Los Angeles, California: information, attractions, interesting facts

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Known as the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California is an amazingly beautiful community nestled between the Pacific Ocean and mountains. Its most interesting feature is that each district has its own history and significant places, because in ancient times these were separate settlements. Today they form one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. Let's get to know him as closely as possible.

What state is Los Angeles in?

City of Angels is located in California, which, in turn, is one of the states of America. It is worth noting such an important point: this settlement is part of Greater Los Angeles, or Southland, an urban agglomeration of 88,000 km², where 16.5 million people live (as of 2000). It also includes 88 municipalities and covers the territory of fiveSouthern California counties.

Founding History

Los Angeles (California) in the 16th century was settled by the Chumash and Tongva Indians. In 1542, La Victoria and San Salvador, the ships on which the first Europeans sailed, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his deputy Bartolome Ferrelo, moored to the shores of the modern City of Angels, and then the village of Yang-Na. In the bay of San Diego, they left only on September 28, 2 months after they left the Mexican village of La Navidad. In early January of the following year, the discoverer dies. He was buried on the island of San Miguel, which was later renamed in honor of Cabrillo, and the log with the data that he recorded during the expedition is transferred to Ferrelo's homeland. To this day, this book is kept in the archives of Spanish Seville.

It takes more than two centuries before the next group of missionaries land on this site. This time the leader was Gaspar Portol. Juan Crespi was also a member of the group - it was he who noted in the documents that this territory is suitable for life.

In 1771, present-day Los Angeles (California) receives another missionary who named his "cause" after the Archangel Gabriel. It was Junipero Serra. At that time, almost 3,000 Indians inhabited this area of the globe, who formed 30 settlements. And 10 years later, next to a group of missionaries led by Serra, consisting of 46 people, Governor Felipe de Neve orders the founding of the village. They named the village in honor of Mary (The Village of the Virgin Mary -queens of angels). The village grew little by little, but turned into a large secular town only by the 20th year of the 19th century. At that time, 650 people already lived here.

Los Angeles belonged to Mexico for some time after the state gained independence. But after the defeat from America, the city became part of the United States. The peace treaty was signed in 1848. A couple of years later, the settlement received the status of a city, and after another 26 years, in 1876, the construction of the Los Angeles railroad was completed.

The main industry here was the cultivation of oranges and some other citrus fruits. Thanks to this, the number of local residents has increased dramatically: from 2200 to 100,000 people! In 1892, oil deposits were discovered, and just over 30 years later, Los Angeles (California, photo below) "absorbed" ¼ of the world's gasoline production.

In 1913, an aqueduct was built to provide the future metropolis with water. In short, since then, life in Los Angeles has been in full swing: the aviation industry has developed, numerous film studios have opened, and in 1932 they even held the tenth Olympic Games.

When World War II began, the city seemed to breathe new life into itself, although, it would seem, it should be the other way around. German figures of art, culture and science, who fled from Nazism, began to gather in Los Angeles. Among these people are such famous personalities as Thomas Mann (writer, Nobel Prize winner in 1929), Lion Feuchtwanger (German writer of Jewish origin) and Fritz Lang (film director). In 1942, when World War IIwith might and main "walked" on the ground, by decree of Roosevelt, local residents of Japanese origin (and these are thousands of people) are taken out of the city and settled in closed camps.

After the end of hostilities, the city again began to grow rapidly in breadth. Skyscrapers and new highways appeared. Then came the "dashing 90s", when riots took place on the streets of the metropolis, during which a large number of people were injured and killed. The reason is Nazi hostility. The fact is that in 1992, 4 white-skinned policemen beat up a guy of the Negroid race. But the last straw for blacks was the acquittal of human rights activists in court. The riots continued for almost a week. Then special forces were brought into the city, and the instigators were arrested.

In the mid-1990s, plans were made to separate Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley from Los Angeles. The reason was an earthquake, due to which many municipal buildings, infrastructure facilities and residential buildings turned into piles of stones. However, after the general vote in 2002, it became clear that the partition was not destined to materialize.

Official and unofficial symbols of Los Angeles

Now it is known,in which state Los Angeles is located, and how it appeared on Earth. It's time to get acquainted with the symbols and coat of arms of the city. First of all, tourists want to visit Hollywood and walk along the Avenue of Stars. Therefore, it is worth mentioning the unofficial symbol first. The HOLLYWOOD sign is located on Mount Lee, which rises 490 meters above sea level. HoweverThis area is well guarded, so there is no way to get there. But do not be upset - a beautiful landscape opens from the observation deck of Griffith Park. From here you can also take a photo for memory against the background of a popular sign.

Now about the official symbol - the coat of arms. It is colorful, but not variegated, as only 7 colors are used, which are in perfect harmony with each other. First of all, the heraldry resembles the year of foundation of the City of Angels - 1781. It is a circle with inscriptions and plants, in the middle of which there is a shield. It is divided into 4 parts, and each has a specific meaning. Knowing the history, it is not difficult to understand it, since these parts symbolize countries that are somehow connected with Los Angeles. In the upper right corner is a scarlet bear and a star - this is the flag of California in 1846. Nearby, that is, on the left, you can see the US flag. In the lower right part there is a tower and a lion, reminiscent of the kingdoms of León and Castile (recall that the discoverers were from this particular state). And the last corner is reserved for an eagle tormenting a snake - once the coat of arms of Mexico.

Climatic conditions

Los Angeles (California, USA), the photo of which is present in this article, is characterized by a Mediterranean climate. It has mild wet winters and dry hot summers. But the temperature in the desert and on the coast is significantly different. Precipitation occurs mainly in mountainous areas. In the middle of summer, the temperature can vary between 17-24 degrees Celsius, and in winter - +9 … +19 °С.

City of Los Angeles, California Development Plan

Given that the City of Angels was built up at lightning speed, it does not have a clear layout. The peculiarity lies in the fact that over time, the surrounding villages joined the “main” part of the settlement. Today Los Angeles consists of Midtown, Hollywood, San Pedro, Sylmar, Watts, Westwood, Bel Air and Boyle Heights. The suburb forms the San Fernando Valley. So, it turns out that Los Angeles surrounds Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Carvel City. And it is also divided into 2 parts by the Santa Monica Mountains, which is why it has five main zones:

• Westside.
• Downtown.
• South Los Angeles.
• East LA.
• Port area.

Main attractions

Now, knowing which state Los Angeles belongs to, you can safely plan your trip. Since it is the show business capital of the world, it is not surprising that tourists begin their journey with a visit to Hollywood. First you should go to the Kodak Theater. This is exactly the place where the Oscar ceremony is held. Tours are conducted here, you can freely go inside.

Next on the list - Walk of Fame, or Stars. Probably, you should not linger on it for a long time with a description, since everyone knows this attraction. One can only mention that the alley will stretch for 18 blocks. Little hint: to see the prints of Robert De Niro, Charlie Chaplin, Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Jim Carrey andMarilyn Monroe, you need to go to the small Avenue of Stars, located in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. By the way, this building is a masterpiece of Asian architecture. It also often shows premieres of the best films.

For lovers of stunning landscapes, the Griffith Observatory is open, and movie fans should definitely visit the Warner Brothers and Universal Studios. Those wishing to meet a celebrity while walking along a beautiful street are advised to go to Rodeo Drive. In Downtown, you can see huge skyscrapers, and a little further from this area - Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean quarters.

Little known places of interest

Of course, this place cannot be called little known, but it is not popular either. This is the Museum of Death (Los Angeles, California, USA). It is included in the list of the most terrible museums in the world. Indeed, this is a terrible place that a person with a shattered nervous system should not visit. As well as people especially impressionable. Here are collected huge collections of works of art, the authors of which are … serial killers! On the walls are photographs that depict scenes of murders, autopsies of victims, and even terrible accidents. There are separate rooms with funeral paraphernalia, gloomy exhibits demonstrating the process of murder or suicide. In general, the Museum of Death (Los Angeles, California) will leave a lasting impression in the soul.

A few more places to visit:

• Cocktail bar "No Vacancies". Located in the buildingformer kindergarten, where the children of Charlie Chaplin went. The house was built in 1913. Today it is a beautiful establishment, which is made in the style of a bar of the XX century.
• Open air cinema. Located in the center of the city. There are parking spaces for cars and a lawn for pedestrians. You can watch old and new films - if you're lucky.
• Hollywood Cemetery. Many celebrities are buried here, so those who want to honor the memory of their favorite actor should definitely go to this place.

Shopping in LA

Besides the film industry, Los Angeles is famous for its excellent shopping opportunities. The main place for the implementation of this goal is Rodeo Drive. This street is full of boutiques selling clothes, shoes and accessories from famous brands such as Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Chanel and Prada. But lovers of souvenirs should head to Hollywood Boulevard.

Interesting about Los Angeles: various events and holidays

Los Angeles - which state of America? It is known that the city is located in California, but it will also be interesting to know that it ranks 2nd in the US in terms of population.

Interesting holidays and events are regularly held. For example, on New Year's Eve, the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl football championship are held here. In the second month of the year, a celebration is organized in honor of African American history, during which theatrical and musical performances are held, lectures are given and films are watched. March - Nightnights. Such an interesting name was given to the Oscar ceremony. In May they celebrate the Victory Day of the Mexicans over the French in 1862, and in June there is a parade of sexual minorities. A pop festival is held throughout the summer, and in August there are surfer competitions on the beaches of Hermosa, Manhattan and Redondo. At the beginning of autumn, you can visit the world's largest Los Angeles County Fair, and the second month of autumn offers you to enjoy the International Film Festival. In December there is an interesting Christmas parade.

Official holidays

• New Year - January 1.
• Martin King Memorial Day falls on the third Monday of the first month.
• The third Monday in February is George Washington's birthday.
• The last Monday in May is the Feast of Remembrance.
• Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th.
• At the end of July, the 21st is President's Day.
• The first Monday in September is Labor Day.
• On the second Monday in October, Americans commemorate Columbus.
• The fourth Thursday of November is Thanksgiving.
• Christmas in America is celebrated on December 25th.

What not every tourist knows: interesting facts

You need to know everything about Los Angeles (what state, history of foundation, and so on), in particular, some interesting facts:

1. Locals are called Angelenos.
2. Americans call their small homeland L. A., or LA.
3. City port is the busiestall over the world.
4. Walking the streets, you can easily stumble upon the filming process.
5. Most of the businesses here are owned by the fair sex.
6. There is almost no public transport in the City of Angels.
7. There are more than 2.5 thousand stars on the Walk of Fame.

Tourists about Los Angeles

Well, now, knowing in which state the city of Los Angeles is located, you can go on a grand walk. Moreover, this is advised by all tourists who once visited LA, and especially those people who moved to the City of Angels for permanent residence. Los Angeles is a stunning, colorful, chic and attractive place in every way, so if there is even the slightest opportunity to visit here, you should definitely use it.