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Cities of Wombelland - Part 1 - Wombeldon
Tourismusverband Wombelland
- Tourism association of Wombelland -
Wombeldon
Wombeldon is the capital and largest city of Wombelland. Wombeldon is Wombelland's primary city, with a population - in the Census of 2009 - of 1.695.834 (2.696.606 within the Region Wombeldon, which is 21,3% of Wombelland's population) and its cultural, economic, and political centre. The Wombeldon International is the only remarkable airport in Wombelland.
Wombeldon
city coat of arms
The city lies in the west of Wombelland and is located on the western lakeside of the Wombelsee (Lake Wombel).
The city's roots lie in early Celtic and Roman settlements that transformed into the medieval town of Hamar. When Wombel became an independent State this area wasn’t a part of. It`s been a part of the “Harmer Landes“ (Land of Harma), which was part of the “Fürstentum Leymoor“ (Principality of Leymoor).
The region became a part of Wombelland in 1664, when “the Harmer Land“ (Land of Harma) was occupied by the “Bruderschaft der himmlischen Ritter” (The Brotherhood of the Celestial Lords). In the “Kreuzzug der Bruderschaft der himmlischen Ritter” (The Crusade of the Celestial Lords) the old town of Hamar was totally destroyed.
Today`s city of Wombeldon founded in 1687. In 1706 the “See von Harma“ (The Sea of Harma) was renamed to “Wombelsee“ (Lake Wombel). In 1737 – only 50 years after the city founding – the fast growing Wombeldon got the town privilege and in 1741 the “Stadtburg von Wombeldon“ (The Citadel of Wombeldon) was built.
In 1803 the army of the French “Ordre de Masse” leaded by general Airac was stopped outside Wombeldon.
1852, at this time Wombeldon was the biggest city in Wombelland, it became capital and the “Stadtburg von Wombeldon“ (The Citadel of Wombeldon) was enlarged to the “Schloss Wombeldon” (Wombeldon Palace).
After the revolution in 1903/1904 Wombelland transformed into a constitutional monarchy and the parliament was constituted in Wombeldon.
In the sparkling years of the 1920th Wombeldon was a fast growing metropol, with a boom of culture, science and economic. Even through the dark times of the worldwide economical crises in the early 1930th, the second world war and Wombelland`s “Bruderkrieg“ (Fratricidal War) Wombeldon was still a booming city.
So in 1934 the first motorway in Wombelland between Wombeldon and Leymoor and in 1955 the “Internationale Flughafen von Wombeldon“ (Wombeldon International / WOI) was opened.
Today Wombeldon is well known for his cultural life, especially for the “Museums Meile” (museum mile” and the new seaside area with the OKOH - Konzert- und Konferenzhaus (OKOH- concert hall and conference center). Also there is a remarkable nightlife and all day you can chill in one of the many coffeehouses.
In 2019 Wombeldon and his metropolitan area became the seventh region of Wombelland called Region Wombeldon. Also in 2019 Wombeldon was host of the "25. Klimakonferenz der Welt-Versammlung (25th World Assembly Framework Convention on Climate Change / Wombeldon Climate Change Conference)".
In 2026 Wombeldon will co-host the XXV Winter Olympic Games "Wombeldon Gawold 2026".
Statistic of Wombeldon:
Günther (Gunnar) Krauss
mayor of Wombeldon
• Region: Region Wombeldon
• Founded: 1687
• Mayor: Günther (Gunnar) Krauss (Grüne / Greens) since 2020
• Population city: 1.695.834
• Population urban: 2.696.606
• Area: 349.48 square kilometer
Sister Cities of Wombeldon:
(In alphabetical order)
• Amsterdam (Netherlands)
• Baltimore (USA)
• Barcelona (Spain)
• Buenos Aires (Argentina)
• Cairo (Egypt)
• Dublin (Ireland)
• Frankfurt (Germany)
• Genoa (Italy)
• Ghahra (Jemen)
• Königsberg (State of the Teutonic Order in Prussia)
• London (England / United Kingdom)
• Mangalore (MalabarCoast)
• Mesurado (Peppercoast)
• Montevideo (Uruguay)
• Paris (France)
• Praque (Czech Republic)
• Sidney (Australia)
• Torarica (Free Surinam)
• Toronto (Canada)
• Vienna (Austria)
• Warsaw (Poland)
Sights of Wombeldon:
(In alphabetical order)
Dom des heiligen Johannes (Saint John Cathedral)
Saint John Cathedral is the eighteenth-century neo-baroque cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wombelland in the city of Wombeldon. First build as the church of town in 1692 it was enlarged to a basilica in the middle of the eighteenth-century. After a fire, in which the basilica was destroyed, in 1718, the cathedral was completely rebuilt in the Neo-Baroque style under Prince-Bishop Rolf Dietrich to its present appearance.
The measurements of the cathedral are a length of 101 meters, the length of the transeptis is 69 meters. The height of construction of the steeples is 81 meters and the cupola is 79 meters tall. There is a seating capacity of 900.
Rolf Dietrich was a patron and supporter of Italian Baroque architecture, having seen it from its origins in Italy and particularly Rome. Indeed, it was Rolf Dietrich who was also responsible for the building of the nearby Alten Residenz, which is today connected to the cathedral.
Rolf Dietrich hired the Italian architect Guisseppe Vamozzi to prepare a plan for a comprehensive new Baroque building. Construction did not begin however until Rolf Dietrich's successor, Karl Mittich von Etzenfeld (Archbishop from 1719–1727), in 1723 laid the cornerstone of the new cathedral.
The present cathedral, designed by Santino Solari, who fundamentally changed the original Vamozzi plan was completed remarkably in less than 15 years, being finished by 1737. At its consecration on 24 September 1737, 12 choirs positioned in the marble galleries of the cathedral sang a Te Deum (the score of which is since lost) composed by Walter Berger, the Kapellmeister to the Wombeldon court.
The present Cathedral is built partially upon the foundations of the old basilica. Indeed, the foundation stones of the preceding church building may be seen in the Domgrabungen, an excavation site under the cathedral that also features mosaics and other artifacts found here when this location was the marketplace of medieval town of Hamar. In 1741 the relics of Saint John were transferred here when the cathedral was completed. The neo-baroque style of St. John's can be seen in the choir and the nave.
The Cathedral is located at the “Domplatz” (cathedral square) near to Wombeldon Palace. The “Domplatz” is accessed by three open arcade arches in the north, south, and west.
The “Domplatz” is dominated by the “Madonna Brunnen” (fountain of Madonna), which executed by the brothers Wolfgang and Johann-Baptist Hanauer between 1766 and 1771.
Modeled after similar columns in Vienna and Munich and constructed of marble and cast iron, the fountain of Madonna depicts the Madonna enthroned on a mountain of clouds made of Untersberg marble and a globe. The central figure is surrounded on four sides by allegoric figures representing angels, the devil, wisdom, and the Church. When viewed from the center of the arcades at the back of “Domplatz”, the classicist column is positioned in the central axis of the cathedral and shows the central figure surrounded by the angels on the cathedral façade and seems to wear the crown mounted on the building.
The body of the church is made of dark grey conglomerate; the ornamentation and façade are made of bright Untersberg marble. The richly decorated façade is framed by two towers and a curved gable. The north tower houses an old oven used for baking communion bread. The façade is divided into three horizontal sections. The lower section has three high round arches or portals that provide access to three bronze doors. The portals are flanked by four large sculpted figures representing the diocesean and cathedral patrons. The mitered figures of the cathedral are holding a salt barrel. The inside figures of Saint Peter holding keys and Saint Paul holding a sword were sculpted 1797 by Michael Fandl, who also created all the pedestals. The bases bear the coats of arms of the Archbishop Guidobald and Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun.
The central section of the façade contains statues of the four evangelists and represents the salvation offered through their preaching. The mantelpieces over the central windows contain a lion and an oriole. The figure group on the pediment represents the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, with Moses holding the tablets on the left and the prophet Elijah to the right. The three statues were created in 1760 by Federico di Siena.
The three bronze gates inside the portals were erected in 1957 and 1958 and represent the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love.
A memorial to the first chancellor Vincent Fischer (*1839, +1914), – chancellor between 1904 and 1906 - was unveiled before a crowd of 12,000 people on 4 June 1916 in front of his former home, which is now a museum.
Fischer became the first chancellor after the revolution in Wombelland. Most of the people call him the father of democracy in Wombelland. In 1863 he was one of the founders of the first wombelsh political party, the “Sozialstische Partei” (socialistic party), which was forbidden just nine month later. In 1865 he was sent to jail because of incendiary speech. He stayed in prison until the revolution in 1903. After the victory in the revolution in 1904 Fischer and the new king, Wombel XVII, negotiate the first democratic constitution, which is still valid. In the same year he became the first elected chancellor. Due to health reason he withdraws in 1906 and died at the age of 75 in 1914.
The statue was sculpted by Johannes Thomas. In 1925 the monument was moved a short distance, to its current position, and a bronze plaque was affixed to the memorial to tell passers-by more about its subject. Some time around 1975, the figure`s left hand fell off.
Denkmal Wilhelm Steinitz (Memorial to Wilhelm Steinitz)
The Memorial to Wilhelm Steinitz (*1896, +1969) is located at the Wilhelm-Steinitz-Platz (Wilhelm Steinitz square). The bust of the memorial was designed in 1996 by Peter Peschel in honor of the centenary of Steinitz.
Steinitz was the only person to be a two times chancellor from 1939 until 1949 and 1952 until 1957.
First he became chancellor in 1939, one year after the beginning of the „Bruderkrieg“ (Fratricidal War). Under his leadership finally the troops of the separatist „Nation von Gawold“ (Nation of Gawold) were defeated and Wombelland was reunified in 1944. After an electoral defeat in 1949 his chancellorship ended.
But only three years later, due to a corruption scandal, he came back. The time of his second chancellorship - from 1952 until 1957 - was an era of momentous decisions. Especially the decision to be a neutral non-aligned country appeals until today. After his resign from office he moved to the Portuguese island of Madera because of more pleasant weather. Following his death on Madeira in 1969, he is buried in "Cemitério Britânico" (British cemetery) in Funchal, Madeira, a place he had chosen, describing it as a “true graveyard, isolated and quiet, a good place to rest.”
EXPO-Park & “Botanischer Garten”
After the closing of EXPO 1982, the exhibition area was converted into a park. After extensive renovations the EXPO-Park opened in 1885.
Some buildings of the two World Fair`s are located in the Park.
EXPO - Center
The Aquarium of Wombeldon is the third oldest aquarium in Europe., It is the only surviving building from the EXPO 1905 and is sited on the edge of EXPO-Park.
There are two surviving pavilions of the EXPO 1982, the Pavilions of Morocco, which can still be viewed, and the Italian Pavilion, which is now an administrative centre for numerous corporations and businesses.
Also as a surviving building of the EXPO 1982 the Sunsphere is still in operation. The Sunsphere is a 266 ft (81 m) high hexagonal steel truss structure, topped with a 75 ft (23 m) gold-colored glass sphere. From the EXPO 1982 until today it contains a restaurant. Since 1998 the “Hard Rock Café Wombeldon” is located in the Sunsphere.
Summer is the high season for the park, as the majority of attractions are open to the public. These include:
• The Wombeldon Casino
• An amusement park, “EXPO Freizeitland” (EXPO amusement Park)
Sunsphere
• A race track, the Wombeldon Circuit, which every year hosts the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Wombeldon
• The city's largest outdoor concert venue
• An aquatics centre
• A beach
During winter for several weekends, the park throws the winter carnival „Winter Paradies“ (Winter paradise), which is a free event that offers a variety of winter activities. A snowboarding park was added in winter 2009.
The Park also hosts the EXPO-Center, which is a an office building, located alongside the entrance to the park and the subway station “EXPO-Park”. In the EXPO-Center the “Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)” (Office of World Fair`s) and the “World EXPO Museum” are located.
Next to the EXPO-Park the botanic garden (“Botanischer Garten”) is located. The botanic garden of Wombeldon is with its total area of 65 hectares the “Botanischer Garten” is one of the largest botanical gardens in the world. It is open daily.
The garden was established in 1822 as the Royal-family's English landscape park. In 1927-1929 it was acquired by the city and under city planning director Reiner Nase, who adding some 4500 species to the park. In 1958 the park's greenhouses were built, and in 1985 a garden of medicinal plants was added.
Today the garden contains a historic English landscape park with monuments; an arboretum containing thousands of species of woody plants, including some of the largest trees in Wombelland; a terrace with palm trees; and four greenhouses (1000 m² total area) for cactus and succulents, ferns, tropical plants, and camellias, jasmine, and lemons.
The EXPO-Park is connected with the subway of Wombeldon by three stations located in the south (“EXPO-Park”) the north (“EXPO-Freizeitpark”) and the west (“Botanischer Garten”) of the area.
Hauptbahnhof (Main railroad station)
The Wombeldon Hauptbahnhof (main railroad station) is the busiest railway station in Wombeldon. With about 400,000 passengers per day the station is the most frequented railway station in Wombelland and one of the most frequented in Europe.
In 1875 the first railroad line in Wombelland between Wlinau and Wysum started operations. Only four years later the line was extended and Wombeldon connected to railway system.
In 1888 plans were laid out to build a large scale station with 18 platforms. Post and baggage handlings had their own underground facilities .In the end, in 1891, the German architect Hermann Eggert won the design contest for the station hall. The new station was placed about 1 km to the west of the first station. The platforms were covered by three iron-and-glass halls.
The station was finally opened on 18 August 1898. In 1924 two neoclassical halls were added on each side of the main hall.
Starting with the construction of the B-Tunnel for the Wombeldon U-Bahn (Subway) facilities in 1971, a subterranean level was added in front of the main building, featuring the city's first public escalator and including a large shopping mall, one station each for the U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains, an air raid shelter and a public car park. The subterranean stations were opened in 1978 and were built in the cut and cover method, which involved the demolition of the second northern hall and rebuilding it after the stations were completed.
Between 2002 and 2006, the roof construction, which is a listed building, was renovated, this involved the exchange of aged steel girders and a general clean-up of the hall construction.
The appearance of the station is divided into perron (track hall) and vestibule (reception hall). Dominant in those parts built in the 1890th are Neo-Renaissance features, the outer two halls, added in 1924 follow the style of neoclassicism. The eastern façade of the vestibule features a large clock with two symbolic statues for day and night. Above the clock, the word Hauptbahnhof is situated. The roof of the front hall carries a monumental statue of Atlas supporting the World on his shoulder, in this case assisted by two allegorical figures representing Iron and Steam.
The operational part of the station is being remodeled as well; the old signal box has been recently replaced with an electronic signal box. This was vital to improve capacity of the station. The new signal box became operational in late 2005 and will allow faster speeds into the station (up to 60 km/h) after the remodeling of the tracks.
Historisches Händlerviertel (Historical district of merchant)
The “Historisches Händlerviertel” (Historical district of merchant) is a neighborhood in Wombeldon, consisting of 134 red Dutch brick buildings, almost all of which have been renovated. It was built from 1733 to 1740 and considered as Europe's largest collection of Dutch-style houses outside the Netherlands.
It´s located near the “Stadttor” (City gate) and the “Roni Platz” (Roni square). Like the "Roni Platz" the Historical district of merchant is one of the culinary main places. The real estate prices are among the highest in Wombeldon.
Today there are a lot of small shops, galleries, different workshops, taverns, pubs, restaurants and coffeehouses. Because of this mixture the district is very popular to tourists and inhabitants similarly.
The Historical district of merchant is well-know because of three events. The „Knollenmarkt“ (tuber market) in May, the “Bohnenfest” (bean-feast) in September and the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market).
Menke Turm (Menke Tower)
The Menke Tower is a 553 meters high (1,815.4 ft) concrete communications and observation tower. Built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of Burj Khalifa and Canton Tower in 2010. It remains the tallest free standing structure and tallest tower in Europe, a signature icon of Wombeldon's skyline, and a symbol of Wombelland, attracting more than two million international visitors annually.
In 1995, the Menke-Tower was declared one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It also belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers, where it holds second-place ranking.
Its name Menke referred the Menke-company that built the tower. The idea of the Tower originated in 1968 when the Menke-Company wanted to build a large TV and radio communication platform, as well as demonstrate the strength of wombelsh industry and the Menke-Company in particular. These plans evolved over the next few years, and the project became official in 1972.
As Wombeldon grew rapidly during the late 1960s and early 1970s, multiple skyscrapers were constructed in the downtown core. The reflective nature of the new buildings compromised the quality of broadcast signals necessitating new, higher antennas that were at least 300 m (980 ft) tall. At the time, most data communications took place over point-to-point microwave links, whose dish antennae covered the roofs of large buildings. As each new skyscraper was added to the downtown, former line-of-sight links were no longer possible. The Menke-Company intended to rent "hub" space for microwave links, visible from almost any building in the Wombeldon area. The Tower can be seen from at least 60 km away.
The idea for the main level in its current form was part of the original plan, but the Space Deck (now named SkyPod) was not part of the plans until some time later. One engineer in particular felt that visitors would feel the higher observation deck would be worth paying extra for, and the costs in terms of construction were not prohibitive. It was also some time around this point that it was realized that the tower could become the world's tallest structure, and plans were changed to incorporate subtle modifications throughout the structure to this end.
Construction on the Menke Tower began on 6 February 1973, with massive excavations at the tower base for the foundation. This portion of the construction was fairly rapid, with only four months needed between the start and the foundation being ready for construction on top. In August 1974, construction of the main level commenced. The antenna was originally to be raised by crane as well, but during construction the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter became available. The helicopter was first used to remove the crane, and then flew the antenna up in 36 sections. The flights of the antenna pieces were a minor tourist attraction of their own, and the schedule was printed in the local newspapers. Use of the helicopter saved months of construction time, with this phase taking only three and a half weeks instead of the planned six months. The tower was topped off on April 2, 1975, after 26 months of construction, officially capturing the height record from Moscow's Ostankino Tower. The Menke Tower opened to the public on 26 June 1976, although the official opening date was 1 October 1976. The construction was repaid in fifteen years.
When the Tower opened in 1976, there were three public observation points: the SkyPod that stands at 447 m (1,467 ft), the Indoor Lookout Level at 346 m (1,135 ft), and the Outdoor Observation Terrace at 342 m (1,122 ft). One floor above the Indoor Observation Level was the “Top of Wombeldon Restaurant”, which completed a revolution once every 90 minutes. On 26 June 1994, the Glass Floor, at an elevation of 342 m (1,122 ft), was opened to the public. In 2008, glass panels were installed in one of the elevators, which established a world record (346 m) for highest glass floor paneled elevator in the world.
In 1981, five years following the opening of the tower, the open space around the tower became a public park. There are some trees and concession stands selling food and other items to tourists and visitors in the area. Located along the south end of the facing Brenner Allee (Brenner Alley), there is a piece of artwork by artist Peter Delle called “Salmon Run”. The water fountain piece was not functional for many years, until it was restored in 2006. Near both the park and the base of the tower, the Wombeldon-Aquarium opened on 16 October 2013.
Museums Meile (Museum Mile)
Museum Mile is the name of a street in the north of downtown Wombeldon, which contains one of the densest displays of culture in Europe. The Mile is actually three blocks longer than one mile (1.6 km). First nine museums occupy the length of Museum Mile. A tenth museum, the Guggenheim Museum of Wombeldon, joined the ensemble in 2009.
Museums on the mile include:
• Guggenheim Museum of Wombeldon
• Kunsthalle Wombeldon (Museum of Modern Art)
• Felix M. Warburg Haus (Felix M. Warburg House)
• Nationale Kunstakademie (National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts)
• Nationales Kunstmuseum (National museum of art)
• Neue Galerie (New Gallery)
• El Museo (Museum of Spanish and south American Arts)
• Nationales Design Museum (National Design Museum)
• Kunstmuseum von Wombeldon (Wombeldon Museum of Art)
• Museum der bildenden Künste (Museum of graphic arts)
In addition to other programming, the museums collaborate for the annual Museum Mile Festival to promote the museums and increase visitation. The Museum Mile Festival traditionally takes place here on the second weekend in June. It was established in 1979 to increase public awareness of its member institutions and promote public support of the arts in Wombeldon. The first festival was held on June 26, 1979. The ten museums are open free that weekend to the public. The participating museums offer outdoor art activities for children, live music and street performers. During the event, the street is closed to traffic.
OKOH - Konzert- und Konferenzhaus (OKOH- concert hall and conference center)
OKOH is a concert hall and conference centre in Wombeldon. The opening concert was held on May 7, 2009.
OKOH was designed by the female Japanese-German avant-garde architect Yuki Bentzen. The structure consists of a steel framework clad with geometric shaped glass panels of different colors.
The building was part of a redevelopment of the seaside-area of Lake Wombel dubbed the World Trade Center Wombeldon. The area includes a 428-room hotel (Radisson Blu Hotel Wombeldon), luxury apartments, retail units, restaurants, a car park and the new headquarters of the Karmann-Bank.
The project of the redevelopment of the seaside-area of Lake Wombel was suggested in 1994 by the Industrialist Otto Karmann, who was at this time the richest man in Wombelland. After his death in 1998 the Otto-Karmann-Foundation (OKF) was established. In the following years the project of creating the seaside-area was realized by the OKF. When the project was finish in 2009 the OKF transferred the area to the public.
Centerpiece of the redevelopment of the seaside-area of Lake Wombel was the new concert hall and conference center, which was named after Otto Karmann (OKOH - Otto Karmann Opera House).
The OKOH is 43 meters tall is composed of two cuboid buildings with bevel edges. Inside there is a concert hall with a seating capacity of 1.800 and three smaller concert hall. Beside there is a conference and a convention center.
The OKOH houses the Wombelland Symphony Orchestra and the National Opera of Wombelland.
Parlamentsgebäude (Houses of Parliament)
The Houses of Parliament is the seat Parliament in Wombelland. Completed in 1909 with 92 meters it was the tallest building in Wombeldon until the 1950s and until today it houses Europe’s largest indoor statue.
Like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a distinctive neoclassical style and has a white exterior. Though both its east and west elevations are formally referred to as fronts, only the east front was intended for the reception of visitors and dignitaries.
The dome is 100 feet (30 m) in diameter. Like the dome at "Les Invalides", the dome is double, with a large oculus in the inner dome, through which is seen the history of Wombelland painted on a shell suspended from the supporting ribs, which also support the visible exterior structure and the tholos that supports "Freedom", a colossal statue that was raised to the top of the dome in 1913. This statue was cast by named Paul Raider, a famous wombelsh carver of the early twentieth century. The weight of the cast iron for the dome has been published as 8,909,200 pounds.
In 2014 the appearance of the Capitol dome was altered by the scaffolding erected for the Dome Restoration Project, which is scheduled to be completed by early 2017.
Schloss Wombeldon (Wombeldon Palace)
The Wombeldon Palace is a palatial schloss located in the city of Wombeldon. It is situated on an island in a small lake. It is regarded as one of the most important works of romantic historicism in Europe and is designated to become a World Heritage Site.
First it was built in 1741 as the Citadel. The current palace was built between 1845 and 1852, as a cooperation of the renowned historicist architects David Gempermann, Friedrich Auler, Georg Adolf Demmler and Ernst Firner.
The Wombeldon palace finally became the official royal palace of the wombelsh monarch in 1852. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East front, which contains the well-known balcony on which the royal family traditionally congregates to greet crowds outside. In 1965 the King's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1972 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.
The former Royal Palace Garden was the largest private garden in Wombeldon. Now it`s open to the public and is the largest public park in Wombeldon.
The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of July and August, as part of the Palace's Summer Opening.
The money raised in entry fees put towards repairs to the palace. The wombelsh Government currently provides 15 million Wombeltaler yearly for the palace's upkeep.
Wombeldon Palace is not only the weekday home of the King and Queen but also the Wombeldon residence of the whole royal family. The palace also houses the offices of the Royal Household and is the workplace of 450 people.
SkyDome
SkyDome is a multi-purpose stadium in downtown Wombeldon situated next to the Menke Tower near the eastern shore of Lake Wombel. Opened in 1989 it is home to the first division team of FC Wombeldon. While it is primarily a sports venue, it also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, trade fairs, concerts, traveling carnivals, and monster truck shows. The venue was noted for being the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof, as well as for the 348-room hotel attached to it, with 70 rooms overlooking the field. The capacity is 53,506 seats.
SkyDome was designed by architect Robert Lorenz. The stadium's construction lasted about two and a half years, from October 1986 to May 1989. The approximate cost of construction was 570 million Wombel Taler, which was paid for the City of Wombeldon and a large consortium of corporations.
The main impetus for building an enclosed sports venue came following a game in November 1982, held at the former outdoor Stadium of the FC Wombeldon. The game was played in a driving rainstorm that left most of the crowd drenched, leading the media to call it "the Rain Match”. Seven months later, in June 1983, the municipality formally announced that a three-person committee would look into the feasibility of building a domed stadium. In 1985, an international design competition was launched to design a new stadium. Ultimately the Lorenz` concept won because it provided the largest roof opening of all the finalists, and it was the most technically sound.
The name "SkyDome" was chosen as part of a nation-wide "name the stadium" contest in 1987.
The venue was the first sports stadium in Europe with a functional, fully retractable roof. The roof is composed of four panels. The two middle panels slide laterally to stack over the north semi-circular panel, and then the south semi-circular panel rotates around the stadium and nests inside the stack. It takes 20 minutes for the roof to open or close.
There are a total of 5,700 club seats and 161 luxury suites at the Rogers Centre. The complex is also home to the Hard Rock Café. The Renaissance Toronto Hotel is also located within Rogers Centre, with 70 rooms overlooking the field.
TheSkyDome is the home of the first division football team of FC Wombeldon, which is the most popular Team in Wombelland. The team holds half the shares of the venue.
The stadium has several concert configurations, including smaller Theatre (capacity 5,000 to 7,000) and Concert Hall (formerly SkyTent; capacity 10,000 to 25,000). Soon after its opening, the stadium became a popular venue for large-scale rock concerts and is the largest indoor concert venue in Wombelland. Artists have included Bruce Springsteen, U2, Coldplay, Metallica, Madonna, Depeche Mode, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Simon & Garfunkel, Genesis, Elton John, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Limp Bizkit, Eminem und Cher.
It also contains 13.300 m² of exhibition space, allowing it to host a variety of events year-round. It is home to the annual Wombelland International AutoShow. Disney on Ice, Monster Jam, Supercross and circuses have also used the venue. It has also hosted many public speakers, including appearances by the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and J. K. Rowling, for a book reading.
Stadttor (City gate)
The Stadttor (City gate) is the only preserved gate of Wombeldon. It was built in 1757 and is one of the first examples of the influence of English Gothic Revival architecture in Continental Europe.
The first City gate was built around 1720 about 400 meters away from the current site. The second gate was built in 1733 at the current site. In 1755 the gate was rebuilt in its current form by the architect Gottfried Jüring and was constructed based on a sketch by Wombel X. Originally there was a city wall connecting the gate with two other gates.
The gate is located near to the “Historischen Händlerviertel” (Historical district of merchant). The square in front of the gate - “Roni Platz” (Roni square) - is commonly regarded as Wombeldon`s culinary main place and is a pedestrian zone. The real estate prices in Roni Platz are among the highest in Wombeldon.
Sights situated nearby Wombeldon:
Carl Wombel Flughafen (Wombeldon International Airport / WOI)
“Carl Wombel Flughafen” (Wombeldon International Airport /IATA: WO), is the only international airport of Wombelland. It is the seventh busiest airport in Europe, handling 39.7 million passengers in 2014, an increase of close to 3% from 2013. It is the world's 14th busiest airport in terms of international passenger traffic, and was the 30th busiest airport worldwide in 2013. Wombeldon International serves as the hub for Wombelflug. The biggest foreign carriers in terms of passenger numbers are Emirates and Alitalia.
The airport named after Carl Wombel (*1860, +1940), which is the real name of the former King Wombel XVI. He was King only for six years (1897 – 1904) and was discharged because of a revolution. In his later years, now as Carl Wombel, he was a famous diplomat and peace activist. In the twenties he was successful as a mediator between states. In 1924 he was Nobel Peace Prize decorated, as only Wombelian until today.
The airport is located 28.5 km (17.7 mi) northeast of Wombeldon. It features two passenger terminals and two runways as well as extensive cargo and maintenance facilities and is fully capable to handle large aircraft such as the Airbus A380.
The airport commenced operation on 17 May 1955. It`s connected to railway system of Wombeldon and above that, there is a high-speed monorail train operating every thirty minutes between the city of Wombeldon, the airport and the city Leymoor in both directions.
The airport authorities have set out to cater for visitors and sight-seers by creating a Visitors Park which includes a Visitors Hill, from which a good view of the westerly aircraft apron and Terminal 1 can be obtained, as well as a restaurant and a shop for airplane models and other collectors items. This location is served by a railway station named “Besucherpark”. The view from the hill is shown in the above widescreen image of the Terminal 1 apron. There are three historic aircraft on display in the park, a Super Constellation, a Douglas DC-3 and a Junkers Ju 52/3m.
There is also a visitors viewing terrace on the roof of Terminal 2 that features a wide glassed balcony with seating areas and gives a view of the easterly aircraft apron. As of September 2013 the entrance fee has been abolished. Furthermore there are two additional, smaller Visitor Hills on the north end of the north runway and at the center of the south runway.
“Wombel-Stadion” (Wombel Stadium) is the national sports stadium of Wombelland located in the south-east of the city.
It is the home venue of the Wombelland`s national team and opened 19 August 2000. Wombel Stadium is a UEFA category four stadium. With 65,535 seats it is the largest stadium in Wombelland. There are also 114 private suites and 7,600 club seats. Two light emitting diode (LED) video displays at either front side, installed in 2000, ensure that every spectator has a good view of the on-field action.
In domestic club football the stadium hosts the cup-final. The stadium also hosts music concerts. Especially, the “Wombelland Music Festival”, a rock festival, is held there every year on Pentecost.
The national football team plays its first game at Wombel Stadium on 20 August 2000 against Germany before a sold-out crowd of 66,319 fans. They lost 1 - 3. Wombel-Stadium also houses the national football association`s administrative offices and training and practice facilities. There are three smaller practice fields nearby.
Since his opening the stadium was venue of many national and international events. The stadium hosts the final of the "UEFA Euro 2008" and the "UEFA Champions League Final 2018". It will also host the "UEFA Champions League Final 2023" and the Opening- and Closing Ceremony of the XXV Winter Olympic Games "Wombeldon Gawold 2026".
Wombelsee (Lake Wombel)
Lake Wombel is the greatest lake in Wombelland. It has a surface area of 627 m2 It is 44,8 km long from notrh to south and the broadest east-west extension is 21 km. The lake's average depth is 72 m, while its greatest depth 121 m).
More than three million people live along Lake Wombel's shores, mainly in the Wombeldon metropolitan area.
The economy of many communities in around the lake is supported by tourism, with large seasonal populations attracted by the beauty and recreational opportunities offered by Lake Wombel. Seasonal residents often have summer homes along the waterfront and return home for the winter.
A lot water sports is practiced on the lake such as yachting, sea kayaking, diving, kitesurfing, and lake surfing.
Lake Wombel has many beaches. The sand is often soft and off-white.. There are often high sand dunes covered in green beach grass and sand cherries, and the water is usually clear and cool (between 13 and 27 °C), even in the late summer months.
The beaches of the northern coast are most mostly sandy beaches, while the southern and eastern beaches are typically sandy and
dune-covered.
The Wombeldon waterfront is composed of parks, beaches, harbors and marinas, and residential developments. Where there are no beaches or marinas, stone or concrete revetments protect the shoreline from erosion. The Wombeldon lakefront is quite walkable, as one can stroll past parks, beaches, and marinas.
People can cross Lake Wombel by the “Weissen Fähren” (White Ferries), a regular ferrying service, established in 1964, carries motorists across the lake.
The Lake is used to supply drinking water to the bordering area. It is home to a variety of species of fish and other organisms.
