Charlotte is the largest city in the US state of North Carolina. The area was settled in the mid-1700s in the current suburb of Elizabeth. Charlotte formally became a town in 1768 and named after Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who was King George III’s queen. In 1775, the so-called Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is believed to have been signed in Charlotte, and it was allegedly the first declaration of independence in the 13 British colonies in the later United States.

In the first half of the 19th century, the city was the center of gold production, and there was a mint in Charlotte. Manufacturing and banking made the city flourish, and growth took off after the American Civil War, when the city became a hub for the region’s railroads. In 1890, more than 11,000 inhabitants lived here, and in 1910 Charlotte became the state’s largest city with 34,000 residents. Since then, Charlotte has grown significantly into one of the most prominent cities in the region.

Today, Charlotte is a city with several sights and attractions and an interesting center with many modern skyscrapers. The center is called Uptown Charlotte, and the center of the neighborhood is considered the intersection of Tryon Street and Trade Street. You can take a walk along Tryon Street, where many of the city’s tallest skyscrapers are located. These include the 265-metre-high Bank of America Corporate Center, which opened in 1992 as North Carolina’s tallest building.

There are quite a few museums to visit in Charlotte, such as the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, which exhibits modern art from various schools and countries. At the Charlotte Museum of History, you get a solid insight into Charlotte’s exciting history from the 18th century to the present day, and on the museum grounds you can also see the Alexander Rock House, which is the city’s oldest house and the only one standing from the time of the American revolution.

In Uptown Charlotte, you can experience an important part of American motorsports history at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which opened in 2010. The NASCAR Hall of Fame tells the story of NASCAR, which stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and which runs several well-known racing series such as The NASCAR Cup Series. Another special attraction is Metalmorphosis southwest of the city center. Metalmorphosis is a sculpture of a human head 7 meters in height, created by Czech David Černý.