Olham
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Olham
Aldham (Borish) | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Central Olham from above | |
| Etymology: ald “old” + ham “town” | |
| Nickname: Bookham | |
| Country | Borland |
| Yend | Midlands |
| First mentioned | 765 |
| Given town rights | 945 |
| Boroughs | Seven districts
|
| Government | |
| • Body | Olham Steadcouncil |
| • Mayor | Gera Rummede (Centrum) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 145 km2 (56 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 95 m (312 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 365,000 |
| • Density | 2,500/km2 (6,500/sq mi) |
| Postal code | List of postal codes
|
| Area code | 030 |
| Website | www |
Olham (/ˈɒləm/; Borish: Aldham [ˈɑɫdəm]) is a city in the southern Midlands. With a population of around 365 000, it is the second-largest city in the Midlands and the third-largest city in Borland, behind Newstead and Westhaven.
Olham is one of the oldest cities in Borland, having town rights since 945 and being first mentioned in the 8th century. The city grew throughout the Middle Ages to become the second-largest city of Borland at around 10 000 to 12 000 people. In the latter half of the 15th century, Olham became the centre of Borish-language printing, yielding the city’s nickname Bookham. The Olham Cathedral was completed in 1515, being destroyed in the Amendist Wars only decades later. The city stayed one of the centres of Borish culture and literature into the 17th century, when it experienced Estmerification. By 1750, the city was regarded as Estmerophone. The city grew to become an important industrial centre during the industrial revolution, specialising in the textile, steel and machinery industries. After the Great War, the city became the centre of Borland’s car manufacturing, which lasted into the early 21st century. The University of Olham opened in 1965 and is now one of the country’s largest universities.
Olham is known for having undergone a language shift over the 20th century, as Borish replaced Estmerish as the language of education, commerce and everyday communication. Some claim that the city also underwent a cultural shift from identifying more with the Borish Midlands and Estmere to identifying with the northern Midlands and Borland.