Hortensia

Hortensia
City
Country	Alameda
Province	Vicuña
Cormarca	Cormarca de Hortensia
Government
• Type	Strong mayor-council
• Body	Legislature of Hortensia
• City Mayor	Alonso Pimente

Hortensia is the most populous city in the Republic of Alameda, located on the coast of the province of Vicuña and the North Thalassan Sea. Hortensia is composed of seven regions which are then broken down into different neighborhoods. It is one of the largest cities in Norumbia and is a center for Alamedan culture, economy, education and history. It is the headquarters of many important domestic corporations. As of 2023, the population of 3.6 million people, making up almost 20% of Alameda's population.

Hortensia was the homeground of the Muscogean Kialegee Minor Tribe, and afterwards officially began as an unnamed trading post for the New Frontier Province. The trading post was given the name Hortensia, after the name of the only woman in the trading post, Hortense. The trading settlement grew rapidly, and was seen as a major refuge during the Alamedan Wars of Independence. It was a secondary meeting place for the Alamedine-Muscogee Free Government. In 1803, Hortensia surpassed Cuidad Augusto in population after the Siege of Costo de Augusto. Since then, Hortensia has remained as the most populated city. Hortensia served as an important transportation hub in the early years of the railroading.

Hortensia is the home of the University of Alameda-Hortensia, the first university established in Alameda. Since then, it has become home to the University of East Vicuña, Castellanos University, and the Technological Institute of Hortensia. The area the four Universities inhabit is known as the Scholar's Square, which is contained between the regions of Ávila and Terensita. Hortensia has operated as a coterminus center for business with Cuidad Augusto and Almuñécar. Most importantly, it is the headquarters of Perenya F.d-a., Vicuña-Ureña Banking, Eastern Vicuña Brewing & Winery and the Columbiana Coffee Company. Recently, Hortensia has established the East Vicuña Loop, a real estate project that is primarily dedicated to promoting and building the city's fintech industry.

Etymology

Main article: Jacques and Hortense

The name Hortensia comes from a myth that was prevalent among the settlers of the Province of the New Frontier. A farmer named Jacques and his wife Hortense, who set sail on the Augusto were the first two to settle the area. The area had already been inhabited by the Muscogee Kialegee tribe, but they acted as guides to the two. Jacques and Hortense established the first trading post in the area, which was unnamed. Jacques killed many animals to keep Hortense and his future baby safe. One day, he was greeted by a bad omen, three snow owls met him at night during a hunt. Two flew off, but one stayed and watched him. Jacques According to the local Muscogee Kialegee spiritual healer, this was interpreted as a symbol of an upcoming death to one member of the family that was meant to cleanse the damage that Jacques inflicted on the animals. Worried about the omen, Jacques decided to leave home without telling Hortense. The tale ends in Jacques walking westward until his eventual death. Hortense on the other hand, gave birth to a daughter and died of heartbreak. Her daughter, named Lupita, built the area around the trading post until other traders found her, having married herself with a member of the Kialegee. She named the trading post after her mother.

It has been confirmed that the myth of Hortensia has derived its origins from mixed Anigiduwagi and Muscogean traditions and storytales. These were then adapted by Alamedine settlers after having been told many of the myths in Muscogean lore. While all members of the story have been confirmed to exist, the timeline of events has not been proven. Most notably, Hortense's death has never been fully established as to its exact cause.

The story has since become a cornerstone in Hortensia's local culture, where they celebrate the Festival of Mother Hortense. The festival is one of the largest celebrations in the city.

Demographics

Education

Hortensia's education system is one of the largest in the world.

Hortensia's higher education population is estimated to be around 15% of the total population of the city, around 525,000 students. It represents the largest educational population of any city within Alameda, and one of the largest in Norumbia.

Hortensia is home to the Scholar's Square, a community of four different colleges that were established early within the founding of the city and are considered to be some of the most important and prestigious colleges within Alameda. Three of these universities are public: the University of Alameda-Hortensia, the University of East Vicuña, and the Technological Institute of Hortensia, all of which are located in Ávila. The fourth university is a private university: Castellanos University, located in Terensita. These four represent over 40% of total enrolled higher education students within the city. Hortensia is also home to the private Méndez University, which served as a refuge for many artists and scholars within the region of Hidalgos and previously enrolled many underserved minority groups within Hortensia. Hortensia is one of the few places within the world that openly discourages fraternities and fraternity membership within the city's universities. The University of Alameda-Hortensia is the only University within the University System of Alameda that bans fraternities of any kind from operating within their campus, and no universities within Scholar's Square have any form of fraternal or sorority organizations.

Geography

Regions

Main articles: Regions of Hortensia and Neighborhoods of Hortensia

Hortensia is made out of a collective seven regions. The borders of Hortensia are co-estensive with the Cormarca of Hortensia.

Ávila is the geographic centerpoint of the city, considered to be the cultural and economic heart of the city. It is home to three of the four universities that make up Scholar's Square, and is the financial center of the city. Ávila serves almost all of the headquarters for the largest domestic companies, as well as some multinational companies. Ávila also serves as the geographic marker for the city, where many other regions are often referred to by their placement in regards to Ávila.

Colina Vicuña is located directly north of Ávila marked by Manzano Avenue and is the largest region within the city. Colina Vicuña has garnered a reputation by many people living in the city as the city's playground. Many experimental and sometimes economically risky ventures are usually tested out or planted in Colina Vicuña. The most newest ventures attempted is the East Vicuña Loop, a new real estate development project dedicated to residential, financial and technological businesses. Colina Vicuña is also home to Vicuña City, a large housing cooperative project and at its conception, the first in all of Alameda.

Espinosa is located northeast of Ávila and north of Terensita, marked on the intersection of Serrano Avenue and Manzano Avenue. Espinosa is often considered a secondary financial/business center of the city, next to Ávila. Espinosa was originally founded as a mixed fabric and textile town adjacent to Hortensia. Over time, it was annexed by the city and much of the businesses there were converted into office spaces. Espinosa also has a small residential district, known as one of the most vibrant nightlife areas within Norumbia. Espinosa is also home to the largest LGBT community within Alameda, known as the Hothlepoya neighborhood.

Hidalgos is located directly west of Ávila marked by Ignacio Avenue is the city's most populous region. It is the primary cultural and social part of the city, and emphasizes its diversity. Many of its diverse neighborhoods have their origin from 1880 to 1900, where the city of Hortensia determined that Hidalgos would be the home of many of its minority groups. Hidalgos has also served historically as a refuge for artists and scholars. The Méndez University is one of the most prominent features of Hidalgos, originally founded as a library and sanctuary for information and art. Hidalgos continues to hold onto as one of the most architecturally diverse and multicultural areas in the world.

Mejía Arbodela is an island located across the South Ávila Channel, and its regional border is south of Páramos. The island itself is disconnected from the rest of the city, but is legally still apart of the city. North Mejía Arbodela is a suburban residential area with some small town centers. The island is connected to Páramos via the Little Joaquina Bridge. South Mejía Arbodela is the largest public park within the city and was created in 1901 to preserve the nature of the island. South Mejía Arbodela represents one of the largest undisturbed natural park within East Alameda. Mejía Arbodela is the only region that lacks a connection into the Hortensia Metro, and is only accessible through car, bus or through a ferry.

Páramos is located directly south of Ávila marked by Sonora Avenue. Páramos is considered to be another cultural hub, this time more focused on counterculturalism. Páramos was originally home to the Free State of Páramos in 1915, where several far-leftist groups organized a riot and forced the Carabineros de Alameda out of the section by force. The areas was reorganized back in a couple months, but the brief sovereignity spur had a deep effect on Páramos. Since then, Páramos has been home to many artist cooperatives and communes inhabited by other natives of Norumbia. Páramos is home to the National Creative Gallery (Alameda. Páramos is also the origin of one of the nation's oldest domestic brewing company, the Eastern Vicuña Brewing Company.

Terensita is located directly east of Ávila marked by Serrano Avenue. Terensita is often compared to Hidalgos, as Terensita is very densely populated and is made up of many historic residential buildings. Terensita during the 1900's up until 1920's was the industrial section of the city, where some domestic businesses established small industrial factories. Many of these factories were subsequently shut down and many companies opted to move their operations towards more rural areas. Since then, Terensita has become an extremely diverse area with the most amount of neighborhoods within the city.

Cityscape

All regions of Hortensia used to be organized onto their own separate community board, and these boards are able to utilize their own naming and numbering schemes. This was changed when a law passed in 1901 by the Government of Vicuña, called the Organizational Plan of Hortensia. This law required for neighborhoods in Hortensia to be able to split into a new community board so long as that board involved at least three other neighborhoods. It also required for Hortensia to rename many of its streets and create a pattern that involved numbers. By this point, the city had grown in size exponentially and many out-of-town people and people traveling into the city were confused. This was exaserbated when the National Alamedan Railroad began service into Hortensia.

Some regions within Hortensia have regulations on private automobiles. Most notably, the region of Páramos is almost entirely car-free due to the architecture of the streets which are close together. Páramos's counter-cultural atmosphere rejected the idea of automobiles of any form, and saw it as a threat to many of its artist cooperatives and indigenous Norumbian communes. Páramos is the only region in the city that lacks bus routes, however Páramos is still accessible using the Metro. Since 2008, Mejía Arbodela has banned people from outside of the region from entering the community with gasoline or diesel cars. This was a legal statute put in place in an effort to protect the air quality and safeguard the environment of South Mejía Arbodela. As a result, Mejía Arbodela is on occasion only accessible by using ferry or via the Pedestrian Crosswalk of the Mejía Arbodela Bridge.

Culture

Cuisine

Hortensia

Architecture

Hortensia has been the home of a very diverse range of architectural styles that have their origins in distinctive periods or from different countries. The regions of Hidalgos and Páramos are noted for having some of the most intriguing architectural designs.

The overall design of the city is contrasted by the region of Mejía Arbodela, which lends much of its architecture towards singular dwellings and an overall suburban vibrance. Mejía Arbodela is the least densely populated region in the city, and much of its architecture is inspired from various historical and regal designs that originated in Belisaria

Nightlife

Hortensia has been noted for its nightlife that originated in the 1900's. Hortensia has the most nightclubs within Norumbia. These establishments were originally considered to be a section of counter-culturalism originating in Páramos around 1920. In the 1950's nightclubs quickly gained prominence in Hidalgos. In an area with an extremely diverse population, Hidalgos quickly garnered a reputation for being the most active region in the city. Nightclubs in Espinosa were almost exclusively located in the Hothlepoya region, which is the home of Hortensia's LGBT community.

Transportation

Rapid Transit

The city was an important mark of Alameda during the development of its railroad. Hortensia was of great interest to large railroad developers, including Louis Quévillon and Susana Malega. Hortensia has since become home to the Quévillon-Malega Vicuña Station, one of the largest intermodal transit hubs that is connected to both the Hortensia Metro and services the National Alamedan Railroad.