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Indianapolis Sister City Program
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A.
Indianapolis Sister City Program
200 East Washington Street
Suite 2500
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.327.3601 (tel.)
317.327.3600 (fax)
 
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Bank One Tower
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Köln (Cologne), Germany
Cologne is the oldest of the major German cities. Its name goes back to the Romans, who gave their city the name of "Colonia" in 50 A.D. Rome's imperial governor resided here and the city quickly developed into one of the empire's most important trade and manufacturing centers north of the Alps.
The Romans also brought Christianity to Cologne and it quickly became a diocesan town. Following the confusion of the transitional period in which the city came under the rule of the Franks, Charlemagne founded the archbishopric of Cologne in 785. The Archbishop of Cologne, one of the most important feudal lords in the Holy Roman Empire, became Chancellor for Italy (11th C.) and Elector (14th C.).
 
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SS. Peter & Mary Cathedral
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Monza, Italy
The origins of the historical city of Monza dates back to Celtic times. The historic importance of the city evolved during Longobard times when Queen Teodelinda converted the population to Catholicism.
The main monument of the town is the splendid Cathedral built in the 14th century and dedicated to St. John the Baptist, patron saint of Monza.
This city of 121,000 is home to the Famous Monza Race Track, where the Italian F1 Grand Prix is held.
 
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Monza Cathedral
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Piran, Slovenia
The Municipality of Piran, with 17,500 residents, is renowned as the most tourist-developed municipality in Slovenia. The rich tradition of the municipality reaches back to the times of the Roman Empire.
The tourist center of Portoroz offers an abundance of entertainment, relaxation, and cultural satisfaction for tourists of all ages with its beaches, hotels, restaurants, sports facilities, and especially its casino. The Portoroz Marina, said to the best equipped on the Adriatic, is a starting point for many yacht cruises on the Adriatic.
 
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Piran
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Taipei, Taiwan
The city of Taipei is located in the northern part of Taiwan. It lies off the eastern coast of Asia and is the largest body of land between Japan and the Philippines.
In prehistoric times, the basin in which the city of Taipei and its suburbs are now located was a large lake. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, Taipei Basin was originally the home of plains-dwelling indigenous peoples.
Although left alone for most of its early history, the Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish controlled much of the island of Taiwan for parts of the 16th and 17th centuries. It was the Portuguese who named it "Formosa" (Beautiful Island). In 1662, the Dutch surrendered Taiwan to the Ming-dynasty patriot Koxinga. In 1683, the Manchus of the Qing Dynasty, led by General Shi Lang, took over Taiwan. The Qing Dynasty then gave Taiwan to Japan in 1895 when the former lost the Sino-Japanese War. In 1945, Japan gave up their claim to Taiwan, and the Republic of China, which had been founded by Sun Yat-Sen in 1912, assumed control. In 1949, when the civil war on the mainland ended, two million refugees led by Chiang Kai-Shek fled from the mainland to Taiwan, which became known as "Nationalist China." Chiang Kai-Shek continued to call his regime the Republic of China.
Taiwan is also referred to as "Bao Dao" (Treasure Island), and Taiwan indeed has become more of a treasure and more beautiful than ever. Its capital city Taipei boasts the breathtaking world's tallest building, the Taipei Financial Center (or "Taipei 101"). Another important building in Taipei that showcases Taiwan's progress is the Presidential Office Building; it is the seat of power for Taiwan's vibrant democracy.
 
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Taipei
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