan center is Columbus. In this state, this settlement is the largest. It currently ranks among the fifty best cities in the American continent. Tourists are very pleased to walk through the old city districts or admire the views from the embankment. The first acquaintance with the city confuses guests, because it seems that the dilapidated town has stalled in the past, or they forgot to finish building it. However, in reality, Columbus is well developed in the fields of industry, commerce and culture.
Do you prefer to get acquainted with natural beauty first? Visit Columbus National Park – Caiahoru Valley. The area of the protected area is eight hectares. It is the only area in the state that is under government protection. Tourists began to explore the park about a hundred years ago. To see the local beauty, guests of the city sailed several kilometers on boats along the flowing canal. This name was given to the park by Hayward Kendall, who was the first to donate his funds for its opening and worthy maintenance. Thus, he immortalized his mother’s name.
Here you will get to know the local flora and fauna, which is very diverse and interesting. More than nine hundred species of various plants grow in the reserve, a lot of birds live here, forty species of fish splash in the ponds. The fauna is represented by beavers, coyotes, squirrels, wolves and foxes. In addition to all of the above, flowers of amazing beauty are grown in the park: beautiful orchids, delicate violets, proud hyacinths. The lady’s slipper and blue phloxes deserve special attention. But the main attraction of the reserve is the amazing Blue Falls.
For young guests of the city in Columbus, a visit to the zoo will be interesting. This is a fairly large “animal park” that impresses visitors with its appearance and layout. The zoo differs from similar places in other countries – its division into zones that have their own name. The first zone is North American, the second is Asian, the third is the coastal area, the fourth belongs to the African forest, the fifth is represented by animals living in the Australian area. Little children really like that many animals are located quite close. For example, cute red pandas, amazing koalas, adult kangaroos, Amur tigers and Humboldt penguins.
Do you like painting? An art museum was opened in Columbus in the thirtieth year of the twentieth century. Having visited it, you will notice that there are presented masterpieces in the Art Nouveau style of European and American masters. In addition, a significant part of the exposition consists of the creative works of the Impressionists, Expressionists and adherents of Cubism. Here are the great creations of famous artists such as Monet and Picasso.
Columbus hosts many festivals every year. For example, the May Asia Festival at Franklin Park introduces oriental food and Asian-specific foods. In June, you can visit the art festival, where you can see diverse exhibitions accompanied by loud music and interesting entertainment.
Much of Columbus’s historic landmarks are located in the Downtown area. This area was actively developed in the second half of the 19th century and now continues to be the center of the city’s business life. Here is the stately Ohio Statehouse, which took over twenty years to build and was fully completed in 1861. From the moment of construction to the present, the building has been used for its intended purpose – as a government residence.
A very important cultural center for Columbus is the Greater Columbus Convention Center. It was founded relatively recently, in 1993, for the first 20 years of operation, the area of the center has been constantly expanding. Now the total area of its halls is about 170,000 square meters. meters, in the center there are dozens of halls for exhibitions, conferences and festive programs. Guests of the city will be interested in the exhibitions of contemporary art held here, as well as thematic programs that are organized on the occasion of major festivals.
Among the architectural sights, it is worth noting the LeVeque Tower skyscraper, which began to be built in 1927. At the time of the completion of the construction, the building was the tallest in the city, it soars up more than 169 meters. The spectacular Art Nouveau skyscraper became the main residence of a large insurance company, investments in its construction amounted to almost $ 9 million. For a project of the first half of the 20th century, such a cost was simply incredible, the skyscraper continues to attract the attention of tourists with its spectacular view. Now the skyscraper houses a multifunctional complex that includes offices, an upscale hotel, luxury apartments and restaurants.
Fans of outdoor activities are attracted to Columbus by the abundance of picturesque parks and nature reserves. Many interesting trails pass through the Cuyahoga Valley Nature Reserve. The main decoration of the park is the river of the same name; the area of the park is very large and is more than 132 sq. km. The reserve is distinguished by a variety of landscapes; on its territory there are impenetrable forests, and ravines, and hilly terrain, as well as many swamps and waterfalls. Here is the highest waterfall in Ohio – Brandywine, its height is 20 meters. There are many hiking and cycling trails in the park, and you can also ride the sightseeing train through scenic spots.
