Welcome to CINCINNATI

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. The municipality is located on the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border. The population within city limits was 333,336 in 2008, making it the state's third largest city. In 2008, the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area had a population of 2,155,137 making it the largest MSA in Ohio, and the 24th most populous in the United States. Residents of Cincinnati are called Cincinnatians.

Cincinnati is considered to have been the first American boomtown in the heart of the country in the early nineteenth century to rival the larger coastal cities in size and wealth. As the first major inland city in the country, it is sometimes thought of as the first purely American city, lacking the heavy European influence that was present on the east coast. However, by the end of the nineteenth century, Cincinnati's growth had slowed considerably, and the city was surpassed in population by many other inland cities.

Cincinnati is home to major sports teams including the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as events like the Cincinnati Masters and the Thanksgiving Day race. The University of Cincinnati traces its foundation to the Medical College of Ohio, which was founded in 1819.

Cincinnati is also known for having one of the larger collections of nineteenth-century Italianate architecture in the U.S., primarily concentrated just north of Downtown in an area known as Over-the-Rhine. Over-the-Rhine is one of the largest historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Culture

Cincinnati is home to numerous festivals and events throughout the year, including:

The city plays host to numerous musical and theater operations, operates a park system currently ranked 4th in the country boasting that any city resident is within a mile of a park, and has a diverse dining culture. Cincinnati's Fountain Square serves as one of the cultural cornerstones of the region.

Cincinnati is identified with several unique foods. "Cincinnati chili" is commonly served by several independent chains, including Skyline Chili, Gold Star Chili, Empress Chili, Camp Washington Chili, and Dixie Chili and Deli. Cincinnati has been called the "Chili Capitol of America" and "the World" because it has more chili restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation or world. Goetta is a meat product popular in Cincinnati, usually eaten as a breakfast food. Cincinnati also has many gourmet restaurants. Until 2005, when the restaurant closed, The Maisonette carried the distinction of being Mobil Travel Guide's longest running five-star restaurant in the country. Jean-Robert de Cavel has opened four new restaurants in the area since 2001, including Jean-Robert's at Pigall's which closed in March 2009. Cincinnati's German heritage is evidenced by the many restaurants that specialize in schnitzels and Bavarian cooking. Another element of German culture remains audible in the local vernacular; some residents use the word please when asking a speaker to repeat a statement. This usage is taken from the German word for please, bitte (a shortening of the very formal, "Wie bitte ist es?" or "How, please is that?" in the literal), which is used in this sense.

Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest continuously-operated public market and one of Cincinnati's most famous institutions. The market is the last remaining market among the many that once served Cincinnati.

In August, 2008 Forbes magazine ranked Cincinnati as tenth in a list of "America's Hard-Drinking Cities".

Tour in Cincinatti

Newport Aquarium

Newport Aquarium showcases over 7,000 aquatic creatures from around the world in a million gallons of water. Named the No. 1 aquarium in the Midwest in the Zagat Survey’s U.S. Family Travel Guide in 2004. A state-of-the art facility, the Newport Aquarium brings to the banks of the Ohio River some of the world's most advanced, creative technology -- not to mention amazing animals -- all designed to take you around the globe, visiting each continent, every ocean and hundreds of waterways in between.

And what a way to travel: Underwater tunnels. See-through floors. Walk-around exhibits. And a touch pool. No one before has combined, with such mesmerizing flare, the magic of entertainment and the power of education. Our underwater tunnels, totaling 200 feet, are among the very few in the world that are completely seamless.

Designed and manufactured in Colorado, each is one solid piece of acrylic, resulting in a 100 percent unobstructed view of the watery world that surrounds you. You'll walk on the wet side in a kelp forest; a moray eel hideaway; a flooded Amazon rainforest; a colorful coral reef; and a shark feeding ground, Surrounded by Sharks.

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Creating Adventure. Conveying Knowledge. Conserving Nature. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is rated one of the top zoos in the nation by Zagat Survey. It has also been recognized by Child Magazine as one of "The 10 Best Zoos for Kids."

More than 1.2 million people visit the zoo’s award-winning exhibits, 500 animals, and 3,000 plant species annually. You’ll find naturalistic habitats featuring animals from every continent, as well as more than 20 lush gardens.

This not-for-profit entity is internationally known for its success in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants, and engages in research and conservation projects around the world. The zoo is an accredited member of the American Zoo & Aquarium Association (AZA), is internationally known for its success in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants, and engages in research and conservation projects worldwide.