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According to legend, Montepulciano was founded by the Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Chiusi; recent findings prove that a settlement was already in existence in the 4th-3rd centuries BCE. In Roman times it was the seat of a garrison guarding the main roads of the area.<br/><br/> After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it developed as a religious center under the Lombards. In the 12th century it was repeatedly attacked by the Republic of Siena, which the Poliziani faced with the help of the Perugia and Orvieto, and sometimes Florence, communes. The 14th century was characterized by constant struggles between the local noble families, until the Del Pecora family became rulers of the town.<br/><br/> From 1390, Montepulciano was a loyal ally (and later possession) of Florence and, until the mid-16th century, lived a period of splendour with architects such as Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Ippolito Scalza and others, building luxurious residences and other edifices here. In 1559, when Siena was conquered by Florence and Montepulciano lost its strategic role, its importance declined.
According to legend, Montepulciano was founded by the Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Chiusi; recent findings prove that a settlement was already in existence in the 4th-3rd centuries BCE. In Roman times it was the seat of a garrison guarding the main roads of the area.<br/><br/> After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it developed as a religious center under the Lombards. In the 12th century it was repeatedly attacked by the Republic of Siena, which the Poliziani faced with the help of the Perugia and Orvieto, and sometimes Florence, communes. The 14th century was characterized by constant struggles between the local noble families, until the Del Pecora family became rulers of the town.<br/><br/> From 1390, Montepulciano was a loyal ally (and later possession) of Florence and, until the mid-16th century, lived a period of splendour with architects such as Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Ippolito Scalza and others, building luxurious residences and other edifices here. In 1559, when Siena was conquered by Florence and Montepulciano lost its strategic role, its importance declined.
Colombo's Town Hall, designed by S. J. Edwards, was completed in 1927 during the British colonial era.<br/><br/> Colombo is the largest city and former capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island, adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital.<br/><br/> Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins. It has a city population of 647,100 (2010). Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815, and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948.<br/><br/> In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other municipal and urban councils. The main city is home to a majority of Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues. Famous landmarks in Colombo include Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park and the National Museum.
The Indian general election of 1951–52 elected the first Lok Sabha since India became independent in August 1947. Until this point, the Indian Constituent Assembly had served as an interim legislature.<br/><br/> The Indian National Congress (INC) won a landslide victory, winning 364 of the 489 seats and 45% of the total votes polled. This was over four times as many votes as the second-largest party. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the country.
Kolkata's Roman Doric style Town Hall was built in 1813 by architect Major General John Garstin (1756 - 1820). It was used originally as a social venue for Europeans living in the town.<br/><br/> The tax records of Mughal Emperor Akbar (1584–1598) as well as the work of a 15th century Bengali poet, Bipradaas, both mention a settlement named Kalikata (thought to mean ‘Steps of Kali’ for the Hindu goddess Kali) from which the name Calcutta is believed to derive.<br/><br/> In 1690 Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company, founded the first modern settlement in this location. In 1698 the company purchased the three villages of Sutanuti, Kolikata and Gobindapur. In 1727 the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was formed and the city’s first mayor was appointed.<br/><br/> In 1756 the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, seized Calcutta and renamed the city Alinagar. He lost control of the city within a year and Calcutta was transferred back to British control. In 1772 Calcutta became the capital of British India on the orders of Governor Warren Hastings.<br/><br/> In 1912 the capital was transferred to New Delhi while Calcutta remained the capital of Bengal. Since independence and partition it has remained the capital and chief city of Indian West Bengal.