Rochelle

Rochelle is the second largest city in Metropolitan Acadia, being the only other city in Metropolitan Acadia aside from the capital, Delphi, and is the sixth largest city in the Republic of Acadia. The only other city in Metropolitan Acadia besides Delphi, Rochelle is often overshadowed by the much larger Delphi, but nevertheless is home to several important institutions and a major military base. Rochelle is also considered the most Francterran city in Acadia, with typical Francterran architecture, which attracts millions of tourists each year.

Founded by Francterran settlers as a settlement along the Delphi River five miles north of Delphi during the middle ages in the center of Acadia, Rochelle was somewhat of a minor crossroads for the island, connecting Delphi in the south to the farms and plantations to the north. The city was often overshadowed by Delphi, the larger city and the capital, in its history, but gained significance as many Acadian wealthy settled in mansions in the city to be far away from the hustle and bustle of Delphi yet still within traveling distance.

History
Rochelle was founded as a small fishing village on the northern end of the island of Acadia during the middle ages, but the village quickly grew due to its position between the two major cities of Delphi, which was the capital of Acadia, and Shiverpool, the capital of the neighboring province. The village, which had grown to a small market town, was also home to a small harbor, which was much smaller than the Port of Delphi on the southern end of the island, but was important to the local economy, as people came from the surrounding villages and islands to trade in the city.

During the period of Francterran rule, the town grew in size, especially attracting nobles, who wished for place that was far enough from Delphi to escape the hustle and bustle of a major city, but close enough to Delphi to keep track of the politics that were going on there. Many in the nobility began to build large houses and estates in and around the city, along with landmarks such as theaters, opera houses, and parks, and Rochelle began to not only grow, but it also changed from a small market town to a small city where high culture flourished.

Government
The executive branch consists of the mayor, who is elected every five years by the population of the city, along with the vice mayor, who is elected by the city council from among themselves a few days or weeks after the mayor is sworn in. Most executive power lies with the mayor, while the vice mayor usually takes over the mayor's duties while he is away or temporarily unable to perform his duties. The city council makes the laws in the city, which the mayor has the power to veto, and the city council also appoints certain key positions in the city government as well.

Economy
Rochelle is not nearly as wealthy as Delphi, which is a major financial and business hub and an important sea port on SABER, but the city is nevertheless quite wealthy as well. Though not a major financial and business hub like Delphi, Rochelle has many companies with either headquarters or offices in the city, with many smaller companies choosing to maintain a headquarters or office in the city. The Port of Rochelle also receives and ships out goods, but is often overshadowed by the larger Port of Delphi in Acadia and the Port of Shiverpool in the United States of Antarctica.

Architecture
Rochelle has gained a reputation in Acadia as being the most Francterran city in Acadia in terms of architecture, and this is evident in many of the city's Francterran styled buildings, with many of the downtown buildings resembling Parie and other major cities in Francterre. This is in contrast to most of Acadia's architecture, which was built in the Batavian style, resembling Schipol and other major cities in Batavia, during the 17th and 18th centuries, as Batavian architects were hired to design the architecture of most of the island at the time.

Most of the buildings in Old Rochelle are built in the Baroque style, as are many of the houses in the residential areas of Bourbon and Richelieu. Newer residences in the city, built during the 1990s and 2000s, have been built in the modern style, though some residences have attempted to incorporate Francterran elements. The two most significant buildings in Rochelle are the Esser Estate, a secondary residence of the Esser Family, and Beaufort Palace and the adjoining Beaufort Palace Gardens, built by a wealthy Francterran nobleman, and is often rented out for events.

Geography
Rochelle is bordered by the Strait of Shiverpool to the north, separating the city from the Antarctican city of Shiverpool across the strait. The city is mostly flat, but there are some low hills in the south of Rochelle, with a part of the hills making up a neighborhood of Rochelle known as Belanger, which is where many of Acadia's wealthiest own mansions, and is considered the most expensive neighborhood in Acadia. Southeast of Rochelle is the Rochelle reservoir, which provides water for some of the city and a large part of the population of Metropolitan Acadia.

Transportation
Autoroute 1, the Acadian highway that runs from the city of Delphi to the city of Shiverpool in the United States of Antarctica, runs through the eastern areas of Rochelle, providing the city with access to the Acadian highway system. Both the Acadian bus system and the Acadian subway system have multiple stops in the city, with Rochelle having many bus lines running through the city and providing access to many places. Rochelle has no international airport, with it only having a small municipal airport and an air force base, although Acadia International Airport is close to it.