Charlottesville

Charlottesville, Virginia
Independent city
City of Charlottesville
Clockwise from top: The Charlottesville skyline with the University of Virginia Health System in the foreground, Monticello, the Foxfield Races, the colonnades along the Lawn, and the Downtown Mall.
Seal
Nickname(s): C'ville, Hoo-Ville
Motto: A great place to live for all of our citizens
Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia
2007 census map of Charlottesville
Coordinates: 38°1′48″N 78°28′44″W / 38.03000°N 78.47889°W / 38.03000; -78.47889
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	None (Independent city)
Founded	1762
Government
• Type	Mayor–council government
• Mayor	Michael Signer (D)
Area
• Independent city	10.3 sq mi (26.6 km2)
• Land	10.3 sq mi (26.6 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	594 ft (181 m)
Population (2016)
• Independent city	49,071
• Density	4,764/sq mi (1,839/km2)
• Metro	229,304
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
ZIP Codes	22901–22908
Area code(s)	434
FIPS code	51-14968
GNIS feature ID	1498463
Website	www.charlottesville.org

Charlottesville, colloquially C'ville and formally the City of Charlottesville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,210. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. Charlottesville has eighteen distinctive neighborhoods. It is named after the British Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Charlottesville with the County of Albemarle for statistical purposes, bringing its steadily growing population to approximately 150,000. Charlottesville is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area, which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson counties.

Charlottesville was the home of two Presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. While both served as Governor of Virginia, they lived in Charlottesville, and traveled to and from Richmond, along the 71-mile (114 km) historic Three Notch'd Road. Orange, located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of the city, was the hometown of President James Madison.

The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson and one of the original Public Ivies, straddles the city's southwestern border with Albemarle. Monticello, located 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located on a hilltop overlooking Charlottesville, Monticello attracts thousands of tourists every year.