Urceopolis (City)

Urceopolis is the archcathedral city of Urcea. It is also the cathedral city of the Archduchy of Urceopolis and the largest city and largest metropolitan area in Urcea, both in terms of population and area.

Urceopolis Civitas Urceopolitania
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  The Archcathedral City The Holy City Urbs Aeterna (Latin) The Eternal City
Country	Urcea
Seat	The Praetorium
Government
• Body	Archcathedral Council
• Lord Prefect	Justano Helitra
Area
• Total	3,486 km2 (1,346 sq mi)
Population  (2025)
• Total	19,374,201
• Density	5,529/km2 (14,320/sq mi)
Area codes	212, 516, 518, 646, 718
Website	urceopolis.city.gov

The earliest record of the settlement of Urceopolis comes from accounts during the Latin Heroic Age, but many modern historians believe it probable that small, transient settlements of Gaelic people lived in and around the area prior to the arrival of the Latins.

History

Geography

Boroughs

Urceopolis is divided into twenty four boroughs as well as the Papal State, a sovereign nation existing within its city limits but outside the city's jurisdiction. Old City, New City, the Flats and Aricia, and Crescent are commonly referred to collectively as "the Pale", describing the extent of the city for most of its history. Outside of Urcea, the existence of the Pale as a distinct borough is a common misconception.

the Flats and Aricia

The Flats and Aciria, although now a single borough, consists of two areas of the city which existed during antiquity. Aciria was the port district of the Old City which largely had its own political apparatus during the era of Great Levantia. The adjacent area known as the Flats was originally the city's harbor, sheltered from the Urce River to the west by New City, which was originally a peninsula. The existence of the Flats as a sheltered, usable harbor, is most likely the original reason for the city being established where it is. Changing climate lead to the Flats transitioning from useful harbor land to marshy swamplands around 350 BC, after which much of Aciria's usefulness as a port came to an end as most port operations moved to the areas adjoining the river, especially with the construction of the city of Ardotalia in around 150 AD. Aciria, which had its own system of walls within the city, became an isolated and poor area during most of the Great Levantine and medieval periods, occasionally being repurposed as a quarantine ward for disease outbreaks. The Flats were drained during the initial reign of House de Weluta ca. 1450 and became one of the most fashionable parts of the city, with land being available to build large and lavish structures, including theaters and opera houses as well as urban mansions. Aciria experienced significant growth following the Flats being drained, with the walls separating the two areas eventually coming down to be used as building materials. The two areas subsequently became closely associated since the 17th century, although Aciria's position as a prominent hill relative to the Flats made it a well sought after location. During the 19th century, much of the Flats were demolished in order to erect the Royal Green, which now bisects the borough. It is a common misconception that the area of the borough to the north of the Green is "the Flats" while the area to its south is "Aciria", though this information is commonly taught abroad. Today, the borough is not only home to the Green, the city's major park, but also many museums and government buildings.

Ardriville

Ardriville was established as a fortified bridge crossing and village sometime in the early 12th century.

It is the home of The Dispossessed and, accordingly, has become known as "Noble City". It has the highest amount of current or former nobility per capita of any location in the world. Their presence - which includes a large number of lavish mansions and estates - has become a tourist attraction.

Arelate

Arelate was initially the site of a fortified manor house in the period between the fall of Great Levantia and the rise of the Holy Levantine Empire, and accordingly was one of the few sites of economic activity to the east of Urceopolis. From these beginnings, it became a small town primarily based on mills along the creeks which ran east of the city. During the 19th century, rail lines were established running northeast of Urceopolis through Arelate and neighboring Flucirk, with a junction being established in Arelate in 1862. From there, the population of the area grew exponentially and the mills were replaced with larger industrial manufacturing plants taking advantage of the water power available in the region. It was annexed into the city as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892.

Flucirk

Flucirk was established sometime during the medieval period as a small mill village which grew up around a small country Catholic parish. Its name originates from the Lebhan word for "river church". Flucirk, like neighboring Arelate, became a fast growing area during the 19th century as railroad lines were erected through it running northest. Becoming a relatively major city in its own right, Flucirk was home to many tenement buildings with the rise of rapid transit in Urceopolis area in the latter half of the 19th century. It was annexed into the city as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892.

Elmont

Elmont is likely named for the Latin term "Eletan Mons", meaning hilly area. Largely unsuitable for urban construction, what would become the borough of Elmont was long a popular spot for animal grazing and became the sight of some well known horse riding grounds during the medieval period. Sitting between Narbo Martius and Flucirk, the area was annexed as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892. King Patrick III continued the equine tradition by building the Hippodrome in Elmont. Although urban sprawl has long eliminated the grazing and riding grounds from Elmont, the equine industry still plays a major role here due to the presence of the Hippodrome as well as the many backstretch jobs associated with its presence. In 1920, the Equine Science University - part of the Collegium Scientificum - was established in Elmont.

Today, much of Elmont is single family or multi family homes of primarily working class families.

the Royal Burgh (the Strip)

The Royal Burgh, most commonly known as the Strip, is an area which sits between the Papal State to the west and Churchcreek to the east, giving it its popular name. The area was historically associated with the Papal State, but was formally ceded to Urcea and recognized as part of the city as part of the River Concordat. It acquired the name "Royal Burgh" as a generic governing term while becoming popularly referred to as the Strip. The borough is notable for its well preserved urban architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries, having been the site of urban expansion under the Papal State just before being ceded to Urcea. Due to its history, it was primarily occupied by people from outside of Urceopolis prior to its cession, giving the area a unique cultural character that has been amplified by the older architecture. Accordingly, the Strip is a common tourist destination in the city and also a popular center of cuisine and nightlife.

The Papal State

Main article: Papal State

Although an independent state not within the city jurisdiction of Urceopolis, the Papal State, home of the Pope and center of the Catholic Church, sits approximately within the center of Urceopolis along the south bank of the Urce River. Sometimes referred to as "Vatican City", the Papal State contains many of the oldest extant structures within city. Originally part of the core of the city during the Great Levantia period, the area became associated with the Church by means of St. Peter's burial in the area following his crucifixion. A popular Christian site, St. Peter's Archbasilica was erected over the burial site upon the Christianisaton of Great Levantia, which became the official seat of the Bishop of Urceopolis and, accordingly, one of the holiest sites in Catholicism. Largely depopulated after the fall of Great Levantia, Vatican City began to grow once again in the 800s. Historically, the position of the Pope separated from the Julian Palace by the Urce River gave him a great degree of independence and influence south of the Urce, which eventually became formalized as the Duchy of Transurciana. The current borders of the Papal State, following centuries of uncertainty, were established by the River Concordat of 1815 during the Recess of the Julii.

Many former noble houses became part of the Papal State complex in administrative capacity, and the State is densely packed with churches and chapels. The Papal State is also full of gardens, observatories, and other scientific and religious structures including the Apostolic Palace and St. Peter's Archbasilica.

Demographics

Infrastructure

Transportation

Archcathedral Rapid Transit

The Archcathedral Rapid Transit system, known both officially and unofficially as "the Subway", is a rapid transit system owned by the city government of Urceopolis.

History

Several competing rapid transit systems were constructed in Urceopolis during the 19th and early 20th century. The first elevated railway with service from Crescent to Arelate opened in 1871 in conjunction with the construction of a long distance rail hub erected in Arelate. This first elevated train saw significant use and lead to a population explosion in Arelate, and the successful concept saw the construction of several elevated rail lines throughout the 1870s and 1880s. Most of these lines were constructed by a new company known as the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) Company. Construction largely came to a half during the Red Interregnum, though during this time of hiatus the government of Gréagóir FitzRex did give approval for the IRT to experiment with underground lines, and the first line - the Crescent Circulator, a now-defunct line running mostly in a straight line from Old City to New City with a stop along the Royal Green - opened in 1897. The increase of the city's land area with the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892 also created significant opportunities for rail developers The end of the Red Interregnum and restoration of King Patrick III saw a major uptick in construction, in part with government funding. By 1910, the city was dominated with a largely tangled network of elevated rail lines operated by IRT and its primary competitor Citylines, both of whom were shifting new line construction underground. The primary tunnels for lines for these competitors were constructed in the period 1907-1909, and most are still in operation during the 21st century. The city government created a public rapid transit company known as Royal Transit in 1914 to try and build additional underground lines in order to put the problematic elevated lines out of business, and accordingly the city constructed additional tunnels from 1914 to 1920. The loss of revenue for elevated lines gradually lead Citylines to declare bankruptcy in 1927, and the company was purchased by the city and integrated within its systems. Interboro Rapid Transit would also struggle during this period, but a halt to major acquisitions as a result of the Second Great War lead to it receiving subsidies from the Government of Urcea until 1943, when the war ended. That year, the IRT was acquired by Royal Transit, which renamed itself Archcathedral Rapid Transit. Most of the elevated lines were closed during the war and their resources recycled for the war effort. Today, the three different types of lines are still recognized by their division indicators; the Interborough Rapid Transit lines in the IRT Division, the Royal Transit lines in the ROY Division, and the Citylines lines in the CLR (Citylines Railroad) division.

Culture

Sports