Richmond is the capital and one of the largest cities in the US state of Virginia. The English exploration of the area dates to 1607, and 30 years later Thomas Stegg established a trading post here. In 1645, Fort Charles was built on the site, but it took until 1733 before the small settlement was named Richmond, because the river here reminded of the Thames in England. In 1737 the city was laid out according to William Mayo’s plan, and in 1779 Richmond replaced Williamsburg as the state capital.

After American independence, Richmond became an important industrial city and canals were built for the important river transport. During the American Civil War, Richmond was the largest industrial city in the southern states, and it was the capital of the Confederate States of America in the years 1861-1865. After the Civil War, growth came again in the city, which once more became an industrial city with, among other things, a large tobacco production, and in 1888 the USA’s first electric tram line opened in Richmond. Throughout the 20th century, the city’s growth continued.

Today, Richmond is a historically important city with many exciting sights. Downtown Richmond is characterized by many modern skyscrapers that line Main Street and Broad Street and side streets. There are several styles among the buildings, such as art deco, which can be seen on the Central National Bank building from 1929, located on the corner of Broad Street and 3rd Street. You can also see older buildings such as the First National Bank Building from 1914.

The pinnacle of attractions in Richmond is in the so-called Capitol District at the southeast end of downtown. It is a neighborhood that is the political center of the city and state with the Virginia State Capitol as the central building. The State Capitol is Virginia’s government building, which was built 1785-1788 after designs by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau with inspiration from the Roman temple Maison Carrée in Nîmes, France.

The original temple section in the center of the Capitol was expanded with two wings in 1904, giving it its current appearance, which also stands as one of twelve government buildings in the United States without a dome. The Virginia State Capitol is one of the most important buildings of the city and state, and it is the only building in the country, besides the United States Capitol in Washington, that has had the status of a national government building. It was during the American Civil Warm where it was the political center of the Confederate States of America.

There are ministerial buildings and other bodies such as the Virginia Supreme Court around the Virginia State Capitol. East of the Capitol, you can see the Virginia Executive Mansion, the state’s official governor’s residence, which it has been since 1813. North of the Capitol, you can see several monuments along Capitol Square, and Old City Hall is also located here along Broad Street. The Neo-Gothic house was built 1886-1894 and served as the city’s town hall until the 1970s.

There is also quite a bit of Southern history to explore in Richmond. You can visit the White House of the Confederacy, which was President Jefferson Davis’ primary office and residence from August 1861 to April 1865. The house became the presidential residence after the first white house in the confederate states, which was in Montgomery in the state of Alabama. The building was constructed as a residence in 1818, and today it is a museum belonging to the American Civil War Museum.

One can also visit the large and landscaped Monument Avenue, located northwest of downtown Richmond. Until 2020, monuments to Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, James Ewell Brown Stuart, and Matthew Fontaine Maury could be seen along the street, thus serving as a major memorial to those who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The largest and most famous monument was the equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee, which until 2021 stood in the roundabout between Monument Avenue and Allen Avenue.

Of course, there are also quite a few other attractions in Richmond, such as St. John’s Episcopal Church. It is the city’s oldest church, which was built in 1741, and which is known to be the site of Patrick Henry’s speech with the words ‘Give me liberty or give me death!’ in 1775. One can also visit the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which is an art museum with a huge collection and fine exhibitions of art from around the world. Among the highlights is the largest collection of Fabergé eggs outside of Russia.

You can also enjoy Richmond’s many recreational areas during a visit to the city. There are nice walking and cycling trails along the James River, where there are also several parks such as the gardens around the Maymont mansion. Here you can, for example, go for a walk in the local arboretum and Japanese garden. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is another option. It is a botanical garden, which offers both greenhouses and many and varied garden plants.