Lyksdal
Lyksdal
Vrisdad Lyksdals Free City of Lyksdal | |
|---|---|
| Lyksdal's Right Bank Lyksdal's Right Bank | |
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Coat of arms of Lyksdal Coat of arms | |
| Nickname(s): Lyk Oyd Sodig | |
| Country | File:Flag vyv.png Vyvland |
| Province | File:Flag-sdaamro.png Stanmer |
| Municipal Collective | Greater Lyksdal |
| Parliament constituency | 20 seats |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Anjrea Rud (S) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 1,961,201 |
| Demonym | Lyksdaler |
| Time zone | UTC-6 |
| Postcode | K0000-K3999 |
| Phone code | 159 (LY) |
| Area Population density | 752km2 2,607/km2 |
| Elevation | 49m |
| Website | www.lyskdal.rg.vy |
Lyksdal (pronounced /'lʏkz.dal/) is the second city of Vyvland. The city has been the country's dominant industrial centre since the Industrial Revolution, as well as being the capital of the historically influential province of Stanmer, the country's largest. It has a population of around 2 million inhabitants.
Lyksdal sits on the River Stanmer, on the western flank of the Slic Mountains. During the Middle Ages and again from the early nineteenth to the mid twentieth cenury, Lyksdal was the most populous city in Vyvland. It is administered by Lyksdal City Council as a free city (vrisdad), meaning it is independent from much provincial control.
Lyksdal's cultural and historical heritage is among the greatest in the country. As the historic capital of Stanmer, Lyksdal has a history stretching back at least one thousand years. It is the birthplace of Eylav fi Paavyl, the first King of Vyvland, and the Lutheran Church of Vyvland. Lyksdal's rapid industrial growth was concurrent with a rise in prominence of socialist thinkers such as Lydwig Welz and Julian Wesdergarns, particularly at the then-new University of Lyksdal.
Decades of population decline due to deindustralisation culminated in the Stanmer Riots, a period of civil unrest in 1967-8 which ended in a two-week long occupation of the city centre by protestors. Thesedays Lyksdal is beginning to revive, with recent growth in industry and population. The modern city's music and arts scene is vibrant, while historic landmarks such as the old town, Lykejerj and Eylavsborg Castle are popular with tourists.
Etymology
The name "Lyksdal" derives from Lydwig, a personal name equivalent to 'Ludwig', and dal, meaning valley. Thus, Lyksdal translates to Ludwig's valley. It is occasionally also known simply as Lyk, a shortening of the original name.
History
As Sdammro’s capital, Lyksdal was the seat of King Eylav fi Paavyl, known for uniting Vyvland under the Stanmeran monarchy in the 1300s. During the country's formative years, Lyksdal was arguably the most important city in the country, as the traditional home and usual seat of the monarchy. However, this quickly faded, with power moving instead to Lorence. When the Wik-based House of Stanmer-Brubas came to power in the sixteenth century, Lyksdal lost all connections with the monarchy. The Wars of the Banners, which started in the late seventeenth century, were fought between the Lyksdal-based House of Stanmer and established House of Vlud. Their conclusion saw as defeat for Stanmer, at considerable cost to Lyksdal.
Coal deposits were discovered in the area in the 1760s, leading to a massive wave of immigration from rural areas as Lyksdal became one of Esquarium’s first industrialised cities. This resulted in a massive expansion of the city from 45,000 people in 1790 to a population of 1.2 million inhabitants in 1890. Although the coal seam had mostly dried up by this point, Lyksdal was now the largest city in Vyvland by population, with a healthy industrial sector branching out into many other areas, such as textiles and smelting. In November 1932, a large Nationalist Movement rally in Lyksdal clashed with mounted police, who trampled many of the rallyists before denying medical services from accessing the wounded, causing dozens of deaths. Amiral Jueves took it upon himself to declare a "state of national outrage" in an address the following day, in which he called for the "immediate mobilisation" of supporters of his party or opponents of the Vyvlander monarchy and establishment. This is widely seen as the start of the Vyvlander Civil War, which would see the partition of Vyvland into North and South after three bitter years of fighting.
Although it remained in the relatively prosperous North, from the 1940s onwards, Lyksdal fell victim to deindustrialisation due to the rising wage demands of factory workers and cheaper labour elsewhere. This situation was neglected by the Northern government, and caused unrest in the area. The most notable manifestation of this unrest was the Stanmer Riots in 1967, which led to major political reform in the North, limiting the power of the monarchy and making the political process more open. However, local conditions failed to improve; in 1969, Lyksdal's population fell behind that of Vlud due to widespread migration, and in 1974, Lyksdal’s citywide unemployment rate hit 21.3%. Since reunification, some investment has been made to rejuvenate the area’s economy, although the relative poverty rate is still higher than Vyvland's average.
Geography
Lyksdal's centre is situated on the right (east) bank of the River Stanmer, although its suburbs sprawl over to both sides. It is surrounded by low hills to the south and east, rising to the large Slic Mountains in the east. In the west and north, a small ridge of hills encircles Lyksdal, but plains lie beyond. Lyksdal itself is situated in a wide valley, in which the Stanmer river flows, bounded on both sides by low hills. Major landmarks within the city include the Niybruj, an early example of an iron bridge, and the Lykejerj, once the tallest building in Vyvland.
Lyksdal's urban area is often divided into three sectors emanating from the city centre. First is the Innerwand area inside the old city walls, divided in turn into five parishes based on the area's largest churches; today this is mostly shopping space, small apartments and small offices.
The next ring outwards is the Vrosdeden (singular Vrosdad), historically working-class areas outside the city walls which developed from medieval non-Vyvlander settlements including the Wendzbofel (Luziycan Settlement) and Welzdor (Foreign/Jewish Gate) areas. These areas grew mostly during the initial industrial migration to the city and today contain a mix of historic housing in areas such as Overyvre and former slums, many of which have been redeveloped such as the modern TechCity development.
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The outermost ring is the Ytrigsdeden (singular Ytrigsdad), made up of a mixture of traditionally more wealthy areas like Jelboflen, working-class outer suburbs like Belrum and Sohltruj, and historically independent towns such as Beskoin, Vaamaag, Morviy and Erdsvrod. In 2004, sociologists at the University of Lyksdal suggested a fourth ring, made up of Ejsdeden, government- and HHSF-built social housing projects on the city's fringes dating from the 1950s to 1980s, though these have traditionally been included in the third ring. In a 1980s programme of municipal reform designed to cut costs, the Vrosdeden were combined with the Ytrigsdeden and Innerwand, though they still remain culturally distinct and many areas, such as Swevervrosdad and Haagenvrosdad, keep their historical status alive in their names.
Climate
Lyksdal has a climate typical of lowlands in western Vyvland, being relatively sheltered from the oncoming westerly wind and rain by the Bajre Mountains. Lyksdal is, however, relatively rainy due to its proximity to the western edge of the Slic Mountains. It is also often hit by northerly cold, dry winds during the late winter, which cause significant wind chill.
Demography
Lyksdal's population has been among the largest in Vyvland for centuries, but began to take off rapidly in the early 1800s with the onset of the Industrial Revolution. For many years, Lyksdal was the largest city in Vyvland; this was most recently the case in the 1952 census, when Lyksdal recorded its highest-ever population of 2.4 million inhabitants.
Ethnicity
In terms of ethnicity, Lyksdal is among Vyvland's most diverse cities. Just 59% of the population according to official estimates in 2010 are of White Vyvlander origin (including Helish people). This is due to large immigration into the city over the last fifty to seventy years from both ex-Vyvlander colonies and elsewhere, compounded by problems with unemployment prompting young educated Lyksdalers to leave.
The biggest non-white community is Maganese people. Lyksdal is the centre of the Maganese diaspora in Vyvland, which expanded significantly in the mid-twentieth century before the conclusion of Magane's civil war; Lyksdal is often said to be Magane's sixth-largest city due to its Maganese-origin population of 210,000. The Maganese community is particularly strongly concentrated in Morviy borough to the east of the city centre. Other significant ethnic minority groups include Kannei Namorese, Black Nevans and Irvadis, another people from an ex-Vyvlander colony.
Religion
Lyksdal's religious demographics are similarly mixed. The majority belief is irreligion, as with many major urban areas in Vyvland. The next-largest religious following is various Christian denominations, which total 39.1% of the population according to the 2012 census. Despite Lyksdal being the birthplace of the Lutheran Church of Vyvland, the city has a noticeably below-average proportion of Lutherans, partly as they tend to be the most prosperous religious community, but also because much of Lyksdal's immigration came from heavily Methodist western Vyvland and Magane.
Islam is the fastest growing religious belief, due mostly to high birth rates among Irvadis and continued immigration of refugees and asylum seekers from unstable Notasian countries such as Kraq and Nautarya. Due to the poor nature of such settlers, Muslim communities are mostly found on the Ejsdad sink estates on the fringes of the city and by the River Stanmer in the north.
Lyksdal is also a centre of Vyvland's Jewish community, although it has a population around one-third the size of that of Vlud, with around 40,000 Jews. Lyksdal's Jewish history is lengthy. Jews were expelled from Stanmer in 1283 by Ardmud, Duke of Stanmer. Although they were let back into Vyvland in 1480, Jews were informally barred from living within the city walls and set up communities around the Welzdor and Swevervrosdad areas of the city. These declined in prominence with Jewish emancipation in the 1700s, although Lyksdal's main synagogue is still sited on Welzdor's Teulbankweg.
Governance
Lyksdal is represented by 20 constituency MPs in the Vyvlander Parliament. Two of these represent the National Party, one represents the Conservative Party, four represent the Liberal Party, and fourteen represent the Socialist Party. The city is something of a stronghold for the social democratic Socialist Party, whose headquarters is located on Wevliplaac in the city. Provincially, Lyksdal is represented by 63 of the 128 Stanmeran Provincial Diet members, all of which are elected on a proportional basis.
As a vrisdad (free city) along with Jesel, Vlud, Lorence and Mafiy, Lyksdal is able to gain some provincial powers in addition to its municipal and county powers. Therefore, Lyksdal city council is relatively powerful. Currently, the council is controlled by the Socialist Party, as it has been for the past 12 years. The party governs as a minority administration after falling one seat short of a majority in the 2015 local elections. The council controls education provision, housing, planning, transport and some taxes. Lyksdal is also a member of the Greater Lyksdal Municipal Collective, which is made up of representatives from the city and seventeen neighbouring municipality. The municipal collective works for regional investment, integrated transport, public housing provision and other powers devolved to it by the municipalities.
Administrative divisions
Some municipal powers are delegated to Lyksdal’s 10 boroughs (borgen); Vlutsoid, Gartenlaan, Angelel, Norf, Vaamaag, Synt-Piter, Morviy, Beskoin, Ranelag and Medel. Each has a local council and each borough is the basis for which city councillors are elected. There are also smaller woigen, which roughly translates as neighbourhoods; these represent the city's traditional communities though have little official power.
Town twinning
Lyksdal is twinned with Eskrau, the fellow industrial second city of Geadland.
Economy
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From the eighteenth century, Lyksdal's economy was based around manufacturing, prompted by the rich mineral deposits of coal and iron ore found around the city. These deposits, combined with Lyksdal's waterway and later railway connections, in turn encouraged the development of manufacturing in the city. However, from the mid-twentieth century onwards, the prominence of industry has declined as labour became cheaper abroad in countries such as Namor and as machine automation progressed. Modern Lyksdal's economy is much more mixed, with significant tertiary sector employment filling the gap left by the decline of traditional industry.
Currently, 26% of Lyksdalers in work are employed in the manufacturing, with 45% in private services and 24% employed by the government. A historically major employer in the city is Tempra, although its operations have decreased in size in the past decade. Traditional factory and industrial occupations are still declining, however government investment and incentives are helping to start new high-tech industries in the area, in addition to commercial and cultural development in the city centre. The city's unemployment rate is 8.2%, higher than the Vyvlander average but still lower than the city's hinterlands.
Transport
Prensjri station and Syfgohte station are Lyksdal’s largest railway stations, which handle hundreds of millions of passengers per year on trains across the country. Prensjri is the largest station in the country by average daily passenger traffic. Both stations, and the rest of the city's mainline rail network, are run by the national rail company Vyvlubaan, which is based in the city and operates regular services to Vlud, Lorence, Stiven and other cities,. A separate suburban rail system, which extends into surrounding municipalities, is managed by Transport for Greater Lyksdal (TvGL), which also runs the area's buses. TvGL also runs Lyksdal's metro system, which serves the city centre and suburbs with six lines. There is also one tram line in the city centre, which extends to the west of the city on its Right Bank, an area poorly served by the metro system.
Situated to the south of the city is Sdaamro-Lyksdal Airport, Vyvland’s third-most-used airport. It was expanded in 2005, albeit with much protest from environmental groups, who succeeded in preventing the building of a second runway. Lyksdal is also well-connected by roads, with motorways to Stiven, Rycdayn, Slicel, Kengs and Strossen among other destinations. Congestion in the city centre is a major problem due to the lack of high-speed arterial routes; the
Culture
Lyksdal's position as one of Vyvland's two major cities has caused the city to develop a vibrant and distinctive culture.
Music
Particularly in the late twentieth century, music from Lyksdal was well-renowned across a diverse range of styles. Dance music in particular thrived in the city's many clubs, with Lyksdaler venues producing many promising dance music and attracting many more from elsewhere. Rappers from Lyksdal such as Lyks Dyks and degreet were pioneers within Vyvland of the genre which continues to produce prolific amounts of music in Lyksdal each year. However aside from rap, Lyksdal's prominence in the music industry has declined recently, partly due to the growing influence of foreign and English-language music in Vyvland.
Arts and film
Internationally renowned independent film studio Studio Lyksdal is based in the city. In recent years, it has been responsible for such films as Kontra, a story of three young Lyksdal men caught up in gang violence in Sdad Jegers, one of the city's most notorious Ejsdeden.
The Gohtebruj area to the west of the city centre has been a hotbed of counterculture since the early 1990s. The area's best-known inhabitant is graffiti artist Y.V, whose murals have become well-known for their social critique of capitalism, unexpected and daring locations, and prominent and use of irony. In 2002, Gohtebruj was declared a 'free-graffiti zone' (a play on words on 'graffiti-free zone', a common sign in Vyvlander cities) by then-mayor Sakarja Plaambeem, and thus this artform has flourished there.
Sport
Lyksdal's sporting culture is best known through its football clubs, of which Sdaamro VK is the largest and most successful, having won the 1f. Lig a record seven times. Two other top-flight football teams also hail from Lyksdal: Lyksdal VVK and Lyksdal Ynid, whose Ynidstadion is in fact just outside the city limits in Mulme. Sdaamro VK's Sdaamrostadion, located in Angelel in the city's south, is the second-largest football stadium and fourth-largest sporting venue overall in Vyvland.
Lyksdal's main athletics venue is the .
Media
National Vyvlander centre-left broadsheet Entwerd is published in Lyksdal and has been since its founding in 1874 as a local paper. The city is the main hub for media in Stanmer, with provincial TV station SGTV operating from the city in addition to national paid TV channel Kanal 5, which specialises in arts and drama. Radio stations based in the city include music station Yr! and talk radio station KLB Talradio. Local newspapers include Lyksdaler Murnpost, which also covers national and internetional stories, and Fe Borgeer. The magazine/tabloid Lyksdal Naa is also widely read.