Sangur, Gabrielland
Sangur | |
|---|---|
| City of Sangur Sngōreh Kzamā | |
 Clockwise from top: Skyline of Sangur, Arsyan Parliament, Sangur city hall, Hgaztak monument, East Sangur canals, Addarti Road | |
| Nickname: "City of a thousand rivers" | |
| Motto(s): "Klōmeh Gzit, Aršēhē Mzol" ("Pride of Kalamar, Soul of Arsya") | |
| Country |  Gabrielland |
| Region | Arsya |
| Province | Arsya |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Lohmmi Tāgār (PDA) |
| Area | |
| • Capital city | 217.9 km2 (84.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Capital city | 2,701,304 |
| • Metro | 3,814,815 |
| Demonym(s) | Azongur (m), Azēngēr (f) |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (GST) |
| Postal code | 7 |
| Area code | 381 |
| Vehicle registration | R/(A-R) |
Sangur (Arsyan: [ˈsɑŋkʏr], Gabrielt: [saˈŋʊr]) is the capital city and largest city of the Kingdom of Arsya, both in term of area and population. With a population of 2.7 million people, it is the second largest city in Gabrielland and makes it one of the most populated cities in the Dokodo Union. The city, along with several satelite cities, form the Sangur metropolitan area, home to 3.8 million people or about 10% of the population of Arsya. It is also the administrative center of the region and province of Arsya, making it the administrative center of three different administrative levels. The city is bordered by the Arsyan sea to its east, Včin municipality to its north and west, as well as Kazogur municipality to its south.
The city was first documented as Margandda in an early Arsyan manuscript from the 8th century AD, where it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Junram. The importance of Margandda grew during the consolidation of the Tahkki kingdom in the late 11th century AD, when the city was conquered by the invading forces and made the capital of the Tahkki kingdom. In the early 14th century, a group of Arsyan kings hired mercenaries from Anderum to beseige the capital of Tahkki and take control of the surrounding lands. In 1308, the seige was declared a victory, although pyrrhic, and the mercenaries promptly renamed the city into Sangur as an homage to the Sangur back in Anderum. It became the capital of the Arsyan confederation, then the Arsyan kingdom, and finally the realm of Arsya in modern-day Gabrielland, with Sangur also serving as the capital of the short-lived Arsyan Republic between 1976 and 1985.
Sangur is a world city of culture, politics, and media. The economy of Sangur is mainly based on high tech firms, institutions, and coroporations, encompassing a diverse and sundry forms of service, manufacture, and goods, with the bulk of Gabrielland's startup and high-tech research facilities mainly located in Sangur. Sangur also serves as the railway and air hub of northern Gabrielland, and also serves as the capital of the Gabrielt automotive union. The downtown of Sangur is also a world-heritage site, as it preserve the buildings, canals, and landscape presented in the Arsyan Baroque style from the 18th centuries, a style which is still popular in Sangur today.
Renowned universities within Gabrielland are located in Arsya, including the Arsyan Institute of Science (AIS) and the Royal Arsyan University (RAU), the oldest university in Arsya. The city has numerous museums, parks, monuments, and historic buildings, with the most famous ones being the Arsyan Parliament, the city hall, and the Hgaztak monument. The Arsyan People's Zoo is the largest zoo in Gabrielland, and is frequented by visitors, with a record high attendance in 2019.
History
The history of Sangur could be first attributed to the documentation by classical Arsyan scribes from the Junram Kingdom, in which the city was said to be named after King Margandda II of the Malarri Kingdom, to which it served the capital of the entire kingdom from the rise of the Junram dynasty to its fall to the Tahkki Kingdom in around 1086 AD. Remnants of houses and buildings have been dug up near the banks of the Kalamar river near the sea along with several household items and housewares dating back to the early 8th century, further strengthening the writings from the Junram Kingdom.
The city would change hands multiple times in history, with the Tahkki Kingdom seizing the city and repurposing the city as the capital until being besieged by mercenaries from Anderum in 1308, when the city was declared a city state in the Margandda treaty of 1308, then renamed into Sangur. It served as the capital and political hub of the Arsyan confederation during its concpetion in the late 17th century, then becoming the royal capital of the Arsyan Kingdom in the 19th century, until its incorporation into Gabrielland and Arsya where it retained its capital status for the Kingdom of Arsya, however no longer a national capital.
Early beginnings
The earliest piece of evidence found to indicate the existence of an ancient city within the grounds of present-day Sangur was unearthed in 1981, when a park was excavated near the Arsyan parliament in the city center to unearth a fully-intact house filled with various sorts of household items and objects, carbon-dated to be from the early 8th century. In the manuscripts, the city was described as being the city of Margandda, serving as the capital of the Junram Kingdom. Subsequent excavations in nearby locations unearthed more social places such as markets, shops, and boutiques from the era.
Given the importance of the city, both for its already huge population even for classical Arsya and its strategic location at the banks of the Kalamar river near the mouth, the city was highly contested by neighboring kingdoms and duchies. Early defence strucutres such as towers and walls were at least known since the times of the Arsyan confederation, however were not attributed to the Junram Kingdom. The old city walls of Margandda is the dividing line between the old downtown of Sangur and the rest of Sangur, and also the world heritage side in modern applications.
Tahkki Kingdom
In 1085, the Tahkki Kingdom invaded the Junram Kingdom and incorporated into their territory as a vassal, however, the surrounding areas of Margandda were kept as an integral part of the kingdom and was made the capital, moving the capital from Vratama. The Tahkki Kingdom, with its larger size both in population and area, brought tremendous changes to Margandda, revamping and renovating the city to fit the needs of a capital city worthy of a kingdom the size of Tahkki. In 1138, the first well-preserved building in Sangur was built (Gaztur's tower), and was a sign of an early attempt at urban renewal done by city authorities at the time.
The city limits of Margandda kept expanding in response to the ever increasing population coming from all over Tahkki, and by the late 12th century, the city was recorded to have a population of 100,000 people, a massive size for the time. Numerous protests were recorded against the Tahkki Kingdom for bad urban planning and sanitation, which led to the 1207 plague of Arsya, killing every third Arsyan and half of Margandda.
In 1308, the city was besieged by Anderic mercenaries hired by other kings in Arsya to reclaim the capital from the Tahkki kingdom. Upon the success of the siege, the city was renamed into Sangur and was declared a city state which served as a neutral economic hub for many kingdoms that the Kalamar flowed through.
Arsyan Confederation and Kingdom
Upon the creation of the Arsyan confederation in the 17th century as the coordinating body and alliance between Arsyan-speaking staes, the neural city state of Sangur was made the capital of the Arsyan Confederation as it was seen as a neutral compromise between states as well as an economically prospering city, providing the basic foundations for a capital. Upon designation as capital, Sangur was renovated and refurbished to repurpose it as the capital for all Arsyans in case a kingdom or empire was to be set up comprising of all the Arsyan sates of the confederation as nationalism and pan-Arsyanism had been growing over the past few decades leading up to the creation of the Arsyan confederation.
As a result of being located in lowlands and marshy groudnds, Sangur flooded frequently, with seasonal floods being commonplace throughout the Kalamar river. In the early 18th century, massive canals and waterways were constructed in Sangur at the behest of the confederate agreements. These canals would divert water flow through a variety of channels and streams to ease the flow of water during rainy season or the sort. As a result, many houses were demolished to make way for these canals, however as another side effect, the first public housing estates and compounds were constructed in Sangur in the Arsyan baroque style prevailing throughout Arsya at the time. The public housing built in the Arsyan baroque style proved popular, and the city sought to refurbish all buildings to fit in the style.
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The declaration of the Arsyan Kingdom also meant the declaration of Sangur as its capital, as many would expect. During the reign of the Arsyan kings, Sangur was heavily invested in by royals to beautify the city in an effort to transform Sangur into a city fit for a capital and the center of Arsyan exellence, art, and beauty. Sangur gained several new landmarks and buildings under the Kingdom of Arsya, such as the Sangur city hall, Arsyan parliament, and possibly most noted is the Riehtto palace built in 1824 as the residence of Arsyan kings.
Sangur became a focal point in the struggle for the Arsyan-Gabrielt unionist movement. Many unionists first voiced their support for the union in Sangur as early as the 1910s upon the talks between the Gabrielt and Arsyan delegations in Sangur. Sangur would eventually become the site of a massive protest against the imperial Arsyan government, leading to the union of Gabrielland and Arsya in 1926. The act of union (1926) was also signed in Sangur.
Modern Gabrielland
Sangur would continue to become the capital of the Arsyan realms, as well as become the new economic capital of Gabrielland.
In 1976, the city became the capital-in-exile of the legitimate Gabrielt and Arsyan government after Dzakwanist forces seized control of Vailhims on the 11th of February 1976 and declared Dzakwanist Gabrielland. Six days later, the old government proclaimed a new Gabrielt and Arsyan Republic with Sangur as its capital-in-exile, however, by 1977 the name was scrapped and the Arsyan Republic was proclaimed by the government to maintain international recognition of the Gabrielt state. Sangur became the capital of the Arsyan Republic between 1977 and 1985.
In 1985, Sangur was declared the economic capital of Gabrielland after constitutional amendments were enacted on the 1st of March 1985.
In 2001, the port of Sangur was inaugurated, serving as the hub of Gabrielt export and import activities.
Geography
Topography
Being in northern Gabrielland and on the banks of the Kalamar river, the land around the city is fairly flat and low lying surrounded by marsh, itself being part of the greater east Arsyan lowlands. The low lying region situated by the banks of a tidal river causes some of the worst floods to occur in Arsya and Gabrielland as a whole. Although low lying, several city districts mainly located further upstream are situated on the Mzermek hilly region, an abnormal uplift of land which stretches into central and south Arsya. The districts closest to the sea, however, have fallen under sea level since at least the late 1700s, and is a primary reason of the construction of Sangur's famous canal and waterway system.
The tallest point in Sangur city proper is the Mritas peak, situated in the Klizōr district at a height of 137.3 meters above sea level, situated far from the coast, while most of the historic downtown and seafront of Sangur have dipped below sea level, with the lowest point being situated at Pehssin square at 5.6 meters below sea level.
Climate
Sangur's climate could be described as oceanic (Cfb), with strong influences from the eastern winds blowing into Arsya as a whole. Sangur has mild summers and cool winters, with snowfall occurring during winter months at varying rates of precipitation throughout the years. Due to the relatively low latitude of Sangur, summers are not that extreme and winters not that rigorous, although occasional blizzards and heat waves still occur, although affecting not only Sangur but the majority of Arsya too.
Summers are warm and somewhat humid with a mean of 19-20°C, a high of 26°C and a low of 14°C, with the average precipitation during summer months being rain at around 67.31 mm of rain during the months of June-August. Winters are cool with a daily mean of around 4°C, a high of 7°C and a low of -3°C to 0°C.
| Climate data for Arsyan Royal Observatory, elev. 19 m, 1979-2015 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
24.3 (75.7) |
29.9 (85.8) |
34.5 (94.1) |
35.7 (96.3) |
37.3 (99.1) |
38.1 (100.6) |
33.1 (91.6) |
27.2 (81.0) |
21.5 (70.7) |
16.6 (61.9) |
38.1 (100.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 4.5 (40.1) |
5.9 (42.6) |
9.1 (48.4) |
13.6 (56.5) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.4 (68.7) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.4 (74.1) |
18.7 (65.7) |
14.1 (57.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
5.4 (41.7) |
14.3 (57.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) |
2.5 (36.5) |
5.8 (42.4) |
8.6 (47.5) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.1 (61.0) |
18.6 (65.5) |
18.2 (64.8) |
14.8 (58.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
5.8 (42.4) |
3.4 (38.1) |
10.0 (50.0) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −2.4 (27.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
0.1 (32.2) |
2.3 (36.1) |
6.4 (43.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
13.7 (56.7) |
12.5 (54.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
7.0 (44.6) |
3.4 (38.1) |
1.0 (33.8) |
6.7 (44.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −26.8 (−16.2) |
−31.1 (−24.0) |
−14.3 (6.3) |
−8.1 (17.4) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
−14.4 (6.1) |
−21.5 (−6.7) |
−31.1 (−24.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 77.9 (3.07) |
59.8 (2.35) |
77.9 (3.07) |
52.8 (2.08) |
67.5 (2.66) |
88.5 (3.48) |
86.7 (3.41) |
88.9 (3.50) |
77.4 (3.05) |
77.0 (3.03) |
79.2 (3.12) |
78.9 (3.11) |
912.6 (35.93) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 13.1 | 10.2 | 13.3 | 10.1 | 9.7 | 12.4 | 11.4 | 10.2 | 10.8 | 10.5 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 135.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 106.9 | 129.0 | 158.8 | 221.6 | 283.4 | 258.7 | 287.5 | 263.1 | 204.6 | 167.9 | 123.0 | 117.4 | 2,321.9 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Demographics
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1700 | 130,000 | — |
| 1800 | 350,000 | +169.2% |
| 1900 | 730,000 | +108.6% |
| 1950 | 1,434,037 | +96.4% |
| 1960 | 1,557,393 | +8.6% |
| 1970 | 1,700,381 | +9.2% |
| 1980 | 1,920,483 | +12.9% |
| 1990 | 2,150,385 | +12.0% |
| 2000 | 2,347,594 | +9.2% |
| 2010 | 2,540,391 | +8.2% |
| 2020 | 2,701,304 | +6.3% |
According to the latest estimates, Sangur has a population of 2,701,304 as of 1 January 2020 living in an area of 217.9 km² with a density of 12,397 people per square kilometer. The Sangur metro area, which covers the municipality of Včin and Kasogur, contains a population of 3,814,815 people with an area of about 768.2 km², making it the largest metro area in Arsya and the second largest in Gabrielland, although it ranks low when compared to metro areas in other Dokodo Union member states. Sangur is also the largest city proper in Arsya.
The racial makeup of Sangur is increasingly becoming multi-racial. Arsyans make up the majority at around 91% of the population, with a majority of them being born within the city. Ethnic Gabrielts make up 6% of Sangur's population, a higher proportion when compared to Arsyans living in Vailhims (2%), with the rest made up of mostly Grafenlandish and people from all over the Dokodo Union. A sizeable minority of Junterlandish people also exist within the city.
Ethnic groups
| Ethnic Group | Number | % |
|---|---|---|
| Arsyan | 2,452,784 | 90.8% |
| Gabrielt | 159,377 | 5.9% |
| Grafelandish | 29,714 | 1.1% |
| DU citizens | 35,117 | 1.3% |
| Others | 24,311 | 0.9% |
Arsyans make up almost 91% of Sangur's population, followed by Gabrielts and Grafenlandish. Sangur has been inhabited by Arsyans since its founding with notable minorities including the Grafenlandish and the Bak people in the past. However, Sangur is becoming increasingly multi-racial with more Gabrielts and citizens from other DU member states moving into the city. Gabrielts make up 6% of the population, up from 4% in 2010. Many Gabrielts who move to Sangur are mostly internal migrants with no Arsyan blood or heritage seeking for employment.
In 1976, 10,000 Gabrielts, mostly politicians and their families as well as some businessmen, fled Dzakwanist Gabreilland and settled in Sangur which had become the capital of the Arsyan Republic. This marked the first great migration of Gabrielts into Sangur since the treaty of union in 1926. Their descendants today number in the tens of thousands and make up a sizeable portion of ethnic Gabrielts in Sangur, although many of them have married with Arsyans. Their descendants are no longer counted as Gabrielt, but Arsyan.
Languages
Arsyan is the primary language of education, commerce, media, administration and daily life in Sangur, as is with the rest of Arsya, however, most Arsyans are bilingual in both Arsyan and Gabrielt. All administration in Sangur, while in theory should be able to support both Gabrielt and Arsyan, is only conducted in Arsyan. Gabrielt is studied from grades 1-12 and as an elective in university as the "national language" of the nation.
Other languages spoken in Sangur mostly come from neighboring nations or other DU member states, with Grafenlandish, Kuronobean, and Bak being some of the most popular foreign languages in Sangur.
Government
Sangur is the capital of three separate administrative entities in Gabrielland, namely the Realm of Arsya (or Kingdom of Arsya), the Arsya Region as well as the Arsya province. As a result, four different governments base their operations from Sangur with the addition of the Sangur city government. The mayor of Sangur therefore has additional priviliges and authority when compared to other leaders at the same level, such as financing and policing issues. The mayor of Sangur is elected once every five years through a simple two round system.
Since the construction of the Sangur city hall in 1831, the seat of the Sangur city government has been based from the building, with the mayor's office, parliament and some public facilities being based from the building. Since the inception of the Gabrielt and Arsyan union, Sangur has always been government by a left leaning majority, with the PDP taking a huge portion of the share of mayors. Since 1975, Sangur has always been governed by a PDP mayor. Between 1990 and 2005, Sangur was led by Kiryan Tašrat, a strong advocate of democratic socialism and welfare. He was succeeded by Lohmmi Tāgār, who still is the mayor of Sangur until today. Elections will be held in October 2020 to select a new mayor for the next five years.
Divisions
The city is divided into 9 districts further subdivided into 79 quarters. The organization of Sangur was first codified into law upon the creation of the city of Sangur in 1926 by Gabrielt and Arsyan authorities. The number of quarters have increased, however the number of districts have remained the same. New districts have been proposed but have never been accepted due to a lack of real support from the population already living in those districts.
Districts are governed by district councils and led by a district mayor. District councils report to the Sangur parliament, while district mayor reports straight to the mayor. The districts, however, are not fully independent, and must follow the guidelines and instructions of the Sangur parliament. They are granted freedom in more aesthetic aspects of city management such as designs of various signs and parks, etc. The 9 districts are (in alphabetical order) Bihttir, Dēššmar, Klizōr, Manira, Pairēn, Rijē, Sangurom, Sulgub, and Zinttroh.
Cityscape
The cityscape of Sangur has been greatly influenced by both previous administrations and the quality of the land surrounding it. It was subject to massive renovations and urban renewals back in the 18th and 19th centuries, greatly due to an effort to improve the flow of the Kalamar river into the Arsyan sea with the construction of massive canals and waterways in the 18th century. The Arsyan confederation, who at that time made Sangur the capital of the confederation, ordered the total rehabilitation of Sangur, inviting professionals from abroad to help succeed their ambitions. During the total reconstruction of Sangur, Arsyan baroque architecture and its derivatives flourished, and became the primary style of buildings rehabilitated, many of which could still be seen today.
The Kingdom of Arsya also contributed its share to influence the cityscape of Sangur. During the height of monarchism in Gabrielland, Arsyan monarchs would spend massive amounts of the state treasury in constructing massive structures and buildings in the Arsyan baroque style, as well as renovating buildings across Arsya to fit in with the style of taste. Many famous landmarks, such as the Arsyan Parliament, the Sangur city hall as well as the Hgaztak monument were commisioned under the reign of Klirdis II in an effort to make Sangur a world-class city at that time.
High rises are strictly regulated and only permitted in certain areas of the city. The tallest building in Sangur is the Arsyan Trader's Union building at 155 m tall. Most buildings in Sangur are between 6-8 stories tall.
The cityscape of Sangur has been named by some to be "one of the most beautiful" in the world owing to its intact baroque architecture and waterways. It was visited by 12 million travellers in 2019.
Architecture
As a result of centuries of urban renewal, development, and preservation, most buildings today in Sangur are built and styled according to the principles of Arsyan Baroque and its counterparts, though the city as a whole possesses a variety and diverse forms of architectural styles and modes. Government buildings often serve as important landmarks across Sangur as they are usually decorated and built very ornately, with the most famous examples being the Arsyan Parliament and the Sangur City hall located in downtown Sangur.
Sangur also possesses many canals and waterways as a side effect of the normalization of the Kalamar river done in through the 17th and 19th centuries. These canals serve as a means of transport for some residents as well as a recent influx of tourism from the canals itself. Consequently, Sangur has many bridges with around 2,000 or more bridges according to the ministry of public affairs. The Valkki bridge and Pehssin bridges are probably the most famous bridges in Sangur, crossing the delta of the Kalamar and in full view of the city.
The Sangur city hall is an ornate and richly decorated building located in the Sangurom district finished in 1848 on the behest of the Arsyan Kingdom. The grand symmetry of the building with the grand scale of the whole complex adds in to the appeal the city hall has to offer, with 3.8 million people visiting the city hall as tourists or sightseers. The Arsyan parliament located not far from the city hall is also richly decorated in the Arsyan baroque style and possesses symmetry crucial to Arsyan baroque design.
Many of the residential buildings in Sangur are in the form of apartments, while houses and larger spaces are reserved for the suburbs. The residential buildings dominate the outskirts of Sangorum (downtown Sangur), most also designed and styled in the Arsyan baroque style albeit with more plain colors and less complex of a design than more official buildings or landmarks. The residential buildings usually possess six to eight floors of space with the roof acting as a general storage space for residents. Many shops are also styled and renovated after the city's general style.
More modern developments and buildings have began being built and constructed in Sangur, however with very heavy restrictions. The city center and surrounding districts may not be altered in any way architecturally, and glass buildings must be approved by the city council and populace, with many of the accepted plans being located near the outskirts of Sangur. The most recent example of a skyscraper being constructed in Sangur is the Arsyan Traders' Union at 155 m tall completed in 2017, albeit after much protest and opposition from the local populace.
The city also has a large number of parks and gardens scattered throughout the city, however, Sangorum contains the most green space of any district in Sangur. Various themes and styles of parks are present throughout the city, and parks styled after those of other nations are not uncommon in Sangur. The largest greenhouse in Gabrielland, the Sangur greenhouse, is located in the Dēššmar district, containing a huge amount of plants and flowers to be preserved in its own climate different from Sangur.
Parks and gardens
The massive and lush Sangur botanical gardens serve as the city's prime garden and park for its residents. The Sangur botanical gardens cover an area of 1.2 square kilometers in the Dēššmar district and features a wide variety of plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, and vines. The maze of Gilmar, one of the largest natural mazes in Gabrielland, is located within the confinemnets of the Sangur botanical gardens, and is a popular spot for picnics and family gatherings for not only Sangur residents, but the entire realm.
Besides the Sangur botanical garden, there are other parks of various sizes and themes scattered throughout Sangur, providing fresh air for the residents of the city. These parks usually contain fountains as a mark of Sangur's mastery over water. Parks are maintained by the Sangur department of forestry and parks.
Public squares and places
The city has 3 main squares, the largest being the Blue square, the site of the proclamation of the Arsyan Kingdom. The square is located in the historic center of Sangur, where most vehicles are banned from entering. The square is connected to the main shopping street free of vehicles, and is a popular place for tourists to go shopping and experience the city as a whole.
The Milrin Square located not far from the Blue Square is also an important square in Arsyan history.