Artisfjort

Artisfjort (AR-tis-fjord), often called Artisfort (or simply Artis), is the most populous city in the Federation of Ocraita. The city was founded in 677, being the third oldest city in Ocraita. It has a population of 10.4 Million (city proper) distributed over 526km squared, it is the most densely populated major city in Ocraita. The city's metropolitan area of Greater Artisfjort has a population of 12.4 Million.

It is situated in Hage Bay and is the capital of the State of Vikkandia. Artisfjort is the home of the Headquarters of the North Sea Association.

Artisfjort lies on one of the world's largest natural harbors in Europe. The City of Artisfjort is divided into four boroughs; Rødtlis, Nyeu Koln, Kaulmar and Vinnunsland.

The Artisfjort airport, also known as F. Larsen International, is the busiest airport in Ocraita. The port of Artisfjort is the busiest seaport in Ocraita, and a bustling trading hub in Europe as a whole. Artisfjort is home to many of Ocraita's best-known landmarks, such as the St. Lucians Cathedral, the National Gallery of Vikkandia, the Nortous Grand Castle, The Erudia Bridge and the Tower of George IV. It hosts major annual international events, such as the Ocraitan Grand Race.

Etymology
Artisfjort was named by Norwegian settlers in the late 600s. The environment reminded them of the fjords of their homeland, and noted that there were many undocumented species around the beach they landed in. This resulted in the name Artfjord, which eventually evolved into the modern Artisfjort.

It is a common misconception that Artisfjort was originally a military fort due to the similarities between the ending Fjort and Fort.

Foundation
The city was founded by Norwegian explorers in the early 600s, the exact date is unknown but is commonly pinned down to 644. The city quickly became a ship hub due to its natural harbour and was officially founded on the 8th of June, 677. It experienced major growth and reached a population of 100,000 by 1585.

Ore Rush of 1796
A rich deposit of various ores such as gold was discovered in mid 1795, sparking a gold rush. The population then rose from around 140,000 to 190,000 and its infrastructure and ports experienced rapid development. An influx of people from Europe, China and America saw the establishment of a "Little New York" and "Chinatown". With the wealth resulting from this gold rush, new civic buildings were constructed. The gold rush was practically over in the early 1810s, though mining kept being a large industry for decades to come.

Buildings

 * St. Lucians Cathedral - St Lucians Cathedral is a colossal cathedral built in the 1200s. It is the biggest cathedral in Ocraita. The cathedral is considered a UNESCO world heritage site.
 * National Gallery of Vikkandia - The National Gallery of Vikkandia is an art and history museum documenting the history of Ocraita.
 * Nortous Grand Castle - Built in the 700s as a defensive fort, it was renovated and became home to the Torstein Dynasty. The castle is considered a UNESCO world heritage site.
 * Tower of George IV - The Tower of George IV is a 92 meter tall tower built by the British in 1838 and finished in 1850, named after the late king George IV.
 * Monument of Norwegian-Ocraitan Friendship - Built in 1960 and finished in 1961, this monument is a 22 meter tall spike to honor Norwegian-Ocraitan relations.
 * Fjorts Tower - Fjorts Tower is the largest tower in Artisfjort and Ocraita as a whole, standing at a grand height of 432 meters. It was built in 1955 and finished construction in 1962.

Natural

 * First Cove - First Cove is the landing ground of the first settlers in Artisfjort. It is an unwritten rule that you cannot visit the beach just to play and/or sunbathe.

Roads & Bridges

 * The Erudia Bridge - The Erudia Bridge is a large suspension bridge built in 1948 and finished in 1956. It links east Artisfjort to West Artisfjort.
 * Narro Street - Narro Street is world famous for being destroyed by meteorites a documented 4 times.
 * Føderasjion Road - Føderasjion Road, also known as Federation Road, is the historical center of Artisfjort. Now no longer the actual Geological centre, it still serves as the city centre.