The Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, are urban areas that have grown into each other and make up the largest metropolitan area in Minnesota. Despite encompassing over 180 different cities and towns, the area is named after its two largest cities, which are only 9 kilometers apart. Each city has its own distinct physical makeup, cultural influence, and architectural style, and they tend to function more like rivals than partners. While there are sister cities around the world, the Twin Cities remain drastically different in terms of money, politics, demographics, and geographic makeup.
The term twin cities refers to urban cities so close together that they grow into each other. In the United States, the term usually refers to Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. This combined metropolitan area, Minneapolis-St. Paul, is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country and the largest in the state; the region has more than three million inhabitants. Interestingly, this metropolitan area doesn’t actually consist of just two cities; it actually encompasses more than 180 different cities and towns. However, it gets its name from its two largest cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which have centers that are only 9 kilometers apart and share an airport.
The Twin Cities area represents more of the state’s population than any other metropolitan area in Minnesota. Minneapolis is bigger than its sister, Saint Paul, but Saint Paul has the impressive distinction of being the state capital. The twin cities got the name Dual Cities around 1872, and the initial intent of the moniker was to remind people of the fact that there were actually two cities instead of just one. Eventually, the name changed to Twin Cities and remains that way today.
Interestingly, each of the Twin Cities maintains its own separate boundaries and distinct physical makeup. Minneapolis has wide streets and is said to have a layout that is easier to navigate, while Saint Paul’s features streets that are thinner and more dense neighborhoods. The cultural make-up of the two cities is also different, as Minneapolis has Scandinavian and Lutheran roots and Saint Paul has more of a Catholic, Irish and German influence than it once was. Cities also differ architecturally, with Minneapolis having more modern buildings and Saint Paul leaning more towards Classical and Victorian styles, but also integrating some newer types of structures.
While you might think the Twin Cities will be content to grow into each other, they tend to function more like rivals. Each tried to outdo the other in construction. Each of the Twin Cities boasts its own University of Minnesota campus, and both have elaborate houses of worship. St. Paul’s Cathedral was built in 1915, and Minneapolis built its St. Mary’s Basilica in 1926. As early as the 1890s, cities were rivaling each other, going so far as to kidnap each other by 1890.
In addition to Minneapolis and Saint Paul, there are sister cities around the world, such as Vienna-Bratislava in Europe and Leticia, Colombia and Tabatinga, Brazil in South America. It’s important to note that while the Twin Cities are collectively referred to as a metropolitan area, they often remain drastically different in terms of money, politics, demographics, and geographic makeup. While it might seem logical for such cities to merge and officially become one, there generally seems to be some resistance to doing so.
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