No sea-level sissies in the Mile High City of Denver

By Heike Schmidt Aug 3, 2010, 13:09 GMT

Denver - Denver is the capital of the US state of Colorado and located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains, just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Because of its elevated situation one mile above sea level, the 'Mile High City' as it is known, offers panoramic views of up to 200 snow-capped peaks.

Founded as a mining town in 1858, Denver now has a strong telecommunications industry as its geographical location allows communication with both North American coasts, South America, Europe, and Asia in the same business day.

It is also a pioneer in the fast casual restaurant industry and home to the cheeseburger.

The city also houses many colleges and universities, including the private University of Denver, which was founded in 1864 and was the first institution of higher learning in the city.

Colorado, meanwhile, is America's leanest state, where only 16.8 per cent of the population is obese, helped by the dramatic landscape and the wonderful weather - 300 days of sunshine a year - as well as an obsession with fitness and open-air activities.

The high altitude means strenuous exercise quickly leads to a loss of breath but bumper stickers such as 'Sea Level is for Sissies' are a clear indication that Denverites would never admit to it.

The 13th step of the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver is exactly one mile (1,609 metres) above sea level, meaning golf balls fly 10 per cent further and revellers feel the effects of beer much quicker.

Denver's mayor John Hickenlooper knows all about beer as he was one of the founders of the original Wynkoop Brewing Company microbrewery. Hickenlooper's support of breweries since becoming mayor in 2003 means that in there are now around 90 microbreweries in Denver's Lower Downtown alone.

The reconstruction of the city's Coors Field Baseball Stadium also helped regenerate the city. The stadium was built with just 15,000 parking places, encouraging fans to park elsewhere in the convenient downtown area and walk past the city's restaurants, bars and shops to watch a game.

It is estimated that the stadium now generates 200 million dollars a year for the local economy.

Native American warned the original white settlers against settling between Cherry Creek and the South Platte River when gold was discovered there in 1858. Denver suffered fires and a flood in the early years but has since blossomed and is now home to the largest system of parks and bicycle tracks in the US.

The residential, retail and business development of Riverfront Park is just across the stunning Millennium Footbridge with its 60-metre-high mast, and within walking distance of Larimer Square, Lower Downtown and Downtown Denver.

A replica Venetian belltower and a high-rise office building flank Denver's pedestrian area with its many cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops.

The extension to the Denver Art Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind, who also worked on the new World Trade Centre site in New York, is the latest jewel in the city's crown.