Orlando

Orlando is a city in the American state Florida in the USA, which is popular as one of the most visited cities in the world, mostly because of the Disney amusement parks. As a centre of Orange county with population of around 280 thousand people, it is the 73-rd largest city in the USA, the fourth largest in Florida and the largest inner city in America.

Like many other cities in the Sun Belt, Orlando is the fourth most popular American city, where people prefer to live. This region has been a marshy plain, which is overgrown with mango and inhabited by alligators. The beginning of the establishment of Orlando was around 1843, when the first settlers arrived. A humble memorial with the name of the Georgian Aaron Yerningan - the first settler in Orlando, reminds about this.

City of Orlando is a tranquil and fascinating city, bearing the name of one of Shakespeare’s characters of his work As you like it, according to one of the legends. There are two seasons in this region of America: hot and rainy – from May to September and warm and dry – from October to April. The golden era of the city was between 1875-1895 and is connected with the growing of citrus fruits. After the occurred cold, many of the owners have refused of their citrus plantations in several “citrus barons’ ” favour. After the Second World War many of the soldiers remained to live in Orlando. Thus the population of the city has increased.

Several residential areas in the centre of the city have been built during the 20’s of the last century. And after 1965, when the Walt Disney park establishment began, there was no doubt already that the main means of livelihood of Orlando shall be tourism. Besides, the airforce base Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center are located at around 70 km from the city, which is of importance for increase of its popularity.

In the centre of Orlando are situated the 19 skyscrapers, with height not exceeding 134 m, because of the closeness of the international airport to the city centre. The historical part of city of Orlando is located around the Eola lake, which is situated in the park Lake Eola. The park is an emblem of the city. Its establishment was realized thanks to the wealthy man Jacob Leterlyn, who donated a large plot of land for establishment of a park in Orlando in 1883. Around the Eola lake, which has circumference 93 decares, there is multifunctional pavement  with length 1,4 km, where different pavilions with delicacies, games and entertainment surprise the residents and guests of the city. The fountain in the middle of the lake is a magnificent view together with the light show at nigh. The most ancient and beautiful houses of the city are situated in this part of Orlando.

One of the major landmarks of the city is the „Orlando Eye”. This is a giant observation wheel at 122 m height, on which are installed 30 air conditioned passenger capsules, each of which can transport 15 persons. The experience to observe the city and the vicinities, especially at night, is unique and awesome.

As a city situated near the space center and the amusement park, there are many subjects in colleges and universities, which service these institutions in Orlando. At the University of Central Florida, which is in Orlando, the enrollment of students for year 2015 has been the biggest in the state. Orlando is a home of the 7-th largest Research Centre in the country. Its main purpose is to provide highly qualified personnel for the Kennedy Space Centre and NASA.

Here on area of 4 sq. km. are situated buildings, which offer training in university organizations of a technical college, engineering corps of the American army, a national center for simulation, Geological research of the USA, National centre for criminology and many others.

Another landmark of Orlando is the Congress Centre of Orange county, which was opened in 1983. It consists of two beautifully formed buildings, which are connected by a covered pedestrian bridge. The lecture hall has capacity of 160 seats, a ball hall and theatre have been a stage of popular performers’ concerts like Madonna, Tina Turner, Motley Crew and Holl. After 1996 the building has been transformed into a gallery for permanent and temporarily exhibitions.

The Shakespeare’s theatre offers interesting plays for the theatre lovers since 1989. And the Art Museum offers works of local and world famous masters of art since 1924. Famous persons have lived in Orlando. Some of them are the actor Sean O’Neal, the professional boxer Derrick Sharp, and also one of the American astronauts John Young (1930-2018), who flew in the Cosmos in six space missions and he was the 9-th person, who stepped on the Moon in 1972 by Apollo 16.

Orlando is a sunny city, which is worth seeing it.