Wel

Wel
A view of Wel from the east
Nicknames	Dalsdad (Valleytown)
Country	File:Flag vyv.png Vyvland
Province	File:Flag-wel.png Welland
Type	Municipality
Mayor	Elena Diyben (Socialist)
Constituency wetaans	6
Population	577,886 (2012)
Elevation	98m
Demonym	Welmaan/Welwoiv
Time zone	UTC -2
Postcode	R0000-R2499
Number plate code	(R) W
Phone code	195 (WL)
Website	http://www.wel-sdad.gov.vy

Wel is a city and the eighth-largest municipality in Vyvland and capital of the province of Welland. It is located in the south-east of the country, to the east of Jesel and north of Morn. The centre of Wel is situated below mountains which border the intersecting Wel and Ypsdal valleys, which converge in the town. The city is situated on the banks fast-flowing River Ulv, which provided historical access to the sea. Wel is known especially well for its skiing facilities and the cheese produced in the local area, which is known as Kaadgoyd.

The town's geography made it a historically important location for travellers, in addition to giving an ease to defend. Local folklore states that the town has only been invaded once, by magical lions flying over the mountains surrounding the town; the lion is featured on the coat of arms of the city and the provincial flag due to the story. Although it is true that the town has never been recorded as having been invaded, the local Dukes surrendered the town on multiple occasions, most notably to Eylav fi Paavyl in 1347. Today, the title of Duke of Wel is given to the heir to the Vyvlander throne.

The mountains surrounding the town form part of the municipality, adding a large amount of open space around Wel's periphery. Due to this, Wel is often referred to as the greenest city in Vyvland, despite its high density in the city centre. The mountains rise to over 1500 metres above sea level, with the highest, the Welkogel, reaching 1545 metres in altitude. Wel was the host city for the 1992 Winter Olympics, which took place in the Olympic Park in the west of the city, with some events also taking place in nearby Jesel and Pulmohldal.

Politically, the City Council is controlled by a Conservative-Capitalist-National coalition elected in 2011, which displaced a left-of-centre coalition that had been in power since 1999. The city's mayor is Elena Diyben of the Socialist Party. Wel returns six wetaans to the Parliament of Vyvland; three Conservatives and three Socialists.