Diaspar

Faria C

Like a glowing jewel, the city lay upon the breast of the desert.

Once it had known change and alteration, but now Time passed it by.

Men had built cities before, but never a city such as this. Some had lasted for centuries, some for milleniums, before Time had swept away even their names.

Diaspar alone had challenged eternity, defending itself and all it sheltered against the attrition of the ages, the ravages of decay, and the corruption of rust.

Diaspar was all that existed, all that they needed, all that they could imagine. It mattered nothing to them that Man had once possessed the stars.

Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars


A satellite image of this area in downtown Los Angeles from Flickr geotagging is here.