Founded in 1762, Charlottesville was home to U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. After his presidency, Jefferson made his permanent home at Monticello just south of the city and founded the University of Virginia at the city’s southwest border in 1819. “The University” and the city surrounding it have grown into a world-class cultural center belying its modest size. The area is served by two major hospitals, the University of Virginia Hospital (ranked #1 hospital in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report) and Martha Jefferson Hospital, and is home to several large employers such as GE Intelligent platforms, PepsiCo, and S&P Global. The city’s public high school, Charlottesville High School, is known for its arts programs, boasting one of the largest and best high school orchestras in the country.

East of the University is the Downtown Mall, a bustling pedestrian mall (one of the longest in the country) home to multiple world-class concert venues, nationally recognized restaurants, and a plethora of locally owned merchants, all in mere minutes walking distance from one another. The Virginia Film Festival, sponsored by The University, debuts films from internationally acclaimed filmmakers at theaters both downtown and on grounds at the University every fall.