Washington, DC partners with national capitals around the world for its sister cities program. But where are Washington, DC’s sister cities? Let’s take a trip.
Wat Arun in Bangkok is an iconic Buddhist temples, but it gets its name from the Hindu god Aruṇa.
Photo by Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons
Bangkok, Thailand
Est. 1962 | During the 15th century, Bangkok was a humble trading post on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. When King Rama I moved the court to Bangkok in 1782, it became the capital of the country.
Dakar, Senegal
Est. 1980 | Dakar is a fashion, music, literature, and art hub. Think: The Dak’Art — a biennale that celebrates art and literature in Africa. Dakar is also known for its dance scene. You might dance the night away to mbalax, a style of dance music that blends Senegalese vocals with jazz, soul, and pop.
Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Est. 1984 | Beijing isn’t just the capital of the People’s Republic of China now — it’s been the capital of six different Chinese governments. It was the capital during parts of the Warring States Period, the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, and the Republic of China.
Brussels, Belgium
Est. 1985 | Where to start with Brussels? We could mention the beer, the chocolates, the fact that it’s the birthplace of beloved characters like Tintin and the Smurfs. But we’d be remiss not to mention that it’s also the seat of the European Union — sometimes referred to as the “capital of Europe.”
The Voortrekker Monument commemorates the Dutch-speaking pioneers who trekked to the Cape Colony by wagon.
Photo by Rute Martins via Wikimedia Commons
Tshwane, South Africa
Est. 2002 | You may have heard the myth that buildings cannot be taller than the capitol in DC. It isn’t true for DC, but in Tshwane no buildings are allowed to be taller than the Union Buildings or the Voortrekker Monument — at least, not between the structures themselves. That way everyone gets a good view of both.
Paris, France
Est. 2000 | We could tell you that the Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument in the world or go into the story of the theft that made the Mona Lisa famous. But instead we’ll go with this tidbit about the City of Light — there are no stop signs in Paris.
Athens, Greece
Est. 2000 | It stands to reason that we would have a sister city relationship with the cradle of democracy. Athens is considered the birthplace of democracy because its early forms of self-rule influenced the development of modern democracy. In fact, the word democracy is Greek — “demos” means people, and “kratos” means rule.
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Est. 2006 | DC is one of Seoul’s 25 sister cities — that’s a big family. In the US alone, Seoul has four sister cities: Honolulu, San Francisco, New York, and — of course — Washington, DC.
Accra, Ghana
Est. 2006 | Accra is known for its gorgeous beaches, markets, libraries, and museums. It’s also where W.E.B. DuBois is buried — visit the American sociologist’s home and library at the W.E.B. DuBois Center.
Sunderland, United Kingdom
Est. 2006 | The only city on this list that is not a capital. That’s because Sunderland is George Washington’s ancestral home.
This postcard of the Spanish Steps circa the 1930s definitely looks different without the crowds.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Rome, Italy
Est. 2001 | Speaking of international relationships — the famed Spanish Steps near Piazza di Spagna are more French than Spanish. They were comissioned by French diplomat Etienne Gueffier.
Ankara, Turkey
Est. 2011 | Like most of DC’s sister cities, Ankara is the capital of its country, Turkey. Did you know? Keçiören is a business community in Ankara — and also one of Fairfax’s sister cities. Makes sense, right?
Brasilia’s architecture was designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen via Wikimedia Commons
Brasilia, Brazil
Est. 2013 | The city’s layout was planned to resemble an airplane, with wide open spaces and futuristic buildings. Brasilia is famous for its architecture, especially the civic buildings designed by Oscar Niemeye.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Est. 2013 | The capital of Ethiopia is also referred to as the “Political Capital of Africa.” Partially because its home to several international orgs like the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
San Salvador, El Salvador
Est. 2018 | There’s a lot happening in San Salvador — just hopefully not the nearby volcano. The volcano northwest to the city hasn’t erupted in over 80 years.
