Ugliest City in Western Europe?

[Langur]

The only reason some people have suggested "London" is because it's the city that attracts the most envy in Europe. This is clear on many threads on Euroscrapers. Perhaps the most illuminating was the "what country do you identify with?" thread on the DLM. Very few Europeans selected Britain. That says it all. Britain is viewed as part of a different cultural block, "the English speaking world". The Britain/Europe rejection is often mutual. Many Europeans deal with their inferiority complex towards the dominant culture by disaparging the English speaking world at every opportunity. Sad but true.

Central London's West End, and indeed West London in general, have some of the finest and most elegant streets and public spaces in the world That's why billionaires from all over the world go to live there. I think the grand Victorian terraces, garden squares, crescents, parks etc of neighbourhoods like Mayfair, Belgravia, St James's, Victoria, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Chelsea, Holland Park, Notting Hill, Bayswater, Paddington, Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury, Regent's Park, St John's Wood etc are absolutely gorgeous. They have some of the grandest streetcapes in the world. These photos are from a previous thread I posted. I repost them here because this is the only photo thread I have ever prepared on "classical West London". Unfortunately far too many UK forumers have an excessive focus on new developments in places like the City and Canary Wharf and fail to do justice to the metropolis as a whole. However note that this is just one of the many styles of "classcial" buildings, streets, and squares of West London:



Here are some of the famous terraces of John Nash that I was referring to earlier. This is known as the Regency style in London (from the time of the Regency in the early C19th). The Nash terraces are mainly around Regent's Park and The Mall. There are of course hundreds of white collonaded streets in West London - especially around Paddington, Belgravia, and Kensington but the Nash terraces are the simplest and some of the oldest.


Carlton House Terrace on The Mall (close to Buckingham Palace):






Park Crescent (near Regent's Park):










Cumberland Terrace (next to Regent's Park):














Hannover Terrace (next to Regent's Park):








Chester Terrace (next to Regent's Park):








The London Business School (next to Regent's Park):

[Langur]

If you find the above too cold and classical - too antisceptic - then here are a couple of photos from Mayfair and Kensington. These brick Victorian mansion blocks trimmed with limestone are found on thousands of streets throughout Victoria, Mayfair, St James's, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, and are quite common in Belgravia, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Paddington, Holland Park, St John's Wood too (where they are mixed in with white/cream terraces like those above):



image hosted on flickr




It would take me half a lifetime to post photos of all the different architectural styles in London and I have no intention of trying. There is endless variety and architectural surprises around every conrner in this huge city. These photos of non-famous non-landmark buildings are just the tip of the iceberg. They show nothing of the gentle beauty of Bloomsbury squares, the Medieval tranquility of the Inns of Court, the pastel coloured houses of Chelsea and Fulham, the deer in the mist in Richmond Park, the stunning greenhouses at Kew etc etc. They're just a few examples of two styles that are commonly found throughout west/central London. However they're hopefully enough to stop anyone pretending that this is "Europe's ugliest city". Actually London is one of the grandest and most magnificent cities in the world which is hardly surprising given its past and present greatness.

[brisavoine]

I don't know what's the "ugliest" city, but the ugly cities in Western Europe are in general the 19th century industrial cities, especially those that were bombed during the war. Cities that come to mind: Bilbao (save the Guggenheim), Lens, Charleroi, Ruhr, Birmingham, and so forth.

[Darryl]

This thread is titled "the Ugliest City in Western Europe". It is not a thread to showcase London's beauty. If you want to do that, start your own thread about how fabulously gorgeous London is. Get over your insecurity. The "penis measuring contests" that go on here on SSC get really irritating. Some people on here are so fervent in their love affair with their own city they'll jump at any opportunity to shove it in everybody's face. It borders on creepy obsession.

Please post pictures on UGLY cities and why you consider them to be the ugliest in Western Europe. We'll go check out a London thread if we want to be educated about it's beauty.

[Kampflamm]

We need to see pics of Ferraris in London!

[Kampflamm]

BTW, I hope no one is offended but major Greek cities (Athens, Thessaloniki) look like one big mess from what I've seen. Greek Islands and several smaller cities are great though.

EDIT: Is Greece part of "western Europe"?

[Langur]

Originally Posted by Darryl

This thread is titled "the Ugliest City in Western Europe". It is not a thread to showcase London's beauty. If you want to do that, start your own thread about how fabulously gorgeous London is. Get over your insecurity. The "penis measuring contests" that go on here on SSC get really irritating. Some people on here are so fervent in their love affair with their own city they'll jump at any opportunity to shove it in everybody's face. It borders on creepy obsession.

Please post pictures on UGLY cities and why you consider them to be the ugliest in Western Europe. We'll go check out a London thread if we want to be educated about it's beauty.

Well if you could be bothered to read the thread you will see that London has been nominated as an ugly city. It's not a crime to respond when you think a suggestion is ridiculous. Paris and Cologne have also been nominated (also ridiculous) and I wouldn't burst a blood vessel if someone from one of those cities came on here and responded with photos showing the contrary.

[Kampflamm]

Cologne really is quite ugly. I should know...

[Patrick]

which contrary? the cathedral? this one is breathtaking, for sure, but one building (or a few other churches) makes not a whole city. I agree with Paris being not ugly though.

[lindenthaler]

IMO my definitely favourite is Duisburg

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

Cologne really is quite ugly. I should know...

Look at your own pictures in your own Cologne thread and tell me honestly that Cologne is the ugliest city in Western Europe. Why do Germans love shitting on themselves?

[Kampflamm]

I chose the most beautiful spots. Don't get me wrong, Cologne is a good place to live in, the atmosphere is nice and the Altstadt is ok because they kept part of old layout (with ugly modern architecture) but it certainly is no architectural gem.

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by Langur

Well if you could be bothered to read the thread you will see that London has been nominated as an ugly city. It's not a crime to respond when you think a suggestion is ridiculous. Paris and Cologne have also been nominated (also ridiculous) and I wouldn't burst a blood vessel if someone from one of those cities came on here and responded with photos showing the contrary.

I did see that, and found it to be equally as ridiculous. It's just when I click on a thread entitled "Ugliest City" I don't expect to see 30+ pics proving the beauty of a particular city. London is not by a long shot the ugliest city. I don't mind refuting someone's choice (as I did for Cologne and now London as well), just relax a little with the photo tour that's all. London, of all places, hardly needs to be defended.

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

I chose the most beautiful spots. Don't get me wrong, Cologne is a good place to live in, the atmosphere is nice and the Altstadt is ok because they kept part of old layout (with ugly modern architecture) but it certainly is no architectural gem.

I'd love your answer on the second part of my question.

[Patrick]

we're realistic
please give more examples of this shitting, for a better understanding and better answering

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by Patrick

we're realistic
please give more examples of this shitting, for a better understanding and better answering

Oh jeez. That would need a whole thread in itself. In fact, I'm thinking of starting one. Be sure to share your comments when I do.

The German culture of guilt, shame, and self hate is NOT cute. You don't realize how good you have it (or I suspect you do but you don't think it's ok to acknowledge publicly).

Anyway, back on topic (since I just asked someone else to stay on topic). I cannot nominate a city for ugliest because although I've been to Europe ten times, I never saw a really ugly city! We don't come to Europe to tour ugly places. By far the ugliest city I've ever seen was Yoshkar Ola in Russia, but that is not in Western Europe, so it doesn't count.

[SkaNdErBeG]

Athens:



image hosted on flickr



image hosted on flickr



image hosted on flickr



image hosted on flickr

[brisavoine]

EDIT (too many pics)

[brisavoine]

EDIT (too many pics).

[brisavoine]

EDIT (too many pics) .