Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Skyline from Southside
From left: Skyscraper in the Financial District
Mounted City Policeman
Dramatic Skyline at Night
Houdon's famous statue of George Washington
Old City Hall

unused, from 1988

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Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. The population was 200,123 in 2007, with an estimated population of 1,212,977 for the Richmond Metropolitan Area — making it the third largest in Virginia.

The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737. It became the capital of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia in 1780. During the Revolutionary War period, several notable events occurred in the city, including Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death" speech in 1775 at St. John's Church. During the American Civil War, Richmond served as the capital of the Confederate States of America, and many important American Civil War landmarks remain in the city today, including the Virginia State Capitol and the White House of the Confederacy, among others.