Explore the social and cultural history of 100 of the world's most important cities. From the first towns in Mesopotamia to today's global metropolises, cities have marked the progress of civilisation. Written in the form of illustrated "biographies", Great Cities offers a rich historical overview of each featured city, brought to vivid life with paintings, photographs, timelines, maps, and artefacts. This history book provides a fascinating insight into the events, movements and people throughout history who have shaped the cities where we live. Inside the pages of this visual guide, discover: - The story behind each city - how it was established, critical moments in its development, and why it is considered historically significant - The different types of cities, from the centres of ancient and lost civilisations and great river cities to planned cities and modern metropolises - Beautiful illustrations with large-scale reproductions of paintings, photographs, maps, and other artefacts - Stunning images of city life and key moments in history are complemented by close-ups of revealing details and feature panels that provide additional context From the ancient to the modern, get under the skin of what made cities like Persepolis, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Dubai tick. This lavish book is about more than history - it explores the art, architecture, commerce, and politics of the great civilisations throughout history. Great Cities provides a unique window into how cities have become markers of human progress. Explore which ancient civilisation founded the precursor to Mexico City, why Venice was the gateway to the East, what the Belle Epoque was, and who the first city to build sewers was. It's the perfect gift for armchair explorers interested in history, geography, and the arts.