Boppard Online - Twin Towns

Ome · Japan
Truro · England
Keszthely · Hungary
Amboise · France

Confirmation of Town Twinning:	24.09.1965
Geographical Position:	approx. 70 km north west of Tokyo
Number of Inhabitants:	approx. 140,000
Mayor:	Toshio Takeuchi
Liaison Person in Ome:	Setsuo Yaegashi, 3-402-25,Chigase-Machi, Ome, Tokyo 198-0043, Tel./Fax 0081 428 23 6046, yaegashi@kje.biglobe.ne.jp, http://boppard.hp.infoseek.co.jp
Liaison Person in Boppard:	Heinrich Conrad · Wilhelmstraße 5, 56154 Boppard, Tel. 06742/3487, e-Mail: conrad.boppard@online.de
Internet Website:	http://www.city.ome.tokyo.jp

The town of Ome lies on the upper reaches of the Tama river and at the south-east edge of the Okuchichibu National Park. A railway line stretches from Tokyo via Ome to Okutama.
On a clear day, the view reaches to the mountains of Nikko and Tsukuba from the summit of the Mitake Mountain (1082 m above sea level). Near the summit stands the Mitake shrine. The Ome Railroad Park is definitely worth visiting - you will see model train sets as well as old steam locomotives and carriages. From the end of February to the middle of March, the plum trees of Yoshino Baigo are in full bloom.
Ome was originally the centre of the textile industry. However, this traditional handicraft is gradually being replaced by modern industries, like machine construction and electronic technology. In Ome there are over 700 factories large and small, like Toshiba and Hitashi.

According to legend, Ome was established in 900 AD when the prince of East Japan fled to the district of Ome with the aid of a plum tree cane. The walking cane rooted, but the fruits always stayed green. According to this tradition, this is where the name Ome comes from, as it means in effect "blue plum". In 2001 the town of Ome celebrated its 50 year jubilee anniversary of the awarding of Town Privileges. The annual Ome marathon (end of February) is a large event in Ome with 15,000 runners. Even Boppard citizens have already taken part.

Truro - probably derived from Tri-veru (the three rivers) or Tre-ru (castles on the river) - grew in the shadow of a Norman castle. A seal from 1130, only recently discovered, shows that there were testing works for silverware in Truro.
1250: Founding of a Guild of Tradesman. Around 1300: Beginning of official tin stamping. Beginning of the 15th C.: plague in Truro; foundation of a Dominican monastery under the rule of Henry VIII.
1588: Truro receives control of the port of Falmouth. 17th C.: Royal Institute of Coins situated for a short time in Truro. 1642: During the Civil War, Truro supported the king and had to abdicate hegemony over Falmouth port to the rival town of Falmouth as punishment in1663. In court, in the 18th C. Truro received part of its previous control of the river back.
In the 18th C. Truro achieved a level of prosperity through its copper and tin deposits. Up to 1848 it was the centre of a significant mining area. In Truro, there is a carpet and wool factory, an iron forge, tanners, potters and a tin smelting work. End of the 19th C., many industries had to close for competitive reasons.
Beginning of the 20th C. saw the collapse of tin mining and the closure of dependent industries. Truro becomes administrative, educational and commercial centre. In 1876 Truro receives the title of "City".
Sights worth seeing: Imposing Cathedral (1910), Country Museum, buildings from the Victorian period, Victoria Gardens, attractive river landscape. Nearby: the cliffs of Cornwall and its beaches.

Keszthely, (pronounced Kess-stay-ee) the largest town on the banks of the Balaton is known as the "Capital of the Balaton". It is rich with history, culture and artistic monuments. Keszthely and its immediate surroundings have been thickly populated since the Early Stone Age. This speaks volumes for the wonderful natural features, the pleasant Mediterranean climate with an average temperature of 15 °C and more than 1,800 hours of sunshine. The ruins of the fortress in Fenékpuszta tell their story of the past centuries. This is where Theoderick the Great spent some time. In the Middle Ages, Keszthely was already the centre of the region. The Franciscan church on the main square, which is the largest Gothic church of this area, was built in 1386. In the middle of the 18th Century the Festetics family became proprietors of the town. Kristóf Festetics had a wonderful Baroque palace built at the beginning of 1745. It has kept its form from 1887 and today houses a museum, international conference rooms and mirrored halls for musical extravaganzas, as well as a library with over 86,000 volumes. At the turn of the 18th / 19th Century Keszthely was considered the intellectual centre of the Trans-Danube. In 1797, Count György Festetics founded the first agricultural school in Europe, the Georgikon. The Balaton, its surroundings and the lifestyle of its people are portrayed in the ongoing exhibition at the Balaton Museum. The building is Neo-Baroque style, and belongs to the most beautiful buildings in the town. The most interesting building on Kossuth-Lajos Street, today's pedestrian area, which leads from the main square to the Festetics Palace, is without doubt the Baroque style Pethö House which is built on Gothic foundations. This is where the composer Károly Goldmark was born on 19.05.1830. Today, the multicultural town of Keszthely can offer any guest whatever cultural event his or her heart may desire. Alongside bathing in the Balaton, you can also sail, surf, ride, play tennis, go on boat journeys, fish, and experience back-to-the-roots nature on 15,000 ha of the Kisbalaton, or enjoy excellent Hungarian wine in the many small Borozo around the Badasconi.
What else could you want?

In the heart of the Touraine - the garden of France - lies the beautiful little town of Amboise on the Loire.
Already occupied by the Romans, the Goths and the Normans, the town was declared Royal Residence by Carl VII in the 15th Century. The castle that originates from this century is one of the main points of attraction: situated on a 60 m high cliff, with wonderful views of the town with its historical buildings and the inviting pedestrian area.
Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked in Amboise; today the country seat of Clos-Lucé is a museum worth visiting. With its economy focused on trade, agriculture, wine production and tourism, Amboise is a small town on its way up, with its sights set on the next century.
Tourist attractions and sights worth seeing: the castle from the 15th Century, the Leonardo da Vinci house and museum, pagoda 18th Century, bell tower 15th Century, Postal Museum. Other features: Renaissance Castle festivals in the months of June, July and August.