Best US & Canada City Skylines: Poll & Pics

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the best city skylines in the United States and Canada, with participants sharing their opinions and images of various city skylines. The scope includes personal preferences, visual aesthetics, and potential for future polls on other cities worldwide.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a preference for Seattle's skyline due to its natural surroundings and beauty.
  • Others argue that Chicago has a notable skyline, with one participant sharing their personal experience of the city.
  • Vancouver is mentioned as having impressive mountains, but one participant votes for Toronto based on skyline alone.
  • Several participants share images of various skylines, including Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, contributing to the visual aspect of the discussion.
  • One participant notes that the perception of a city's skyline can vary based on the angle and distance of the photographs taken.
  • There is a mention of Istanbul's skyline, with a participant asserting it is the most beautiful city in the world, prompting a discussion about historical architecture.
  • Some participants express a humorous perspective on city skylines, comparing them to ant hills or people nests.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on which city has the best skyline, with no consensus reached. Multiple competing views remain regarding the aesthetic value of each city's skyline.

Contextual Notes

Participants' preferences are influenced by personal experiences and the visual presentation of skylines, which may not reflect a comprehensive evaluation of each city's architectural merits.

Which city has the best skyline?

  • Boston

    Votes: 2 5.6%
  • New York

    Votes: 7 19.4%
  • Chicago

    Votes: 11 30.6%
  • Los Angeles

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Houston

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Philadelphia

    Votes: 2 5.6%
  • Seattle

    Votes: 10 27.8%
  • Calgery

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Vancouver

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Toronto

    Votes: 4 11.1%

  • Total voters
    36
G01
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I saw a thread similar to this on another forum and thought it would be cool to see what the PF consensus is on the best City Skyline. I've limited the options to Cities in US and Canada. Maybe we can open a poll on world cities if so desired. Also, I have picked mostly bigger cities. Again, if desired, we can always start a poll on medium and smaller city skylines.

Here are some pics I chose off of Google Image of the skylines for the cities listed in the poll:

Boston:

http://www.knowledgerush.com/wiki_image/3/31/Boston_skyline_daytime.jpg

New York:

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/new-york-skyline-picture.jpg

Chicago:

http://www.aacn.org/chapters%5Cnwcac.nsf/5824F6B0BBE6011388256EEE007AB6C9/$FILE/Chicago+Skyline.jpg

Los Angeles:

http://www.geocities.com/los_angeles_coast/Los_Angeles_Skyline_In_Winter.jpgHouston:

http://www.damicoproperties.com/files/245851/houston_skyline_from_white_oak_bridge.jpg

Philadelphia:

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2474784-Skyline_from_the_river_2004-Philadelphia.jpg

Seattle:

Seattle_Skyline_Referral_Postcard.jpg


Calgary(Sorry to anyone from here for spelling it wrong in the poll...):

http://www.cdicinspections.com/images/skyline4bordered.jpg
More to pictures to come.
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
http://www.givecars.com/images/DC_skyline.jpg

Home.
 
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Nice picture Cyrus.
 
I'll try and get some of my pictures of Seattle's skyline up. May have to wait till I can get access to highspeed though.
 
Cyrus said:
http://www.givecars.com/images/DC_skyline.jpg

Home.

Wow, that's a great shot. I've never seen DC from that angle.
 
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Vancouver:

http://www.mygreenelement.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/skyline.jpg

Toronto:

http://www.businessinnovationinsider.com/Toronto_Skyline_.jpg
 
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lisab said:
Wow, that's a great shot. I've never seen DC from that angle.

They took that picture on the other side of the GW parkway (VA looking over the river to DC). I drive it so often I probably know exactly where they stood.
 
The Boston skyline at night is amazing.
 
Seattle is a no brainer. It is surrounded by spectacular mountains and a beautiful bay. It is my favorite city but far (except for the traffic which is horrible).
 
  • #10
Good man, Wildman, good man.
 
  • #11
I've only seen Chicago in person, of those listed, but I really like the skyline here so that's my vote.
 
  • #12
Vancouver has much nicer mountains than Seattle, but I went with Toronto, because the question was about skyline, not surrounding area...
 
  • #13
I'd have to go with Seattle of the pictures shown so far.

To be fair though, the images should be taken at approximately the same distance and perhaps in the direction of the most favorable view/backdrop. Close up, the cities don't look particularly attractive - just grey, dirty and crowded.

500x500_02be4818a24d98bf39d5ca439b9c8875.jpg


or

500x500_8064bdc5e86e5f6b90949f7424a42b3a.jpg


Melbourne, Vic, Aus

:biggrin:
 
  • #14
San Francisco has a beautiful skyline, with the bridges and all. But I went with Seattle - I'm biased!
 
  • #15
I don't have a photo to post, but I am partial to Ong's Hat as you come upon it from the direction of Scrapetown. I go there once a month for supplies and I always get an electric buzz from the tall buildings there. Ma Hogue's house was built up to three stories a couple of years ago you know.
 
  • #16
Astronuc said:
I'd have to go with Seattle of the pictures shown so far.

To be fair though, the images should be taken at approximately the same distance and perhaps in the direction of the most favorable view/backdrop. Close up, the cities don't look particularly attractive - just grey, dirty and crowded.

500x500_8064bdc5e86e5f6b90949f7424a42b3a.jpg


Melbourne, Vic, Aus

:biggrin:

Melbourne looks lovely. Nice use of colors in the buildings.
 
  • #17
Here's another view of Calgary from my brief visit a few years ago.

Oops, I'd better attach this... my server is set up to block hotlinking.

But as a native Midwesterner, I'm partial to Chicago, so that's what I'm going to cast my vote for. :smile:
 

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  • #18
Toronto.

Toronto20Skyline20Photo1.jpg
 
  • #19
Cities look nice at dusk or night when the lights go on.
 
  • #20
jtbell said:
Here's another view of Calgary from my brief visit a few years ago.

Oops, I'd better attach this... my server is set up to block hotlinking.

But as a native Midwesterner, I'm partial to Chicago, so that's what I'm going to cast my vote for. :smile:

What neighborhood did you take that Chicago picture from jtbell?
 
  • #21
Of the cities in the poll, Chicago is my favorite. Boston looks OK at night, but I get the heebie-jeebies just thinking about the horrible traffic and rude drivers in that town, so that might have put me off.:rolleyes:
 
  • #22
I'd rather go old school

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/images/photos/photo_lg_istanbul.jpg

100424174_7c207e34fc.jpg


http://uebermorgentau.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/istanbul_bridge_wp1.jpg
 
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  • #23
Thats not a skyline grave, that's just one building.
 
  • #24
There are actually a number of different mosques illustrated, but as a skyline, that city falls short. I'm impressed by the longevity of such slender minarets. How do they withstand earthquakes, storms, etc for centuries?!
 
  • #25
turbo-1 said:
There are actually a number of different mosques illustrated, but as a skyline, that city falls short. I'm impressed by the longevity of such slender minarets. How do they withstand earthquakes, storms, etc for centuries?!

You mean millennia?
 
  • #26
gravenewworld said:
You mean millennia?
I was being conservative. I don't know the ages of those mosques, and some of them might be of more recent vintage.
 
  • #27
It's actually the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul which was both a Christian cathedral and then a mosque.

No matter what anyone says, Istanbul is by far the most beautiful city in the world. NYC, Boston, Chicago, Vancouver, etc. have nothing on it. Not even any city in Europe. It is one place that everyone must visit before they die. It is a living archaeological artifact being that it is over 3000 years old. I have been all over Europe, Russia, Asia, and America, nothing comes close to Istanbul.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Rumeli_hisari.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/IstanbulOscar2007.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Levent_financial_district_as_seen_from_Sporcular_Park_on_October_30_2003.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Skyline_of_Maslak_in_Istanbul_on_June_23_2005.jpg
 
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  • #28
Kansas City has the most breath taking skyline.

kcskylinedj5.jpg


kc03jx2.jpg
 
  • #29
All these places remind me of ant hills, may be we should call them people nests.
 
  • #30
I have to go with Seattle too, having lived there and experiencing that city, living and working in downtown.
 

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