[考文垂：古典与现代的和谐交融] 人与自然和谐共生 理解

　　 　　济南市同英国考文垂市的友好关系已有20年的历史。考文垂是一个整洁的现代化工业城市，同时拥有着辉煌灿烂的中世纪历史。它从战争的废墟中走出，展现出崭新的大都会面貌。但在它高大的写字楼之间，在现代化的道路两旁，是中世纪的房屋和教堂；在其五光十色的店埠后面，在宽阔开敞的公园附近，处处可见的是历史的遗迹。
　　考文垂在英国首都伦敦以北150公里处，地处英国心脏地带，距英国的交通枢纽伯明翰约半小时路程。考文垂市面积为9654公顷，人口335000。考文垂的主要行政机构为市议会，是由民主选举产生的团体，代表了全市人民的利益，服务于全市人民。议会共有54名议员，代表18个选区。议会每月开一次例会，讨论市里的重大政策，审批12个主要委员会的工作。议会的政策和日常活动均由全市近两万名公务员及工作人员贯彻并付诸实施。议会中有两个政治团体，保守党和工党。市长是该市的第一公民，负责召集议会会议，接待来宾负责整个市政活动。市长是从54名议员中推选出来的，任期一年，每年5月份换届。
　　说到考文垂市的历史，已经有1000多年了。最初只是一个宗教中心，小城镇上有零星的工艺品生产业和贸易，现在许多街道的名称都同历史有联系。后来该城镇成为一个很重要的羊毛、皮革及金属工业中心，到中世纪时，已发展成为英国最为重要的四大城市之一。1345年考文垂首次接受英国皇家宪章，从此，地方政府开始形成。那时社会最突出的特征是各行各业都形成了行会。考文垂的行会会馆是座精美的中世纪建筑，现用来作为市宴会厅。附近的伯明翰虽然在中世纪仅仅是一个村舍，到了19世纪产业革命期间却比考文垂大多了。考文垂并没有能像英国其他城市那样迅速发展，当时的工业主要是编织、造表和脚踏车制造，后来又发展了摩托车、汽车制造和其他的工业生产。20世纪以来，考文垂市又再度成为英国发展速度最快的城市之一。在20世纪初，人口还仅为7万，而现在约33.5万。考文垂市周围的农村有专门郡来分管。
　　第二次世界大战期间，考文垂由于是英国的军火工业中心，被作为一个重要目标遭到德军的轰炸。市区1000多幢建筑中，仅有30幢幸存。而工业蒙受的损失更为惨重，但多数工业在六七周内均恢复了生产。而且战争还仍在进行的时候，考文垂就精心制定了重建城市的规划。战后，考文垂就像是一只在烟灰中升起的凤凰，发出耀眼的光辉。
　　第二次世界大战之后，考文垂市成为英国重要的机动车工业中心。可以这样说，考文垂是英国机动车工业的摇篮。市中心的大不列颠道路交通博物馆是英国最大的国产陆地交通工具博物馆，里面收藏了许多独一无二的车辆，如1896年第一辆开下生产线的汽车、皇家用车、推动力2（Thrust 2）――打破了陆上速度极限的汽车。里面还永久性地举行1940年大空袭展，展示当时考文垂市的街景。
　　战后的考文垂还发展了更多的工业并采用新型工艺。目前其他主要工业包括机床、拖拉机、航天、电子及通讯设备、合成纤维及复合纤维。市政府与工商业机构等民间组织密切配合，积极合作，在市区沃里克大学附近形成一个科技园。新城区的建设是依照一个全面综合发展的规划而进行的，包括市区、商业、文化娱乐建筑等。
　　新的巴兹尔?斯宾思勋爵大教堂是考文垂城市重生的象征。这是一座令人瞩目的现代建筑，与旁边的1940年大空袭中被摧毁的大教堂遗迹并肩而立，形成鲜明对比，共同向世人展现着现代工匠和中世纪工匠高超的技艺。老教堂有万花筒式的七彩玻璃窗，对应着新教堂满墙连壁的织锦画，那是现代派艺术家格兰汉姆?萨德兰德织锦作品《光辉基督》。从老教堂的废墟中走向新教堂的明畅，给游客传达的信息是象征着基督在十字架上死后重生。
　　市中心现代化区域为游客们提供了三条有遮蔽的步行街。整个商业中心地处繁华闹市，中心是喷泉雕像、壁画和露天棋盘。现代化的商业中心为考文垂的购物经历增添了新的内容。
　　古老的考文垂的遗迹被巧妙地保留下来，保留着古旧的气氛。干草巷、斯旁街和大教堂附近就是这样的历史瑰宝。前面提到的中世纪的行会会馆是一处游客经常到访的去处，里面有古老的玻璃制品、精美的雕刻艺术和游吟诗人画廊，还有风格独特的15世纪壁挂织锦。温馨的邦德医院和福特医院在都铎王朝时代是养老院。安静的贝丽巷和小修道院街提醒着人们辉煌的过去。斯旁街是一条美丽的、经过重修的单口巷子。这里许多建筑是从城市其他地方迁来的，在伊丽莎白时期的“磨房酒吧”现在仍在使用，过去与现代的精神完美交融。还有一些古老而迷人的建筑现在做特殊用途：美术馆、传统酒吧、咖啡馆。
　　在过去的五十多年中，考文垂在基本建设、娱乐、就业、住房及其他需要方面都适应了人口的猛增。虽是一个工业城市，但考文垂是以整洁、现代化而著称的。市区有两所大学，另外还有4所专业技术院校，其中一处是为残疾学生而设的。小学有126所，在校学生为53000人。有21处中等学校，其中6处成立了社团协会，全年为市民们提供了各种各样的文化和体育活动。在市区中心有一些市政设施，如：符合奥林匹克标准的游泳池、室内体育活动中心、博物馆、画廊及公路运输博物馆。中心图书馆的条件正在得到改善，另有17个图书馆分布在全市不同地区。全市到处都有可供参观和观赏的体育活动设备。市政机构还为老年人提供住所，为1600人送饭上门，为5500人提供家庭帮助。考文垂大约有10万多处住宅，其中3万多处为市政所有。
　　传说在11世纪时戈德娃夫人为了抗议她丈夫对当地的过高征税，曾裸体骑马当街而过。考文垂就是这样一个城市，不断在逆境中拼搏，在废墟中重生；不断演义着历史，创造着神话。从中世纪的行会城镇发展成为现代化的机械商品城市，它是古与今的完美结合，拥有着现代的面孔，古典的内心，在日新月异的发展中将古老经典的传统发扬光大。
　　
　　Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province, established a sister-city relationship with England’s Coventry 20 years ago. Coventry is a clean and modernized industrial city with a brilliant mediaeval history. Rising from the ruins of World War II, Coventry now presents a fresh appearance of municipality. However, interspersed among towering buildings and besides modern roads in the downtown area, there is no lack of homes and churches built during the Middle Ages. Behind the multifarious shops and nearby ample parks, the curious visitor can discover the historic relics everywhere.
　　Coventry is 150 kilometers north of London. Located in England’s heartland, it takes half an hour to drive from Coventry to Birmingham, a major transport hub. Coventry covers an area of 9,654 hectares, providing homes for 335,000 people; and the Coventry City Council, the top administration organization in Coventry, is established through democratic election. It represents the interests of people of the whole city and serves all the people. The 54 councillors on the Council represent the 18 wards under Coventry. The council has a regular meeting every month to discuss the major policies of the city and examines and approves the work of the 12 major committees under the council. Throughout the city, nearly 20,000 public servants and clerks bear the responsibility of carrying out the policies and daily activities of the City Council. There are two major political parties in England Ñ Tory and Labor - and both are represented on the City Council. The mayor is “the first citizen” of Coventry and is in charge of presiding over council meetings in the council, receiving visiting guests, and overseeing all city affairs. The mayor is elected from among the 54 councillors for a one year of term of office and a new election is held in May every year.
　　Coventry has a history of more than a thousand years. At first, it was only a religious center. In the small town of those bygone days, there were just a few handicraft production industries and trades. Many present-day street names have linkages with the city’s history. Later, the town was developed into an important center involved in the wool, leather, and metal industries.
　　During the Middle Ages, Coventry had already been developed into one of the four most important cities in England. In 1345, for the first time, Coventry accepted the royal charter, and the local government has been officially established ever since. At that time, the most remarkable feature of the society was that guilds were popular among every trade and industry. The St. Mary’s Guild Hall is an exquisite building dating back to the Middle Ages and is now used as the city banquet hall.
　　Nearby Birmingham, though only a village in the Middle Ages, became much stronger than Coventry during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, since Coventry did not develop as rapidly as other British cities at that time, when the major industries in Coventry included weaving, watches, and bicycles. Later, other industries, such as motorcycles and automobiles, were added, and Coventry once again became one of the most rapidly developing cities in England. In the early period of the 20th century, the population of Coventry was only 70,000, whereas, nowadays, it has increased to 335,000. Rural areas around Coventry are administrated by a special ward.
　　During the period of World War Two, as the center of the British munitions industry, Coventry became a prime bombing target for the German air force. Among more than a thousand buildings in the downtown area, only 30 survived intensive bombing by the Luftwaffe. Though all local industries were seriously damaged, most restored production in six or seven weeks. In fact, even while the war was still continuing, Coventry had already begun making plans to re-construct the city; so that, after the war, Coventry, like a phoenix flying from the ashes, displayed brilliant splendors.
　　Over the past 50-odd years, the infrastructure, entertainment, employment, and housing of Coventry have adapted to the rapid growth of population. Though being an industrial city, Coventry is also famous for its clean and modernized city environment. There are two universities and four vocational institutions in Coventry, and one of these was established specifically for the disabled. There are 126 elementary schools with enrollment totalling 53,000 students. There are 21 middle schools, among which six have organizations or associations to provide various cultural and sports services for citizens all year round.
　　In addition, the downtown area of Coventry boasts some excellent public facilities, such as a swimming pool constructed to meet Olympic standards, an indoor sports center, a museum, an art gallery, and the Highway Transport Museum. Meanwhile, facilities at the central library are being improved by both expansion and renovation, while 17 branch libraries grace suburban areas. Sports facilities accommodating local teams and competitions with visitor abound throughout Coventry. Various civic organizations are devoted to the care of senior citizens, providing free or low cost housing for many, sending dinners to the homes of at least 1600, and provide household aid for 5500. In Coventry, there are more than 100,000 residential apartments, among which more than 30,000 are owned by the city government.

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