Among the most famous cities in the world, Los Angeles (California, USA) is one of the first places. This is one of the largest cities in North America, known as the center of the global entertainment industry. Tourists, aspiring actors, directors seek here. Life is constantly in full swing in the city, something is always happening here, there is something to see and do.
Geographical position
Los Angeles (California, USA) is located on the West Coast of the Pacific Ocean. The settlement is located in a comfortable low-lying lagoon, surrounded on all sides by the mountains of San Gabriel, Santa Ana and Santa Monica. The region is irrigated by the waters of the Los Angeles River, most of which is walled into a pipe. In the hot months, it almost dries up. The area around the city has a diverse landscape, there are hills, plains, swamps. The proximity of mountain systems makes this area a seismic hazard, in the 20th century there were 4 fairly large earthquakes. A favorable geographical position creates the conditions for the formation of diverse flora and fauna.
Climate and weather
The city of Los Angeles (California) is located in the subtropical climate zone. Living conditions (temperature and humidity) are similar to the Mediterranean. But Los Angeles has almost no seasonal temperature fluctuations. Average indicators throughout the year are 14 degrees. In the city, as in all tropical places, two seasons are observed: wet and dry. The first lasts from December to March, the second - from April to November. In summer, temperatures can rise up to 30-40 degrees, but the breeze helps people withstand the heat more easily. In winter, these same sea winds make the weather much milder. The hottest month in Los Angeles is July, when the thermometer reads above 30. The coldest month is December, when the thermometer shows an average of about 14 degrees. In winter, snow occasionally falls in the city, but it melts quickly, and in the mountains at that time there is snow cover sufficient for skiing.
History of the city
Favorable living conditions have long attracted people to the Pacific coast. Research by anthropologists, linguists and archaeologists suggests that the indigenous population lived in the territory of modern California 2-2.5 thousand years ago. These were semi-nomadic tribes that gradually switched to a settled way of life. It has been documented that in the place where Los Angeles, California today stands, the first settlers lived in the 16th century. These were the Indian tribes of Tongwa and Chumash. They were engaged in hunting and fishing, possessed the skills of manufacturing tools and pottery.
In 1542, the Spanish conquerors arrived, led by the Portuguese navigator Cabrillo. After 30 years, the British citizen F. Drake arrived on the same coast, who declared these lands the property of England. This conquest was purely formal, a large migration of Europeans to this region was not observed for another two centuries. At the end of the 18th century, people from different countries and with different goals came here: someone with Christian missions, someone for the purpose of hunting, someone to capture new lands. Moreover, all the conquerors brutally exterminated and expelled the local population.
In the 19th century, part of the land regained its independence from the Spaniards, so Mexico appeared, for a short time Los Angeles was part of it. In the middle of the century, the city was taken over by the United States. In the last quarter of the 19th century, a railway comes here, and the rapid development of the city begins. In the 20th century, the city is growing rapidly, industrial enterprises are opening up, the population is growing, construction is underway. There were several breakthroughs in the development of Los Angeles in the last century: during the Second World War, in the post-war years. Today, the city is a large industrial and economic center of a global scale. Almost 4 million people live here, and if you count the entire agglomeration, then almost 20 million.
sights
The long and rich history of the development of the city has left many monuments that are interesting to any tourist. In addition, Los Angeles (California) has many unique places associated with the entertainment industry, which also attracts travelers here. All sights can be divided into several types:
- everything related to show business (houses of stars, film studios);
- cultural and educational objects (museums, theaters, libraries, observatory, planetarium, Getty Center);
- Architectural monuments (Watts Tower, Bank of the USA and Stratosphere, Disney Concert Hall, City Hall and Capital Records, Union Station);
- historically significant objects (Chinatown, K-town, Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, Rodeo Drive);
- various interesting places surrounded by myths and stories (Grauman's Theater, Venice, Hollywood Boulevard, Disneyland), Zuma Beach.
Hollywood
Los Angeles, California, Hollywood - these are almost synonymous words. For many people, the “Dream Factory” is the most important thing in this region. Hollywood, as a tourist attraction, immediately includes many objects, the inspection of which can take more than one day. These include the famous HOLLYWOOD letters on the side of Mount Lee. They have existed for almost 100 years and have become a real symbol of the city. You can climb to the letters, a beautiful view of the city opens from the site. Of the many film studios that are open to tourists, the oldest is Universal, the most popular. It is a huge theme park with a wide variety of objects and entertainment. Dolby Theater, formerly known as Kodak, which hosts the Oscars, is also a pilgrimage destination for moviegoers. The hottest time in Los Angeles, California is February, when the ceremony takes place. Wishing to see the "red carpet" does not fit not only the city, but also the surrounding areas. Hollywood Boulevard with the famous Avenue of Stars is a cult place where all tourists flock. There are always a lot of characters made up for stars, tourists and aspiring actors.
Getty Center
Los Angeles (California) is known not only for its entertainment facilities, it has many upscale museums. One of the most famous is the Getty Museum Center. It is located on a hilltop, which can be reached by cable car. The complex itself is an architectural masterpiece, you can walk around the garden, viewing the sculptures and admiring the views of the city. The museum collection includes a magnificent collection of works by “old masters”, as well as photography, graphics, sculpture.
Chinatown
At the end of the 19th century, immigrants from Asia create their own area in Los Angeles, so the famous Chinatown appeared. Chinatown is a city in a city. It has its own theater, newspaper, and internal government. But tourists come here to visit the excellent restaurants with authentic Asian cuisine, look at the special architecture and experience the atmosphere. There are a huge number of shops and shops, as well as several huge shopping centers where you can buy everything from antiques to modern gadgets. Tourists should definitely see the building of the Chinese Bank, the Chinese Methodist Church, the old well into which it is customary to throw coins, a 5-step pagoda, a sculpture of the founder of the Republic of China.
Grauman Theater and Walk of Fame
Tourists in Los Angeles need to get to the famous Grauman Theater, which is located in a unique building made in the traditional Chinese style. It can be considered for a very long time. But the fame of the theater brought its garden, which houses a park with handprints of world cinema stars. There are a lot of them, so for convenience there is a special map of “fingerprints”.
Beverly Hills
The residence of many world-class stars is Los Angeles, California. The richest and most famous Beverly Hills area has become a real tourist attraction today. After filming the cult series about the life of the “golden youth”, fans of this film also rushed here. The heart of the area is the famous Rodeo Drive with luxury shops and restaurants, where you can often meet celebrities. It is interesting to walk around the area, looking at chic mansions and enjoying the atmosphere of an eternal holiday.
Things to do
Los Angeles (California), whose photo is constantly adorned by the covers of travel magazines, is of course famous for its atmosphere. Therefore, in addition to the mandatory program with visits to various objects, you need to walk here and visit the most interesting places. Tourists with children just can not miss the oldest and most famous Disneyland, which is located 35 km from the city. For lovers of cognitive relaxation, numerous museums are open, in particular the magnificent Museum of Natural History, the Wax Museum, the famous Museum of Modern Art with a unique collection of works by American artists. Incomplete will be the impression of the city without visiting the famous beaches of Los Angeles. The most famous of them: Venice and Zuma.