Francograd
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Contents |
[edit] List of features and buildings city must have
- Fort Francograd
- Imperial Palace
- Statue of Lady Pacifica
- Triumphal Arch
- Grand Central Francograd Station
- Office of Applications
- Red Protection Court
- Moldavi Square
- Red Protection Court
- The Body Republic
- Office of Info. D & P
- Radio Free Pacifica
- Sir Paul Music Hall
- Stadium of Pacifica
- History museam of the Pacific
- City Zoo
- Bukinin Research Complex
- PCIA
- Special Programmes
- The Pacific Bank
- Pretorian Guard
- The Archives
- University of Franco
- NP Trading Company
- Wikia offices
- Mentor Corps
- Council Chambers
- Military Intelligence
- Military command
- Old City (walled)
- Grand Avenue (Avenue Franco)
- Planned Quarter
- 5th and Franco
- Old Port
- New Port
- Embassy District
- Several Parks
- City Zoo
Francograd is the capital city of Pacifica, (the New Pacific Order). As such, it is the seat of the NPO's military and political power.
Francograd is one of the largest cities on Planet Bob with a burgeoning population of around 12 million citizens. It is built on the largest land mass of the Pacifican Archipelago know as Franco's Spain. The city was renamed in honour of Franco after the August revolution and has steadily grown ever since into the beating heart of Pacifica.
[edit] Introduction to the metropolis
Francograd is home to the largest building in the world; Fort Francograd, the tallest building in the world; The New Pacific Trading Company and the largest single unsupported dome in the world roofing the The Body Republic of the Order.
The city can be characterised into several broad areas. The 'Old City', Moldavi, Franco, Frawley Square and Vladimir.
The visitor to Francograd may at first be overwhelmed by all there is to see and do. The bustling metropolis with it busy streets and plazas can be disorientating at first. Whether they have come to lodge a case with the Red Protection Court, throw themselves at the mercy of the NPO or apply for Pacifican membership, each visitor is guaranteed a warm welcome in Pacifica's showcase city. The best way to orientate oneself is to know that the main thoroughfares are Franco Avenue, which runs SW to NE and 5th which runs West to East. They meet at Moldavi Square (the north western corner of which is known locally as 5th and Franco).
[edit] History
Francograd was founded in the heat of the August Revolution. After the desperate struggle of the freedom fighters, the old city of Thedocopolis was kept given its architectural value (the Old City), but remodelled. The leader of the glorious revolution, Francos Spain, decreed that the city be expanded and improved. The city was to be the shining star of the new order in Pacifica – larger, grander and more magnificent than any yet conceived. It was to be a true monument to the triumph of the Francoism over the bourgeois oppression of the userites.
[edit] Areas of the city
[edit] The Old City
The most tourist friendly part of the city is the Old City, the walled medieval core of Francograd which sits alongside the river Iosef at its narrowest point and huddling between Fort Francograd and the river bank. Its maze of winding chaotic streets is home to many of the city's younger people, small shops and boutiques, restaurants and galleries. The old city is cut in two by Franco Avenue which was driven through the area, although the traditional street layout is intact either side. It sits on the banks of the grand River Iosef.
[edit] Franco Avenue
Franco Avenue is the longest and widest city street in the world and travels dead straight north east to south west, it is lined along most of its length by grand department stores and shopping centres, cinemas and apartments. There is room for 10 lanes of traffic, although 4 of these are used by busses and trams. A central reservation has a line of mature trees which are decorated for events. Where it intersects with 5th Avenue is the vast Moldavi square.
[edit] Moldavi Square
Moldavi Square is the very heart of the city. To the north is Grand Central Francograd, most likely the visitors first sight of the great city. Grand Central is the hub of the cities regional trains (Oderbahn) and has good links with the Francograd Metro; the Francobahn. Franco and 5th on the east bank and to the north of Moldavi Square is the centre of the established and popular Pacifican arts, theatre and music. Many of the largest theatres, music halls and concert venues are to be found here. Just a few streets away is 'The peoples concert hall of Sir Paul', known locally as 'Sir Pauls'. Sir Pauls' is one of the greatest venues on planet bob, its traingular shape giving unparalleled acoustics and vision of the stage. Sir Paul's Pacifican Concerto was first played here in this great Hall.
[edit] Fort Francograd
From Moldavi square looking south west is the sprawling Fort Francograd complex, raised high upon one of two steep hills in the heart of the city. Travelling south along Franco Avenue we reach the gates of the walled city, now directly to the west is the Fort itself. The Fort is the residence of the emperor and also serves as an administrative centre for many of the Imperial Officers of the NPO government. Its lofty towers and white stone walls lit up at night, and glowing in the day's sun
Perhaps the most dominating aspect of Francograd is the Fortress. This massive keep houses the headquarters of all major military Pacifican institutions and is often used for military intelligence, interrogations, and military liaison work. The base of the fortress in a 5-pointed star, 5 stories high and almost a mile in diameter, and is constructed directly on top of a solid bedrock foundation. Above the lower stories is a 10-story pentagonal structure which serves as the headquarters for numerous agencies. At the centre is Franco’s Tower, a skyscraping mass of complicated turrets and towers that rises 1000 feet into the air. Atop the highest tower sits TrotskysRevenge's official office and apartment. It is here that he conducts all his official business – treaties, decrees and death warrants are all signed at his desk. Floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows offer expansive views across the city . The Emperor, however, spends most of his time at other residences throughout Francograd.
The foundation of the fortress, meanwhile, is a rabbit warren of tunnels, command centres and bunkers. This is the Inner Sanctum of Pacifica, from where the Order is commanded in times of war. Rumour has it that the entire basement complex is capable of withstanding a direct nuclear strike. It also contains the reserve vault of the Pacific Bank, which stores hundreds of millions dollars in the form of gold bars. Francograd Fortress represents the last defence of Pacifica against her enemies – and not merely symbolically. The Fortress bristles with heavy artillery, surface-to-air missile launchers, and various other defensive measures. In total, there are:
- Eighteen 16-inch cannons
- Twenty-four 5-inch guns
- Twelve tactical cruise missile launchers (with an unspecified number of missiles)
The guns are often test fired, most notably on such ceremonial occasions as Revolution Day (September 1st) and Franco Memorial Day (July 15th).
[edit] The Embassy Quarter
Within the fort's shadow, just to the north of the Walled city is the embassy district. The embassy district is home to the foreign embassies to the NPO, the grandest and most impressive of which is the 'Palace of Eternal Friendship'; the official embassy of the New Polar Order, which has an entire complex devoted to Pacifican - Polarian relations, including schools for the embassy workers children, a museum and large gardens celebrating the Blue Sphere. A large statue of Electron Sponge stands in Polaris Square, just a few feet away.
[edit] Vladimir
The well planned town, named after Vladimir to the west of the embassy quarter is home to grand town houses and offices and many of the law firms. Grand avenues characterise this area. Across the river Iosef, north of the 5th and Franco lies the grand circles of the Republic district. At the epicentre of the circular layout is The Body Republic of the Order itself.
South of this lies the commercial district with its massive towers and skyscrapers. Although Francograd is quite low rise, here the buildings rise upto almost unimaginable heights. The tallest the 101 storey high New Pacific Trading Company and Stock Exchange is the tallest building on planet bob. This area was the old industrial area before the Great Patriotic war but was extensively damaged by bombing. The area was re-zoned after the war to become the heart of a new high rise commercial district, surrounding Frawley Square.
[edit] Transport
Transport in Fracograd is largely reliant upon its extensive and often cathedral like metro system known locally as the Francobahn. Many of the central stations are incredibly ornate and decorated with murials of Pacifican heros and national leaders. 12 lines travel into the centre of the city with an central circular, mid circular and outer circular line linking areas of the city together. The Oderbahn heavy rail network spiders out from Grand Central Francograd station, which has recently lost its place as the busiest station on planet bob, to the Trading Company in the rapidly diversifying commercial district, an average of 2.1m a day enter and leave the station.
Trams supplement these networks. All of the central tram lines join and travel along Franco Avenue and either pass or terminate at Grand Central Francograd. Many lines radiate out from significant suburban centres, and are often not linked to the central spine along Franco Bvd directly. The high profile centrepiece of Francograds transport network is the new Mid Circular line linking the Zoo, Museam and Grand Central, 5th and Franco, The University and Frawley Square. This is perfect for the tourist as it covers most of the important sites. A new spur from 5th and Franco to the Embassy quarter, via the GPW monument and northern planned city has major technical engineering issues to overcome but Pacifica's finest are now on the job.
[edit] Attractions
[edit] Lady Pacifica
Lady Pacifica with sits upon a granite outcrop high above the city to the South and East vast statue. It was created as a GPW memorial, but has come to represent the pacifican spirit. In the past it was used for many official functions. These days, it is mainly populated with overweight ODN tourists ignoring the Do Not Touch signs and dropping hamburger wrappers.
[edit] Franco Memorial
The memorial to the father of the Revolution, Francos Spain, is a pentagonal courtyard with a five-pointed Star of Pacifica at the centre in Moldavi Square. A Praetorian guard is on duty at the memorial every day of the year, in honour of Franco’s memory. The tomb of Franco is located in a small annex off the main courtyard. The grave is situated at the exact geographical centre of the city, to emphasise Franco’s place at the heart of Pacifica.
[edit] PNN HQ
No trip to Francograd is complete with out a visit to the nerve centre of Planet Bob’s premier news and information service, PNN. Outside the building is a giant metal and glass globe, emblazoned with the Network’s slogan: “Once a week, every day”.
[edit] Dilberworld
Located on the edge of the city, the Dilberworld theme park (slogan: The Most Fun You Can Have with your Pants Off!) is one of Francograd’s most popular tourist destinations. The resort was opened by Emperor Dilber himself and boasts state-of-the-art attractions and services. One feature is the 80-mph rollercoaster “The Pantless Wonder”, which pulls riders through a series of high-G twists, loops and rolls, all without their pants on.
