Cincinnati is one of the largest cities in the US state of Ohio. The city’s history goes back to 1788, when settlers came to the region and founded several settlements such as Losantiville, which in 1790 was named Cincinnati. The name came from The Society of the Cincinnati, whose name came from the Roman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus.

After a few decades, the city had approximately 2,500 inhabitants, and with paddle steamers on the Ohio River from 1811, Cincinnati developed into an important river port with trade to St. Louis, New Orleans, and other cities. The production of pork meat developed the town in these years, as did the opening of first canals and later railways. Industry boomed in Cincinnati, whose population reached 115,000 in 1850.

Later in the century, six horse-drawn tram lines were established in the city, and the growth continued to 325,000 inhabitants in the year 1900. Throughout the 20th century, the city was hit by major floods in 1937, and it was expanded during continued growth with many high-rise buildings in downtown that formed in the central area north of the Ohio River.

Today, Cincinnati is an interesting city to visit with the many sights to explore. You can start a trip in downtown, located in the area around Fountain Square. Skyscrapers tower the square, the most distinctive being the Carew Tower, which was built in Art Deco from 1927 to 1931. The building has 49 floors, a height of 190 meters and a stunning Art Deco interior.

You can also visit several museums and art venues in downtown Cincinnati. Not least the Contemporary Arts Center, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Taft Museum of Art, housed in a beautiful wooden house from 1820, which was originally Martin Baum’s residence. Among other places, the Taft Museum of Art has works by European masters. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center tells the story of the network of routes for slaves from South to North during the American Civil War.

In the northwest part of the center, you can see Cincinnati City Hall, which was built 1888-1893 in the so-called Richardsonian Romanesque style, which characterized the public buildings of the time. Next to the town hall is the Catholic cathedral, Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, which was built 1841-1845 in Greek temple style to a design by Henry Walter. Opposite the church you can see the Isaac M. Wise Temple synagogue, completed in 1866.

North of downtown is the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, which is a German cultural district in Cincinnati that developed with German settlers from the mid-1800s. The neighborhood is cozy with many old houses that contrast with the modern downtown. 1852 Findlay Market and Rhinegeist Brewery are great examples of places worth visiting in Over-the-Rhine. Architecturally, the Cincinnati Music Hall from 1876-1878 stands as the best-known work.

You should also make it to Cincinnati Union Terminal, which is the city’s main railroad station. The station was opened in 1933 in a magnificent Art Deco style as a unified replacement for five stations in different parts of the city. Amtrak still uses the station, whose main building is home to several interesting museums such as the Cincinnati History Museum and the Museum of Natural History & Science.

With Cincinnati’s location on the Ohio River, it’s also possible to take a stroll to the state of Kentucky, which is immediately south of the river. Several bridges connect the two states with the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge being the most beautiful and well-known. The bridge opened in 1866 as the longest of its type in the world. It was designed by John A. Roebling, who later designed the even more famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.