Your country�s capital cities

Here is the capital building of the great state of Washington in Olympia, WA
I lived in Olympia while I attended The Evergreen State College.
It is suppose to have one of the largest dome structures in the world and it has huge bronze doors despicting the pioneer history of Washington state. The architecture is largely Greek revival and it is an awesome building. I could not handle the rain in Olympia. It rained all the time but the temperate rain forests around the campus were nice. It was strange seeing ferns growing on trees.

Stockholm was founded as a castle in the mid 13th century to protect the entrance of Lake M�laren, who often was visited by pirates from the Baltics. It also became an important trading port and centre for goverment. But it was first in the early 17th century that the city officially was declared capital 

Originally posted by eaglecap Here is the capital building of the great state of Washington in Olympia, WA I lived in Olympia while I attended The Evergreen State College. It is suppose to have one of the largest dome structures in the world and it has huge bronze doors despicting the pioneer history of Washington state. The architecture is largely Greek revival and it is an awesome building. I could not handle the rain in Olympia. It rained all the time but the temperate rain forests around the campus were nice. It was strange seeing ferns growing on trees.

Had you seen this 700 years old painting of it:

Nice- I would love to go there someday!!
I have been to: Great Britain; England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Also; Italy, Greece, France, Switzerland and Holland. I just love Europe and I have learned the art of not looking so obvious as an American. I could spot Americans no matter what race they were.
I lived in Montana for a short period so here is there state capital in Helena, Montana. Another state capital with a Greek name!!

I like Montana's small population and snowy winters!!

AMericas capital: sad building 100% hobos and beauracrats, not evne a very big city, shouldnt even be the captial...makes me sad

Bedfore Rome was conquered, Italy had Turin and Florence as capitals, for a short time. There is no more than that, however

Originally posted by tzar Capitals?! Ho ho we have many capitals! - the majors are Pliska, Preslav,Ohrid, Tarnovo, Sofia. And some other like Prespa, Vidin, Kaliakra, Plovdiv. Are they enough?

Hi, That's quite a list. But it would be even more interesting if you could share some of the histories behind them.

For example - China,

The present day capital of PRC, Beijing, traced its origins to the State of Yan during the Warring States Era from 5th century BC to 221 BC, when it was known as Ji (one of the many names it would have in history). The State of the Yan was the northernmost civilised state that survived until just prior to the State of Qin unified the others.

After unification under Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.) and Han dynasty (206 B.C.-AD 220), the epicentre of the empire moved to the Central Plains, with Chang An (present-day Xi An) and Luo Yang as capitals for several centuries. Luo Yang had been a capital during the the Zhou dynasty and commanded strong respect for traditionalists and orthodoxy in the Chinese psyche. Chang An was built by the first emperor of the Han dynasty because it was ideally located with strategic mountain passes for defence, the hinterland of SiChuan for food production and it was upriver from the vassal lords - the Imperial army could sail downstream to quell rebellions.

During the Age of the Three Kingdoms (AD 220-280), Chang An and Luo Yang were devastated by civil wars. The northern Wei kingdom had its base in Xu Chang though Luo Yang remained officially the capital. The southern Wu kingdom built a new city Shou Chun/Jian Ye (forerunner of present day Nanjing) near the site of old capital of the state of Wu from the Warring States era. The western Shu kingdom established ChengDu as its capital. The (Western) Jin dynasty (A.D. 265-316) which reunified the country had its capital in the revived Luo Yang.

Nomadic tribes of various ethnic groups overran northern China, all the way to the Yellow River, heralding the start of the Sixteen Kingdoms era in the northern half of the country. Numerous states established in the north used many former capital cities of the states from the Warring States Era. Meanwhile, the remnant of the Jin dynasty entrenched itself in the south, renaming Jian Ye as Jiang Kang for its capital.

Eventually, the country was reunified by the Sui dynasty (A.D. 581-618) from the north, and the capital returned to Chang An. It remained capital during the Tang dynasty (A.D. 618-907) which succeeded the Sui.

After the fall of the Tang came the period known as Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (A.D. 907-960) - when central China was ruled by a series of Five dynasties, and the rims of the country divided into ten principal states. During this time, due to devastation of the former capitals, a new capital was established at Kai Feng. It was built on the site of Da Liang, which served as the capital of the State of Wei from the Warring States era. It continued to serve as capital for the (Northern) Song dynasty (A.D. 960-1279).

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, the northern state of Han presented numerous territories, of which present-day Beijing was part of, to the Khitan state of Liao. This gave the Khitans a northern foothold in China proper and led to numerous hostilities with the Song dynasty. Allying with the Jurchens (forerunner of the later Manchus), the Khitans were crushed. But the Jurchens turned against their allies, the Song dynasty, and conquered the northern half of China. The remnant of the Song dynasty fled south, establishing the Southern Song Dynasty (A.D. 1127-1279) with capital in Lin An, present day Hang Zhou.

The Jurchens established their new capital at Da Xing, present day Beijing.

Both the Jurchen state and the Southern Song were eventually conquered by the Mongols who established the Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1271-1368). The first Yuan emperor, Kublai Khan, named his capital Da Du at present day Beijing.

The Mongols were overthrown by ethnic Hans who established the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644)) and their capital at Nanjing. The third Ming emperor shifted the capital north back to Beijing in order to better deal with the Mongols, and also because it was the seat of his principality before usurping the throne from his nephew, the second emperor of Ming.

When Manchus successfully invaded China, they made Beijing their second capital after their original capital at Mudken, known as Shen Yang today. The Manchus founded the Qing dynasty (AD 1644-1911).

The Chinese revolution which overthrew the Manchus had its capital at first at Nanjing, then Beijing, when Yuan ShiKai became president, then at Nanjing again, under the Republic of China. The northern part of the country was fractured into territories controlled by military warlords. When the Japanese invaded, the ROC moved the capital inland, first to Xi An, then to Chong Qing.

After WW2, the capital returned back to Nanjing.

After the victory of the Chinese Communist Party over the KMT, the capital returned to Beijing.

Portugal is currently on its 4th capital city, which was also the second.

Coimbra was the first capital of independent Portugal in 1143.

Lisbon took its place in 1255.

In 1808 the King fled the country for the colony of Brazil, leaving the general staff with them, thus transfering the capital to Rio de Janeiro.

He returned in 1822, giving Lisbon again its position as Capital of Portugal to this day.

Ciudad de Mexico.
However, during the XIX some other cities were appointed as provisional capitals as Veracruz, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua City and Paso del Norte ( Juarez City ).

Originally posted by Quetzalcoatl The sagas say it was founded by Harald Hardrada (the one who died at Stamford Bridge), in 1048 1066 actually.

I don't know why i wrote that number. You are right of course.