Coventry
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{{Infobox Settlement
|name=City of Coventry
|image_skyline=skyline of Coventry as seen from Baginton_3g06.JPG
|imagesize = 280px
|image_caption=View of Coventry from [[Baginton]]
|image_blank_emblem=Coventry-coa.png
|blank_emblem_type=Coat of Arms of the City Council
|image_map=EnglandCoventry.png
|map_caption=Coventry shown within [[England]]
|mapsize= 200 * 247
|subdivision_type=[[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
|subdivision_name=[[United Kingdom]]
|subdivision_type1=[[Constituent country]]
|subdivision_name1=[[England]]
|subdivision_type2=[[Regions of England|Region]]
|subdivision_name2=[[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
|subdivision_type3=[[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
|subdivision_name3=[[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]]
|subdivision_type4=Admin HQ
|subdivision_name4=Coventry city centre
|government_type=[[Metropolitan borough]]
|leader_title1=Governing body
|leader_name1=Coventry City Council
|leader_title2= Executive:
|leader_name2= [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|established_title=Founded
|established_date=1043
|founder=[[Leofric, Earl of Mercia]]
|area_total_km2=98.64
|latd=52
|latm=24
|lats=29
|latNS=N
|longd=1
|longm=30
|longs=38
|longEW=W
|population_as_of=2006 est
|population_total={{EnglishDistrictPopulation|ONS=00CQ}} ([[List of English districts by population|Ranked {{EnglishDistrictRank|ONS=00CQ}}]])
|population_density_km2=3108
|population_blank1_title=[[West Midlands conurbation|Conurbation]]
|population_blank1_name=2,284,903
|timezone=[[Greenwich Mean Time]]
|utc_offset=+0
|timezone_DST=[[British Summer Time]]
|utc_offset_DST=+1
|postal_code_type=Postcode
|postal_code=[[CV postcode area|CV]]
|area_code=024
|blank_name =[[ISO 3166-2:GB|ISO 3166-2]]
|blank_info =GB-WLV
|blank1_name =[[ONS coding system|ONS code]]
|blank1_info =00CQ
|blank2_name =[[British national grid reference system|OS grid reference]]
|blank2_info ={{gbmappingsmall|SP335785}}
|blank3_name =[[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS]] 3
|blank3_info = UKG33
|blank4_name = Ethnicity </br><small>([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2005 Est.]][http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276801&c=Coventry&d=13&e=13&g=373870&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202579430538&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812]) </small>
|blank4_info = 81.2% White<br /> 11.8% South Asian<br /> 2.9% Black British<br />2.0% Mixed Race<br /> 1.4% East Asian and Other
|website = [http://www.coventry.gov.uk Coventry]
}}
'''Coventry''' ({{Audio|en-uk-Coventry.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a [[City status in the United Kingdom|city]] and [[metropolitan borough]] in the [[county]] of [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]] in [[England]]. With a [[population]] of 303,475 at the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]] (306,000 est. 2007), Coventry is the 9th largest [[city]] in [[England]] and the 11th largest in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>[[List of English cities by population]] from census 2001 figures</ref> It is also the second largest city after [[Birmingham]] in the [[English Midlands]] by population, although both [[Nottingham]] and [[Leicester]] have larger [[urban]] areas.
Coventry is situated 95 miles (153 km) northwest of London and 19 miles (30 km) east of Birmingham, and is notable for being further inland from the [[coast]] than any other [[City status in the United Kingdom|city in Britain]]. Although harbouring a population of almost a third of a million inhabitants, Coventry is not amongst the [[English Core Cities Group]] due to its proximity to Birmingham.
Coventry was also the world's first 'twin city' when it formed a twinning relationship with the Russian city of [[Stalingrad]] (now [[Volgograd]]) during [[World War II]]. The city is also subsequently twinned with [[Dresden]], as a gesture of peace and reconciliation, and 27 others around the world.
[[Coventry Cathedral]] is notable for being one of the newest [[cathedral]]s in the world, having been built following the [[World War II]] bombing of the ancient cathedral by the [[Luftwaffe]]. Coventry has since developed an international reputation as one of Europe's major cities of peace and reconciliation,<ref name="Cov reconcil">{{cite web
|url=http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/content/chief-executives-directorate/corporate-policy/international-team/coventry-peace-month/coventry-city-of-peace-and-reconciliation.en
|title=Peace and reconciliation
|publisher=Coventry City Council
|date=
|accessdaymonth = 16 August
|accessyear = 2007}}</ref> centred around its Cathedral, and holds an annual Peace Month.<ref name="Cov peace month">{{cite web
|url=http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/community-and-living/international-links/coventry-peace-month/
|title=Coventry Peace Month
|publisher=Coventry City Council
|date=
|accessdaymonth = 16 August
|accessyear = 2007}}</ref> Coventry is also notable because [[:Category:Coventry motor companies|Coventry motor companies]] have contributed significantly to the [[British motor industry]], and also because it has two universities, the city centre-based [[Coventry University]] and the [[University of Warwick]] on the southern outskirts. Coventry is also famous for the legendary [[11th century]] exploits of [[Lady Godiva]]. Their football team is [[Coventry City F.C.]] who are in the [[Coca-Cola Championship]] and were founded in 1883.
==History==
<!-- Note: this is intended to be a summary of Coventry's history. Please put detailed history in the main History of Coventry article -->
{{main|History of Coventry}}
Coventry is traditionally believed{{Clarifyme|date=March 2008}} to have been established in the year [[1043]] with the founding of a [[Benedictine]] [[Abbey]] by [[Leofric, Earl of Mercia]] and his wife [[Lady Godiva]]. Current evidence suggests that this abbey was probably in existence by [[1022]], therefore Leofric and Godiva most likely ''endowed'' it around 1043. In time, a [[market]] was established at the abbey gates and the settlement expanded.
By the [[14th century]], Coventry had become an important centre of the [[cloth]] trade, and throughout the [[Middle Ages]] was one of the largest and most important cities in England. Coventry was granted [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] in 1345, and later became a [[County of the City of Coventry|county]] in its own right.
Hostile attitudes of the cityfolk towards [[Cavaliers (royalists)|Royalist]] prisoners held in Coventry during the [[English Civil War]] are believed to have originated the phrase "sent to Coventry", which in Britain means "to be ostracised"; although their physical needs were catered for, the Royalist prisoners were literally never spoken to by anybody.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Coventry became one of the three main UK centres of watch and [[clock]] manufacture and ranked alongside [[Prescot]], near [[Liverpool]] and [[Clerkenwell]] in London.<ref name=cwm>{{cite web |url=http://www.coventrywatchmuseum.co.uk |title=Coventry Watch Museum Project |publisher=Coventry Watch Museum}}</ref> As, the industry declined, due mainly to competition from [[Swiss made]] [[clock]] and [[watch]] manufacturers, the skilled pool of workers proved crucial to the setting up of [[bicycle]] manufacture and eventually the motorcycle, [[automobile]], machine tool and aircraft industries.
In the late-19th century, Coventry became a major centre of [[bicycle]] manufacture, with the industry being pioneered by [[Rover (car)|Rover]]. By the early 20th century, bicycle manufacture had evolved into [[automobile|motor]] manufacture, and Coventry became a major centre of the [[British motor industry]]. Over 100 different companies have produced motor vehicles in Coventry, car production came to an end in 2006 as the last ever car rolled off the lines at Peugeot's Ryton plant despite having the highest productivity and quality of any Peugeot plant. Production was transferred to [[Slovakia]] with the help of EU grant aid to Peugeot. This made Peugeot deeply unpopular in the city. The design headquarters of Jaguar cars is still in the city at Whitley, their last plant at Browns Lane having closed in 2004.
[[Image:ORW424M (650 x 488).jpg|thumb|A 1972 Hillman Avenger Tiger, produced in Coventry by Chrysler Competitions Department.]]
[[Image:Coventry precinct and spire.jpg|thumb|Coventry precinct with spire of ruined cathedral in the background.]]
Coventry suffered severe bomb damage during [[World War II]], most notoriously from a massive [[Nazi]] [[Germany|German]] [[Luftwaffe]] air raid (the "[[Coventry Blitz]]") on [[November 14]], [[1940]]. This lead to severe damage to large areas of the city centre and Coventry's historic [[Coventry Cathedral|Cathedral]] was ravaged by firebombs leaving only a shell and the spire. Aside from London, Hull and [[Plymouth]], Coventry suffered more damage than any other British city during the [[Luftwaffe]] attacks, with huge firestorms devastating most of the city centre. The city was targeted due to its high concentration of armaments, munitions, aircraft and aero-engine plants which contributed greatly to the British war effort. Following the raids, the majority of Coventry's historic buildings could not be saved as they were in ruinous states or were deemed unsafe for any future use, although several were later demolished simply to make way for modern developments.
In the postwar years Coventry was largely rebuilt under the general direction of the [[Gibson Plan]], gaining a new pedestrianised shopping precinct (the first of its kind in Europe on such a scale) and in 1962 Sir Basil Spences much-celebrated new [[Coventry Cathedral|St Michael's Cathedral]] (incorporating the world's largest tapestry) was consecrated. Its pre-fabricated steel spire was lowered into place by helicopter. In 1967, the Eagle Street [[Mosque]] opened as Coventry's first mosque.
Coventry's motor industry boomed during the 1950s and 1960s and Coventry enjoyed a 'golden age'. During this period the disposable income of Coventrians was one of the highest in the country and both the sports and the arts benefited. A new sports centre, with one of the few Olympic standard swimming pools in the UK, was constructed and Coventry City football club reached the First Division of English Football. The Belgrade Theatre was also constructed along with the Herbert Art Gallery. The 1970s, however, saw a decline in the British motor industry and Coventry suffered badly. By the early 1980s, Coventry had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. In recent years, the city has recovered with newer industries locating there, although the motor industry continues to decline. As of 2008, only one motor manufacturing plant remained operational, that of LTI Ltd, producing the popular [[TX4]] taxi cabs.
==City boundaries==
Unlike other major UK cities, Coventry does not have an extensive 'greater' urban area. This is partly because the city boundaries were drawn so as to include practically all of its suburbs, and partly because Coventry has comparatively little in the way of contiguous satellite towns and dormitory settlements.
The M6 motorway directly to the north of Coventry acts as an artificial boundary which precludes expansion into the [[Bedworth]]-[[Nuneaton]] urban area, as does the protected West Midlands [[Green belt (UK)|Green Belt]] which surrounds the city on all sides. This has circumvented the expansion of the city into both the administrative county of [[Warwickshire]] and the metropolitan borough of [[Solihull]], and has helped to prevent the coalescence of the city with surrounding settlements such as [[Kenilworth]], [[Leamington Spa]], [[Warwick]], [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]], [[Meriden, West Midlands|Meriden]] and [[Balsall Common]].
==Suburbs or areas==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-5}}
'''A'''
*[[Alderman's Green]]
*[[Allesley]]
*[[Allesley|Allesley Green]]
*[[Allesley|Allesley Park]]
*[[Ash Green]]
'''B'''
*[[Ball Hill]]
*[[Bannerbrook Park]]
*[[Bell Green]]
*[[Binley, Coventry|Binley]]
*[[Bishopsgate Green]]
*[[Brownshill Green]]
'''C'''
*[[Canley]]
*[[Cannon Park]]
*[[Chapelfields, Coventry|Chapelfields]]
*[[Cheylesmore]]
*[[Clifford Park]]
*[[Copsewood]]
*[[Coundon, Coventry|Coundon]]
*[[Courthouse Green]]
{{col-5}}
'''D'''
*[[Daimler Green]]
'''E'''
*[[Earlsdon, Coventry|Earlsdon]]
*[[Eastern Green]]
*[[Edgwick]]
*[[Ernesford Grange]]
'''F'''
*[[Finham]]
*[[Stivichall|Fenside]]
*[[Foleshill]]
'''G'''
*[[Green Lane, Coventry|Green Lane]]
*[[Gibbet Hill]]
*[[Gosford Green]]
{{col-5}}
'''H'''
*[[Hearsall Common]]
*[[Henley Green]]
*[[Hillfields]]
*[[Holbrooks]]
'''I'''
'''J'''
'''K'''
*[[Keresley]]
'''L'''
*[[Little Heath, Coventry|Little Heath]]
*[[Longford, Coventry|Longford]]
'''M'''
*[[Mount Nod]]
{{col-5}}
'''N'''
'''O'''
'''P'''
*[[Stoke Aldermoor|Pinley]]
*[[Potters Green]]
'''Q'''
'''R'''
*[[Radford, Coventry|Radford]]
'''S'''
*[[Spon End]]
*[[Stoke, Coventry|Stoke]]
*[[Stoke Heath, Coventry|Stoke Heath]]
*[[Stoke Aldermoor]]
*[[Stivichall]]
{{col-5}}
'''T'''
*[[Tanyard Farm]]
*[[Tile Hill]]
*[[Toll Bar End]]
'''U'''
'''V'''
*[[Victoria Farm]]
'''W'''
*[[Walsgrave|Walsgrave-On-Sowe]]
*[[Westwood Heath]]
*[[Whitley, Coventry|Whitley]]
*[[Whitmore Park]]
*[[Whoberley]]
*[[Willenhall, Coventry|Willenhall]]
*[[Wood End, Coventry|Wood End]]
*[[Woodway Park]]
*[[Wyken]]
{{col-end}}
==Places of interest==
[[Image:Coventry Cathedral ruins.jpg|thumb|right|The ruins of the old [[Coventry Cathedral|Cathedral]]]]
[[Coventry Cathedral|St. Michael's Cathedral]] is Coventry's best-known landmark and visitor attraction. The original 14th century cathedral was largely destroyed by German bombing during World War II, leaving only the outer walls and spire. At the time of the bombing, the Spire of St. Michael's was the third tallest in Britain (Ely and Salford cathedrals being taller), but due to the architectural design - it was the tallest standing spire and not constructed as part of the roof (as is the case with the neighbouring Holy Trinity Church), thus surviving the destruction of the main Cathedral. The new Coventry Cathedral was opened in 1962 next to the ruins of the old. It was designed by [[Sir Basil Spence]]. The cathedral contains the tapestry ''Christ in Glory'' by [[Graham Sutherland]]. The bronze statue ''St Michael's Victory over the Devil'' by [[Jacob Epstein]] is mounted on the exterior of the new cathedral near the entrance. [[Benjamin Britten]]'s ''[[War Requiem]]'', regarded by some as his masterpiece, was written for the opening of the new Cathedral.
The spire of the ruined cathedral forms one of the Three Spires which have dominated the city skyline since the 14th century, the others being those of Christ Church (of which only the spire survives) and Holy Trinity Church (which is still in use).
[[Image:Coventry spires.jpg|upright|thumb|left|Two of Coventry's "three spires"]]
Another major visitor attraction in Coventry city centre is the free-to-enter [[Coventry Transport Museum]], which has the largest collection of British-made road vehicles in the world. The most notable exhibits are the world speed record-breaking cars, [[Thrust2]] and [[ThrustSSC]]. The museum received a major refurbishment in 2004 which included the creation of a striking new entrance as part of the city's Phoenix Initiative project. The revamp saw the museum exceed its projected five-year visitor numbers within the first year alone, and it was a finalist for the 2005 [[Gulbenkian Prize]].
The [[Herbert Art Gallery and Museum]] is a major art gallery in the city centre. About four miles from the city centre and just outside Coventry in [[Baginton]] is the [[Lunt Fort]], a reconstructed [[Roman Empire|Roman]] fort. The [[Midland Air Museum]] is situated just within the perimeter of Coventry on land adjacent to [[Coventry Airport]] and near [[Baginton]].
Coventry was one of the main centres of watchmaking during the 18th and 19th centuries and as the industry declined the skilled workers were key to setting up the cycle trade. A group of local enthusiasts are in the process of setting up a museum in Spon Street.<ref name=cwm/>
The city's main police station in Little Park Street also hosts a museum of Coventry's Police Force. The museum, based underground, is split into two sections - one representing the history of the city's police force, and the other compiling some of the more unusual, interesting and grisly cases from the force's history. The museum is funded from charity donations - viewings can be made by appointment.
[[Image:Whittle arches coventry 12u07.JPG|thumb|right|The "Whittle Arch" outside the Transport Museum, named after Sir [[Frank Whittle]].]]
Major improvements continue to regenerate the city centre. The Phoenix Initiative reached the final shortlist for the 2004 [[Stirling Prize|RIBA Stirling Prize]] and has now won a total of 16 separate awards. Further major developments are potentially afoot, particularly the Swanswell Project, which is intended to deepen Swanswell Pool and link it to [[Coventry Canal#Coventry Canal Basin|Coventry Canal Basin]], coupled with the creation of an urban marina and a wide Parisian-style boulevard. A possible second phase of the Phoenix Initiative is also in the offing, although both of these plans are still on the drawing-board. The redevelopment of the Belgrade Theatre is currently in progress, and the building of [[IKEA]]'s first city centre multi-storey store has recently been completed and was opened to the public on [[16 December]] [[2007]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ikeacoventry.wordpress.com/ |title=IKEA Coventry |publisher=Wordpress |year=2007 |accessdate=2008-03-28}}</ref>
Coventry City Football Club have recently started playing at their new home, the [[Ricoh Arena]], a 32,000 capacity stadium in [[Foleshill]] in north Coventry, and their football academy is now based at [[The Alan Higgs Centre]], a leisure centre in south-east Coventry opened in 2004. The [[Highfield Road (stadium)|Highfield Road]] stadium has been demolished making way for new housing and a small green.
[[Hillfields#Coventry City Farm|Coventry City Farm]] is a small farm in an urban setting. It is mainly to educate city children who might not get out to the countryside very often. The farm closed in 2008 due to funding problems.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7291402.stm |title=City farm shuts after cash crisis |date=2008-03-12 |accessdate=2008-03-28}}</ref>
The river Sherbourne runs under Coventry's city centre; the river was paved over during the rebuilding after [[World War II|WWII]] and is not commonly known.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/src/webroot/coventrytelegraph/lifestyle-news/your-life/2006/10/05/going-underground-in-coventry-50003-17875961/
|title = Going underground in Coventry
|accessdate = 2008-04-28
|date = [[5 October]] [[2006]]
|work = [[Coventry Telegraph.net]]
|publisher = Coventry Telegraph
}}</ref>
==Education==
{{Seealso|List of schools in Coventry}}
[[Image:Coventry university 26l07.JPG|left|thumb|The Alan Berry building, Coventry University.]]
Coventry has two universities; [[Coventry University]] (formerly Lanchester Polytechnic) is situated on a modern city centre campus and the [[University of Warwick]], which lies 5.5 km (3.5 miles) to the south of the city centre within Coventry near the border with [[Warwickshire]]. The University of Warwick is one of only five universities never to have been rated outside the top ten in terms of teaching excellence and research and is a member of the prestigious [[Russell Group]]. It won the prestigious BBC TV [[University Challenge]] trophy in April 2007. Coventry University is one of only a handful of universities to run a vehicle design degree course that is second only to the [[Royal College of Art]] course in prestige.
Coventry also has three further education colleges within city boundaries, [[City College Coventry|City College]], Henley College and Hereward College.
Many of the secondary schools in and around Coventry are specialist colleges, such as [[Finham Park School]], which is a Mathematics and IT college and now a teacher training school and [[Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School]] which has recently become a specialist college of Music, one of only a few in the country. [[Bishop Ullathorne RC School]] became a specialist college in Humanities in 2006. [[Woodlands School, Coventry|Woodlands School]] in Coventry is now also a sports college, which has a newly built sport centre. [[Ernesford Grange School & Community College|Ernesford Grange School]], in the South East, is a specialist science college. [[Coundon Court School]] is a Technology college. [[Pattison College]], a private school opened in 1949, specialises in the performing arts. There is also Caludon Castle School, a business and enterprise school, which has been rebuilt over 2005-2007. [[Exhall Grange School|Exhall Grange School and Science College]] is in the North of the City, although, its catchment area is north Warwickshire.
The Coventry School Foundation comprises the independent schools [[King Henry VIII School]] and [[Bablake School]] together with [[Coventry Preparatory School]].
The Woodlands School, which is an all boys' school, and [[Tile Hill Wood School]] are the only single-sex schools left in Coventry. However, their [[sixth form]]s have merged to form the "West Coventry 6th Form", whose lessons take place in mixed classes on both sites.
==Arts and culture==
[[Image:Stage godiva festival 15l07.JPG|right|thumb|A stage at the Godiva Festival 2007]]
*During the early 19th century, Coventry was well-known due to author [[George Eliot]] who was born near [[Nuneaton]]. The city was the model for her famous novel ''[[Middlemarch]]'' (1871).
*The [[Coventry Carol]] is named after the city of Coventry. It was a carol performed in the play ''The Pageant of The Shearman and Tailors'', written in the 15th century as one of the [[Coventry Mystery Plays|Coventry Cycle Mystery Plays]]. These plays depicted the nativity story, the lyrics of the Coventry Carol referring to the Annunciation to the Massacre of the Innocents, which was the basis of the Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. These plays were traditionally performed on the steps of the (old) Cathedral, and the plays are believed to have been performed for both Richard III in 1484 and Henry VII in 1584.
*The [[Belgrade Theatre]] was Britain's first purpose-built civic theatre, opened in 1958. In 1965 the world's first [[Theatre-in-Education]] (TiE) company was formed to develop theatre as a way of inspiring learning in schools. The TiE movement spread worldwide, but many UK companies were closed in the 1980s and 1990s, including the Belgrade TiE company which was closed by the theatre's management and the city council in 1996.
*During the late-1970s and early-1980s, Coventry was the centre of the [[Two Tone]] musical phenomenon, with bands such as [[The Specials]] and [[The Selecter]] coming from the city, spawning several major hit singles and albums. The Specials achieved two UK #1 hit singles between 1979 - 1981, namely "Too Much Too Young" and "Ghost Town". Notable singles by The Selecter included "On My Radio" and "Three Minute Hero".
*Today Coventry is recognised for its range of music events including one of the UK's foremost international jazz programmes, The Coventry Jazz Festival, and the award-winning [[Godiva Festival]]. On the Saturday of the Godiva Festival, a carnival parade also starts in the city centre and makes its way to the [[War Memorial Park, Coventry|War Memorial Park]] where the festival is held.
*In the film ''[[The Italian Job]]'', the famous scene of [[Mini Cooper]]s being driven at speed through [[Turin]]'s sewers was actually filmed in Coventry, using what were then the country's biggest sewer pipes, that were accessible because they were being installed. More recently various locations in Coventry have been used in the [[BAFTA]] nominated film "''Bouncer''" starring [[Ray Winstone]], ''[[All in the Game]]'', also starring Ray Winstone (Ricoh Arena), the medical TV series ''[[Angels]]'' (Walsgrave Hospital), the BBC [[sitcom]] ''[[Keeping Up Appearances]]'' (Stoke Aldermoor and Binley Woods districts) and in August 2006 scenes from "The Shakespeare Code", an episode of the third series of ''[[Doctor Who]]'', were filmed in the grounds of Ford's Hospital.
==Venues==
[[Image:Warwick Arts Centre 2003.JPG|right|thumb|Warwick Arts Centre in Warwick University Campus]]
Theatre, art and music venues in Coventry include:
*The [[Warwick Arts Centre]]: situated at the [[University of Warwick]], Warwick Arts Centre includes an art gallery, a theatre, a concert hall and a cinema. It is the second largest arts centre in the UK, after London's [[Barbican Arts Centre|Barbican]].
*The College Theatre: the city's main community theatre, housed at the Butts Centre of [[City College Coventry]]. It's a fully functioning theatre with flying scenery, full sound and lighting boxes.
*The [[Belgrade Theatre]]: one of the largest producing theatres in Britain, the 866 seat Belgrade was the first civic theatre to be opened in the UK following [[World War II]].
*Also currently being built is the [[Belgrade Plaza]].
*The [[Ricoh Arena]]: located 5.5 km (3.5 miles) north of the city centre, the 32,000 capacity Coventry City FC stadium is also used to hold major rock concerts for some of the world's biggest acts, including the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] and [[Bon Jovi]]. The adjacent Ricoh Exhibition Hall is a 6,000-seater events venue for hosting a multitude of other acts.
*The [[SkyDome Arena]], which is a 3000 capacity sports auditorium, and has played host to artists such as Girls Aloud, Paul Oakenfold, Judge Jules and Paul Morrell. It is the home ground for [[Coventry Blaze]] ice hockey club, and has also hosted professional wrestling events such as [[International Showdown]].
*The [[War Memorial Park, Coventry|War Memorial Park]], which holds various festivals including the [[Godiva Festival]], every year.
*The [[Butts Park Arena]], home of [[Coventry R.F.C.|Coventry Rugby Football Club]], holds music concerts occasionally.
*The [[Kasbah Nightclub]], [[Hillfields]]. It was renamed after refurbishment in 2007, but is still often referred to by its old name, 'Colosseum'.
*The [[Criterion Theatre (Coventry)|Criterion Theatre]], a small theatre, in Earlsdon.
==Sport==
[[Image:Ricoh arena 30s07.JPG|thumb|left|The Ricoh Arena]]
Sporting teams include [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] ([[Football (soccer)|Football]]), [[Coventry Sphinx F.C.|Coventry Sphinx]] ([[Football (soccer)|Football]]), [[Coventry Copsewood F.C.|Coventry Copsewood]] ([[Football (soccer)|Football]]), [[Coventry R.F.C.|Coventry Rugby Club]] ([[Rugby Union]]), [[City Of Coventry Swimming Club]] ([[Swimming]]), [[Coventry Blaze]] ([[Ice Hockey]]), [[Coventry Bears]] ([[Rugby League]]), [[Coventry Godiva Harriers]] ([[Athletics (track and field)|Athletics]]), [[Coventry Bees]] ([[Motorcycle speedway|Speedway]]), [[Coventry Crusaders]] ([[Basketball]]), [[Coventry Cassidy Jets]] ([[American Football]]) and [[Four Masters GAA Club]] ([[Gaelic football]]).
In football, Coventry City have been in existence since the late 19th century, but did not reach the [[Football League First Division|top flight]] of the [[Football League]] until 1967, when they were promoted as [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] champions. Their highest league position so far is sixth place in the First Division in 1970, and their only major trophy to date is the [[FA Cup]] which was won in 1987 with a 3-2 win over [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]]. Coventry were founder members of the [[Premier League]] in 1992, but currently play in the [[Football League Championship]] (formerly Division One) where they have been since 2001.
In 2003, [[Coventry Blaze]] won the [[British National League]] and Playoffs. Between 1998 and 2000, Coventry hosted the [[Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain]] at [[Brandon Stadium]].
2005 was a good year for sport in Coventry. Not only did it become the first city in the UK to host the International Children's Games,<ref>[http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/leisure-and-culture/international-childrens-games-2005]{{Dead link|date=December 2007}}[http://www.webicg.org/]</ref> but three of the city sports team won significant honours. The Blaze won the treble consisting of [[British Elite Ice Hockey League|Elite League]], playoff and [[Challenge Cup (UK Ice Hockey)|Challenge Cup]], the Jets won the [[British American Football League|BAFL]] Division 2 championship and were undefeated all season, while the Bees won the Elite League playoffs. In 2007, [[Coventry Blaze]] won the [[British Elite Ice Hockey League|Elite League]] and the [[Challenge Cup (UK Ice Hockey)|British Challenge cup]] and narrowly missed out on the treble by losing in the semi-finals of the playoffs.
The Coventry Bees are based at Brandon Stadium to the east of the city. The stadium has operated both sides of [[WWII]]. The Bees started in 1948 and have operated continuously ever since. They started out in the National League Division three before moving up to the Second Division and, later to the top flight. They have operated at this level ever since.
Before WWII [[speedway]] operated at Foleshill Stadium in the City and was the base for the pre-war Coventry teams.
==Famous Coventrians==
[[Image:Godiva statue.jpg|upright|thumb|right|Statue of [[Lady Godiva]]]]
Arguably Coventry's most famous resident was [[Lady Godiva]] who, according to legend, rode through the city naked on horseback in protest at high taxes being waged on the cityfolk by her husband [[Leofric, Earl of Mercia]]. According to the legend the residents of the city were commanded to look away as she rode, but one man didn't and was allegedly struck blind. He became known as ''Peeping Tom'' thus originating a new idiom, or metonym, in English. There is a statue of her in the city centre, which used to stand out in the open but is now situated under the much-maligned Cathedral Lanes shopping centre canopy (see right). There is also a bust of Peeping Tom looking out from a bridge that crosses one branch of the shopping precinct.
Other famous people from Coventry include Sir [[Frank Whittle]], the inventor of the [[jet engine]], the poet and novelist [[Philip Larkin]], the noted trade union organiser [[Tom Mann]], the actors [[Nigel Hawthorne]] and [[Clive Owen]], the pioneering electronic composer [[Delia Derbyshire]], the broadcaster [[Brian Matthew]], the record producer [[Pete Waterman]], the athlete and former 5,000m world-record holder [[David Moorcroft]], [[Ian Bell (cricketer)|Ian Bell]], the Ashes winning cricketer and the [[2003 Rugby Union World Cup]] winners [[Neil Back]] and [[Danny Grewcock]], former England boxing captain and European champion [[Errol Christie]], author [[Lee Child]], the Cyborg Scientist [[Kevin Warwick]], [[Jerry Dammers]], writer of the song "[[Free Nelson Mandela]]" and the driving-force behind [[The Specials]], [[Terry Hall (singer)|Terry Hall]], lead singer with The Specials, [[Fun Boy Three]] and [[The Colourfield]] (and a celebrated solo artist in his own right), Clive Scott and Barrie Bernard who were members of the band [[Jigsaw (band)|Jigsaw]], [[Hazel O'Connor]], a rock singer of the 1980s-1990s, Paul King (lead singer of the mid-80s band [[King (band)|King]]), [[Clint Mansell]] (lead singer of the 1990s indie band [[Pop Will Eat Itself]]), [[Julianne Regan]] (lead singer of the 80s-90s band [[All About Eve (band)|All About Eve]]), Jason John (aka Jason Herbert) of the 1990s boy band [[Big Fun]], Julian Little, DJ/Producer (Portamento/RAW) was born in Coventry, [[Lee Dorrian]], (a former member of [[Napalm Death]] and later [[Cathedral (band)|Cathedral]] - both well-known bands in the [[grindcore]] / [[death metal]] and [[doom metal]] scenes respectively), and [[Bolt Thrower]], (another band well-known in the death metal scene). Roy Allbrighton, the lead guitarist and vocalist from Prog Rock group [[Nektar]], who have been recording and touring since the early 1970s and are still popular in the US and Europe, is from Coventry.
[[Image:starley 14g06.JPG|upright|thumb|left|Statue commemorating [[James Starley]].]]
In the 19th century, the inventor [[James Starley]] and his nephew [[John Kemp Starley|J.K. Starley]] lived in the city, and were both instrumental in the development of the [[bicycle]], and for starting the British bicycle industry. J.K. Starley was also responsible for founding [[Rover (car)|Rover]]. A statue near Warwick Row commemorates James Starley.
The politician [[Mo Mowlam]] who was [[Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]] spent part of her youth in Coventry. [[Joseph Paxton]], the architect of [[the Crystal Palace]], was a [[Member of Parliament]] for the city from 1854 to 1865.
[[Two Tone]] [[ska]] bands [[The Specials]] and [[The Selecter]] are both from Coventry – one of The Specials' best known hits, ''Ghost Town'' is often thought to be written about the city. Other bands from the city which found success include [[The Primitives]], [[Fun Boy Three]], [[The Colourfield]], [[King (band)|King]], [[The Sorrows]] and [[The Flys (UK band)|The Flys]]. More recently, indie-band [[The Enemy]], hailing from the suburb of Holbrooks, succeeded in reaching no.1 in the UK album charts with their debut ''We'll Live & Die In These Towns'' in July 2007.
[[2004 Olympics]] 4x100m relay gold medallist [[Marlon Devonish]] is also from Coventry, and in November of the same year he was awarded with an MBE. He also appeared at the opening ceremony of the International Children's Games held in 2005.
[[Show Jumping World Cup]] champion [[Nick Skelton]] who has jumped for the [[Great Britain]] team on 152 occasions.
[[Sky Sports]] presenter [[Richard Keys]], who has presented more than 1,000 football matches making him British television's most presented anchorman.
[[West End theatre]] producer and entertainment [[entrepreneur]] [[Dominic Madden]], responsible for the re-development of the [[Elephant and Castle]] theatre into [[The Coronet]] music venue.
Professional footballer 'super' [[Luke McCormick]] hails from Coventry having grown up in the city before moving to Plymouth Argyle FC to ply his trade.
[[Jen Ledger]] drummer with Christian band Skillet was born in Coventry.
Coventry is also home to Rajinder Rai more commonly known as [[Panjabi MC]] who came to become famous with his smash hit single ''Mundian To Bach Ke'' or in English, ''Beware of the Boys (Knight Rider remix)'' and also with the German underground dance floor filler Jogi. Other Notable Bhangra stars that reside in Coventry are [[The Specialist]] known for his ground breaking album ''Word is Born'' and Repazent as a collaboration with [[Tru Skool]]. Another known Bhangra artist amongst the British Asian community is [[Silinder Pardesi]].
The city's list of more infamous individuals includes:
* Porn star [[Debee Ashby]], who achieved notoriety during 1983 when she appeared nude with her mother in an adult magazine.
* Nazi [[Colin Jordan]] who led the [[National Socialist Movement]] during the 1960s.
* Zain Ali who assisted Nazi Colin Jordan in the SS Movement of the 1960s.
==Economy==
[[Image:Coventry Skyline.jpg|thumb|300px|Coventry's skyline (view from the footbridge over the railway by Central 6 shopping centre)]]
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Coventry at current basic prices by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling:<ref>{{cite web |url =http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf |title = Regional Gross Value Added (pp.240-253) |publisher = Office for National Statistics (UK)}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added <sup>1</sup>|| Agriculture <sup>2</sup> || Industry <sup>3</sup> || Services <sup>4</sup>
|-
| 1995 || '''3,407''' || 3 || 1,530 || 1,874
|-
| 2000 || '''4,590''' || 3 || 1,873 || 2,714
|-
| 2003 || '''5,103''' || 2 || 1,529 || 3,572
|}
Notes:
# Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
# Includes hunting and forestry
# Includes energy and construction
# Includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured
Coventry has long been a centre of motor and cycle manufacturing, dating back from 1896, the car and cycle industry has been a strong centre point for this town. Starting out with some less familiar names such as Coventry Motette, Great Horseless Carriage Co, [[Swift Motor Company]] and more familiar names like [[Humber]], [[Riley (automobile)|Riley]], [[Francis-Barnett (motorcycles)|Francis-Barnett]] and [[Daimler Motor Company|Daimler]] and the [[Triumph Motorcycles|Triumph motorcycle]] having its origins in 1902 in a Coventry factory. The Massey-Ferguson tractor factory was situated on Banner Lane, Tile Hill, until it closed in the late 1990s. Although the motor industry has declined almost to the point of extinction, the [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]]
company has retained its corporate and research headquarters in the city (at Allesley and Whitley), and [[Peugeot]] still have a large parts centre in Humber Road. The famous London [[Hackney carriage|black cab taxis]] are produced in Coventry by [[London Taxis International|LTI]] and these are now the only vehicles still wholly built in Coventry.
The manufacture of [[machine tools]] was once a major industry in Coventry. The [[Alfred Herbert]] company became one of the largest machine tool companies in the world. Unfortunately in later years the company faced tough competition from foreign machine tool builders and ceased trading in 1983. Another famous Coventry machine tool manufacturer was the [[A.C.Wickman]] company. The last Coventry machine tool manufacturer was [[Matrix Churchill]] which was forced to close in the wake of the [[Iraqi Supergun]] scandal. It had been owned the Saddam Hussein government.
Coventry's main industries include: cars, electronic equipment, machine tools, agricultural machinery, man-made fibres, aerospace components and telecommunications equipment. In recent years, the city has moved away from manufacturing industries towards business services, finance, research, design and development, creative industries as well as logistics and leisure.
==Transport==
[[Image:Coventry Canal basin - southern end of canal 19n06.jpg|right|thumb|Coventry Canal Basin]]
Coventry is near the [[M6 motorway|M6]], [[M69 motorway|M69]], [[M45 motorway|M45]] and [[M40 motorway]]s. It is also served by the [[A45 road|A45]] and [[A46 road|A46]] dual carriageways. Coventry has a much used inner [[ring road]] opened in the 1960s (approx.). [[Phoenix Way (road)|Phoenix Way]], a dual carriageway running north–south opened 1998 (approx.), has improved traffic flows through the city.
For rail, [[Coventry railway station]] is served by the [[West Coast Main Line]], and has regular rail services between [[London]] and [[Birmingham]] (and stations beyond). It is also served by railway lines to [[Nuneaton]] via [[Bedworth]]. There is a line linking it to [[Leamington Spa]] and onwards to the south coast. Coventry also has 2 Suburban Rail stations in [[Canley railway station|Canley]] and in [[Tile Hill railway station|Tile Hill]].
[[Bus]] service operators in Coventry include [[National Express Coventry]], [[Travel De Courcey]] and [[Stagecoach in Warwickshire]]. [[Pool Meadow Bus Station]] is the main bus and coach [[interchange]] in the city centre.
The nearest major [[airports]] are [[Birmingham International Airport (UK)|Birmingham International Airport]], some 17 km (11 miles) to the west of the city and [[Coventry Airport]] in [[Baginton]], from which [[Thomsonfly]] operates commercial scheduled flights to more than 20 European destinations, located 8 km (5 miles) south of the city centre.
The [[Coventry Canal]] terminates near the city centre at [[Coventry Canal#Coventry Canal Basin|Coventry Canal Basin]] and is navigable for 61 km (38 miles) to [[Fradley Junction]] in [[Staffordshire]].
==Waste management==
[[Image:Incineration unit plume Coventry 19n06.jpg|left|thumb|Incineration plant, Coventry]]
Coventry has a large [[incineration]] plant which burns rubbish from both Coventry and [[Solihull]] and in the process produces [[electricity]] for the [[National Grid (UK)|National Grid]] and some hot water that is used locally. In addition, some rubbish is still put into [[landfill]].
[[Coventry City Council]] is assisting [[recycling]] as part of their [[waste management]] strategy in line with national trends:
*many areas of Coventry have kerb-side [[paper recycling]] and garden-green rubbish collection.
*a wide range of waste materials can be taken by car to the recycling depot, which is adjacent to the incineration unit.
*there are many recycling points throughout the City for paper, [[glass recycling]] and metal / tin can recycling.
In October 2006, Coventry City Council signed the [[Nottingham Declaration]], joining 130 other UK councils in committing to reduce the [[greenhouse gas]] emissions of the council and to help the local community do the same.
==Politics==
[[Image:Coventry Council House 14g06.JPG|thumb|right|The Council House, Coventry]]
Traditionally a part of [[Warwickshire]] (although it was [[County of the City of Coventry|a county in its own right]] for 400 years), Coventry became an independent [[county borough]] in 1889. It later became a [[metropolitan district]] of the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]] under the Local Government Act (1974), even though it was entirely separate to the Birmingham conurbation area (this is why Coventry appears to unnaturally "jut out" into Warwickshire on political maps of the UK). In 1986, the [[West Midlands County Council]] was abolished and Coventry became administered as an effective [[unitary authority]] in its own right.
Coventry is still strongly associated with its traditional county, Warwickshire. This may be because of its geographical location, forming a large protrusion into the county.
Coventry is administered by Coventry City Council. The city is divided up into 18 [[ward (politics)|Wards]] each with three [[councillor]]s. Coventry had long been considered a stronghold or source of [[safe seat]]s for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]. The city council was for years described as a "one party state", but has been [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]-controlled since the local elections on [[May 4]], [[2006]] (although the Conservative group held the administration on the casting vote of the Lord Mayor since June 2004). A notable politician serving with Coventry City Council is former [[Militant Tendency]] Labour MP [[Dave Nellist]] who now represents the [[Socialist Party (England and Wales)]].
The leader of the controlling Conservative group is Ken Taylor, who has held the post of Leader of the Council since 2004. The leader of the opposition Labour group is [[John Mutton]].
Certain local services are provided by West Midlands wide agencies including the [[West Midlands Police]], the [[West Midlands Fire Service]] and the [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive]] (Centro) which is responsible for [[public transport]].
In 2006, Coventry and Warwickshire Ambulance Service was merged with the [[West Midlands Ambulance Service]]. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire [[Air Ambulance]] service is based at [[Coventry Airport]] in Baginton.
Coventry is represented in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] by three [[Member of Parliament|MPs]] all of whom are Labour. These are:
*[[Bob Ainsworth]] - ([[Coventry North East (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry North East]])
*[[Jim Cunningham (UK politician)|Jim Cunningham]] - ([[Coventry South (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry South]])
*[[Geoffrey Robinson]] - ([[Coventry North West (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry North West]])
At the Annual Meeting of the City Council on [[May 17]] [[2007]], Councillor Dave Batten was elected as the new Lord Mayor of Coventry. Councillor Batten has been a Labour councillor for 16 years representing the Westwood Ward. Councillor Batten's wife, Lyn, is Lady Mayoress. The Deputy Lord Mayor is Councillor Andy Matchet. He has been a Conservative councillor in Earlsdon since 1999.
The [[Bishop of Coventry]] since April 1998 has been the Rt Revd. [[Colin Bennetts]], who retired from the post on [[December 1]], [[2007]]. The Reverend Canon Dr [[Christopher Cocksworth]] was nominated Bishop of Coventry on [[March 3]], [[2008]].
== Demographics ==
Similar to most major [[Great Britain|British]] cities, Coventry has a fairly large [[ethnic minority]] [[population]], non-white [[British people|Britons]] making up 24.5% of the population as of 2005 estimates.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276801&c=Coventry&d=13&e=13&g=373870&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202579430538&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812 |title = Neighbourhood statistics |publisher = UK government}}</ref> The breakdown of the ethnic minority population is not typical, the [[Sikh]]s are the largest non-[[Christian]] [[religion]], there are significant numbers of other [[South Asian]]s but the [[black]] [[population]] is rather low at 2.9%. The ethnic minority population is mainly concentrated in the [[Foleshill]] ward and the [[St. Michael's]] ward. [[White British|White Britons]] make up 75.5% of the population, [[Irish Briton|White Irish]] people make up 2.9%, and [[Other White]] people make up 2.8%. 8.1% of the city's population is [[British Asian|Indian]], 2.2% [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]], 0.8% [[British Asian|Other South Asian]], 0.7% [[British Asian|Bangladeshi]]. 1.5% of people are [[Black British|Black African]], 1.2% [[Black British|Black Caribbean]], 0.2% [[Black British|Other Black]]. People belonging to two or more races make up 2.0% of the population, the [[British Chinese|Chinese]] make up 1.4% and [[Other ethnic group (United Kingdom Census)|Others]] (mainly [[Oriental British|Orientals]]) make up the remaining 0.8%.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276801&c=Coventry&d=13&e=13&g=373870&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202579430538&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812 |title = Neighbourhood statistics |publisher = UK government}}</ref>
==Closest cities, towns and villages==
{{geocompass
|hub = Coventry
|type= ex
|NN = [[Bedworth]], [[Nuneaton]],
|NE = [[Hinckley]], [[Leicester]]
|EE = [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]], [[Lutterworth]]
|SE = [[Daventry]], [[Northampton]]
|SS = [[Warwick]], [[Leamington Spa]]
|SW = [[Kenilworth]], [[Stratford-upon-Avon]]
|WW = [[Solihull]], [[Redditch]]
|NW = [[Birmingham]], [[Sutton Coldfield]], [[Wolverhampton]]}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Cities (within 80 km/50 miles) ===
* [[Birmingham]] (30 km/19 miles)
* [[Leicester]] (38 km/24 miles)
* [[Lichfield]] (48 km/30 miles)
* [[Wolverhampton]] (59 km/37 miles)
* [[Worcester]] (69 km/43 miles)
* [[Derby]] (80 km/50 miles)
* [[Nottingham]] (80 km/50 miles)
===Towns (within 32 km/20 miles)===
* [[Bedworth]] (10 km/6 miles)
* [[Kenilworth]] (10 km/6 miles)
* [[Nuneaton]] (14.5 km/9 miles)
* [[Leamington Spa]] (16 km/10 miles)
* [[Warwick]] (19 km/12 miles)
* [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] (19 km/12 miles)
* [[Hinckley]] (19 km/12 miles)
* [[Atherstone]] (20 km/12.5 miles)
* [[Solihull]] (21 km/13 miles)
* [[Southam]] (21 km/13 miles)
* [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] (30 km/19 miles)
* [[Sutton Coldfield]] (32 km/20 miles)
* [[Tamworth]] (32 km/20 miles)
{{col-2}}
===Villages===
*[[Baginton]], about 4 miles south
*[[Neal's Green]]/[[Ash Green, Warwickshire|Ash Green]] - about 4 miles north
*[[Burton Green]], about 4 miles west
*[[Binley Woods]], about 5 miles southeast
*[[Stoneleigh, Warwickshire|Stoneleigh]], 5 miles south
*[[Ryton-on-Dunsmore]], about 5.5 miles southeast
*[[Hawkesbury]], about 5.5 miles north
*[[Ansty, Warwickshire|Ansty]], about 6 miles north east
*[[Corley]], about 6 miles northwest
*[[Bulkington]], about 6 miles northeast
*[[Brandon, Warwickshire|Brandon]], about 6 miles southeast
*[[Shilton, Warwickshire|Shilton]], about 7 miles northheast
*[[Berkswell]], about 7 miles west
*[[Balsall Common]], about 7 miles west
*[[Fillongley]], about 7 miles north
*[[Wolston]], about 7 miles southeast
*[[Brinklow]], about 7 miles east
*[[Bubbenhall]], about 7 miles southeast
*[[Meriden, West Midlands|Meriden]], about 8 miles west
*[[Bramcote, Warwickshire|Bramcote]], about 8 miles northeast
*[[Princethorpe]], about 10 miles southeast
*[[Stretton-on-Dunsmore]], about 10 miles southeast
*[[Wolvey]], about 10 miles northeast
{{col-end}}
Coventry is approximately [[latitudinal]] with the towns of [[Aberystwyth]] ([[West Wales]]), [[Kettering]] ([[Northamptonshire]]), [[Diss]] ([[Norfolk]]) and [[Ely]] ([[Cambridgeshire]]).
==Postcodes==
[[Postal districts]] [[CV postcode area|CV1]] to CV6 inclusive cover the [[city]] of Coventry and its immediate [[suburb]]s. Postal districts CV7 to CV47 cover almost all of the surrounding administrative county of [[Warwickshire]], with the exception of those areas around [[Coleshill]], [[Polesworth]], [[Alcester]] and [[Studley]] in western Warwickshire, which have [[B postcode area|Birmingham (B) postcodes]] instead.
==Twin cities==
Coventry was the first [[city]] to "twin" with another city ([[Volgograd]], [[Russia]]) and hence began the now common worldwide practice of [[Town twinning|twinning]]. It continued after [[World War II]] when Coventry twinned with [[Dresden]] as an act of peace and reconciliation, both cities having been very heavily bombed during the war. Each twin city country is represented in a specific ward of the city and in each ward has a peace garden dedicated to that twin city.
Coventry is now twinned with 26 places across the world:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Flag !! City !! Country !! Year Twinned !! Ward
|-
| {{flagicon|Australia}} || [[Parkes, New South Wales|Parkes]], [[New South Wales]] || [[Australia]] || 1956 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Austria}} || [[Graz]] || [[Austria]] || 1957 || Binley & Willenhall
|-
| {{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} || [[Sarajevo]] || [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] || 1957 ||
|-
| rowspan=3| {{flagicon|Canada}} || [[Cornwall, Ontario|Cornwall]], [[Ontario]] || rowspan=3| [[Canada]] || 1972 || rowspan=3|
|-
| [[Granby, Quebec|Granby]], [[Quebec]] || 1963
|-
| [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]], [[Ontario]] || 1963
|-
| {{flagicon|China}} || [[Jinan]] || [[China]] || 1983
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Czech Republic}} || [[Lidice]] || rowspan=2| [[Czech Republic]] || 1947 || rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Ostrava]] || 1959
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flagicon|France}} || [[Caen]] || rowspan=2| [[France]] || 1957 || rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Saint-Etienne]] || 1955
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Germany}} || [[Dresden]] || rowspan=2| [[Germany]] || 1959 || rowspan=2| Lower Stoke
|-
| [[Kiel]] || 1947
|-
| rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Hungary}} || [[Dunaújváros]] || rowspan=2| [[Hungary]] || 1962 || rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Kecskemét]] || 1962
|-
| {{flagicon|Italy}} || [[Bologna]] || [[Italy]] || 1960 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Jamaica}} || [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] || [[Jamaica]] || 1962 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Netherlands}} || [[Arnhem]] || [[Netherlands]] || 1958 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Poland}} || [[Warsaw]] || [[Poland]] || 1957 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Ireland}} || [[Cork (city)|Cork]] || [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] || 1958 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Romania}} || [[Galaţi]] || [[Romania]] || 1962 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Russia}} || [[Volgograd]] || [[Russia]] || 1944 ||
|-
| {{flagicon|Serbia}} || [[Belgrade]] || [[Serbia]] || 1957 ||
|-
| rowspan=3| {{flagicon|USA}} || [[Coventry, Connecticut|Coventry]], [[Connecticut]] || rowspan=3| [[United States|USA]] || 1962 || rowspan=3|
|-
| [[Coventry, New York|Coventry]], [[New York]] || 1972
|-
| [[Coventry, Rhode Island|Coventry]], [[Rhode Island]] || 1971
|}
==Honours==
A [[minor planet]] [[3009 Coventry]] discovered by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] astronomer [[Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh]] in 1973 is named after the city.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?hl=ru&q=3006+Livadia+1979 Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - p.247]</ref>
== 2008 bomb scare ==
On [[12 March]] [[2008]] an unexploded [[World War II]] [[Luftwaffe]] bomb was discovered at 12 noon on a building site in Coventry's city centre,<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7292097.stm
|title = 'World War II bomb' found in city
|accessdate = 2008-03-27
|date = [[12 March]] [[2008]]
|work = [[BBC News Online]]
|publisher = BBC
}}
</ref> a [[British Army]] [[bomb disposal]] unit was called in and subsequently called in experts from Cambridge. A controlled explosion was conducted at approximately 02:40 GMT on the morning of [[March 13]].<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7293488.stm
|title = Controlled explosion on WWII bomb
|accessdate = 2008-03-27
|date = [[13 March]] [[2008]]
|work = [[BBC News Online]]
|publisher = BBC
}}
</ref>
At first areas in close range of the bomb were evacuated (including a school and a hospital), however, as the day progressed larger parts of the city were closed off. Later, a cordon of 500 metres was enforced.
==Further reading==
*Albert Smith and David Fry: (1991). ''The Coventry We Have Lost''. Vol 1. Simanda Press, Berkswell. ISBN 0-9513867-1-9
*Albert Smith and David Fry: (1993). ''The Coventry We Have Lost''. Vol 2. Simanda Press, Berkswell. ISBN 0-9513867-2-7
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* ''Coventry: History and Guide'', by David McGrory (1993) ISBN 0-7509-0194-2
* ''A History of Warwickshire'', by Terry Slater (1981) ISBN 0-85033-416-0
== External links ==
* [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/cocoon/index.xml Coventry City council]
* [http://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/CoventryRaids.htm The Coventry Blitz]
* [http://www.talkingnewspaper.org.uk/ Coventry Talking Magazine]
* [http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/ The Coventry Telegraph]
* [http://www.coventryobserver.co.uk/ The Coventry Observer]
{{West Midlands County}}
{{West_Midlands}}
{{UK cities}}
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