Saint-Saëns
Saint-Saëns, Illuminatia
Population:
- 164,301 (250 AI Census)
- 550,000 (300 AI estimate)
Rank: 55
Demonym: Sainsaënese
Primary trading partners: Adamopolis, Requiem, Serenade, Requiem, Voyage a Deux
Saint-Saëns is one of Illuminatia's most-interior cities, situated upon the uppermost southerly reaches of the River Marlene, inland and far upriver of the continent's northern coast.
Saint-Saëns enjoys a moderately warm and dry climate at its relatively high elevation adjacent to the Transilluminatian Range. Highlands straddling the city to its west and southeast disrupt the active weather systems that ravage much of the nearby central Illuminatian plains with severe weather.
Saint-Saëns grew rapidly after Illuminatia's post-expeditionary history due to its location along major routes leading through Mystic Pass to the city's south. Saint-Saëns is regarded as the gateway town to the Mystic Pass. A popular overnighting town in the early days of cross-continental transport, Saint-Saëns is home to a collection of long-standing inns, hostels, and lodges that maintain a storied history.
Saint-Saëns is a major center in the finance, data information intelligence, and information processing industries. The position of the city as a financial hub came about after the Office of the Monetary Network (OMN) established its headquarters here. Financial institutions intentionally established offices in Saint-Saëns in order to be as near as possible to the central nervous system of the Monetary Network. The OMN in turn sited itself in Saint-Saëns due to the city's centralized location on the continent on combination with the relatively nonviolent climatic conditions that this interior city enjoys. The higher likelihood of physical security afforded in Saint-Saëns made it an ideal location for the most important data storage and data connectivity infrastructure of the Monetary Network. The centralized location meant the Monetary Network's first long-range wireless transmission system would reach the majority of the continent with a good signal.
As of the 250 AI Census, Saint-Saëns had a population of 164,301 residents, making it Illuminatia's 55th-largest city. Saint-Saëns has experienced reasonably impressive growth since then and it is estimated the city will have a population of more than 550,000 by the 300 AI Census, an increase of about 340% over 50 AU.
Saint-Saëns was settled by an especially ambitious expeditionary force originating from the northern city of Serenade. Saint-Saëns represents the furthest southerly extent of settlement by the third multiversal duplication of the Lucidus I ship. Voyagers that reached this settlement are by far the furthest geographically removed from the rest of their peers of their multiversal duplication and shipmate cohort, having travelled upriver much further than anyone else. The city to this day is populated overwhelmingly by descendants of these explorers.
Saint-Saëns was named in honor of an ancient Earthly composer of classical music.