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Minneapolis-St Paul

Travoley
Minneapolis-St Paul
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Minneapolis-St Paul Travel Guide

  • About Minneapolis-St Paul
Two halves of one metropolis, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul form a harmonious mix of old and new on the banks of the Mississippi River. These two urban areas may be joined at the hip, but they are far from identical. With its striking contemporary buildings, Minneapolis is the more modern and cosmopolitan sister. St Paul, with its 19th- and early 20th-century buildings, is more refined, in the manner you’d expect from a place that doubles as the Minnesota state capital. Both cities are multicultural melting pots, with significant Hmong and Somali populations. And both are rich in arts and culture, and in all of North America, only New York entertains more theatregoers each year. One top venue is the Guthrie Theater, home to Shakespearean productions and experimental plays, while the Hennepin Theatre District features music and comedy. Elsewhere, the modern works displayed in the Walker Art Center are worth anyone’s time. Also in Minneapolis, the Mill City Museum commemorates the Twin Cities’ role as the centre of American flour production in the 19th century, while across the river, the marble dome of the State Capitol building soars proudly over St. Paul. In addition to the Mississippi, this is a place with no fewer than 949 lakes lying within its metropolitan area, so it’s no surprise that outdoor recreation plays an important role. One popular excursion is a ride along the river aboard the Minneapolis Queen paddle-wheeler. Back on dry land, the Mall of America draws in 40 million bargain hunters every year, and is said to be the busiest shopping mall in the world. At night, Minneapolis’ Warehouse District is the place to head, not only for a pre-theatre dinner, but also for a chic cocktail, and is also home to several energetic nightclubs. Elsewhere, the centre is filled with trendy cafés and bistros, while starched linen and crystal glasses are the order of the day across in St. Paul. With so much diversity on offer, everyone is sure to find something to their liking.
  • Minneapolis-St Paul History
Nicknamed the ‘twin cities’, Minneapolis-St Paul began life as two separate towns that both perched beside the mighty Mississippi River. Founded by immigrants arriving from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and northern Germany, Minneapolis came first, founded on the west bank in 1855, opposite St Anthony Falls. Making the most of what was available to them, early settlers used the Falls to generate power for sawmills and flourmills, which by 1870, made Minneapolis the flour milling capital of the world. The presence of Fort Snelling encouraged more settlers to set up home there, with both tradesmen and travellers kept safe by the garrison. While Minneapolis was springing up on the west bank of the Mississippi, another town was beginning to take shape on the opposite embankment. Formed from the tiny villages of Pig’s Eye and Lambert’s Landing, the fledgling St Paul swiftly grew, thanks to its convenient harbour which opened it up to river trade. From here, the manufactured goods of Minneapolis were sent downriver, while the construction of a rail link in 1867 gave rise to further expansion. By the beginning of the 20th century, Minneapolis-St Paul was a thriving industrial town, famous for its flour mills and food processing plants – the latter still important in the city today. Further economic opportunities arose from the Hennepin Island Hydroelectric Plant, constructed in 1906 to harness the power of the river. But the good times were not to last and like the US’s other big industrial centres, Minneapolis-St Paul was hit hard by the Great Depression of the 1930s and again by the post-war industrial malaise that hammered manufacturing in Europe and the US. The city bounced back in the 1980s courtesy of a building boom that populated the skyline with glittering glass and steel buildings. It followed up with another construction-driven boom, this time in condos, in the 1990s. Today, building still plays a key role in city finances, with the old riverside the latest to be reworked by city planners.
  • Did you know?
Charles Strite, the inventor of the pop-up toaster, was born in Minneapolis. The first digital recording to be commercially released was made at Minneapolis studio, Sound 80. The first successful open heart surgery was conducted in Minneapolis in 1952.
  • Weather in Minneapolis-St Paul
Winter in the Twin Cities is brutal. Average temperatures are around -10°C (13.5°F). To combat the cold and snow, both cities have an extensive system of enclosed ‘skyways’ that connect Downtown buildings and enable pedestrians to move about easily, without braving the weather. It’s not all doom and gloom in winter though, the massive Holidazzle Village brings Christmas to life with rides, reindeers, refreshments and more. Temperatures in summer average around 22.5°C (73°F). Annual rainfall is 660mm (26 inches).

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