Sister, sister... Never knew how much I missed ya...
Louisville is part of a growing family, paired up with eight sister cities including Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia. So break out the map, as we take a look.
Montpellier, France
Montpelier is Louisville’s oldest sibling, with the two becoming sisters in 1954. The relationship started as a student-exchange between the Universities of Louisville and Montpellier — a program that continues on today.
Quito, Ecuador
The largest of Louisville’s sister cities, Quito is also the only one that is a national capital — but there’s no need to brag at the family dinner table, Quito. The city is home to two active volcanoes, called Cotopaxi and Pichincha — talk about twin spires.
Tamale, Ghana
Like Montpelier, this relationship has paid academic dividends, with the UofL School of Medicine working with a Tamale-based Ghanaian health organization.
Mainz, Germany
The relationship between Derby City and Mainz goes back to 1977, but they made it official in 1994. Like Louisville and bourbon, Mainz is known for a signature sip — it’s the wine capital of Germany.
La Plata, Argentina
The provincial capital of Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, La Plata became Louisville’s sister in 1994.
Jiujiang, People’s Republic of China
It’s not just sister cities with Jiujiang — Jiangxi Province and the Commonwealth of Kentucky also have a sister state relationship.
Leeds, England
Law students at UofL’s Brandeis School of Law have the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Leeds.
Adapazari, Turkey
The newest of Louisville’s sister cities, this Turkish town of Adapazari and Derby City were paired in 2012. Instead of a Hot Brown, try Kabak Talisi: a sweet dish of candied pumpkin + nuts.
Bonus: Until 2022, Louisville and Perm, Russia were also sister cities.
Want to learn more? Check out the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, which serves as the administrator of Louisville’s Sister Cities Program.
