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Baltimore covers a land area of 80.8 square miles. The older sections of Baltimore are laid out in a grid pattern superimposed on a radial pattern of principal arteries. The city is characterized by row houses, most of which are brick, and by winding, tree-lined streets with freestanding homes, most of which are in the outlying sections. Baltimore is a city of greenery, with about 6,400 acres of land devoted to parks.

Druid Hill Park is the site of the city zoo and conservatory. Other places of interest include Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine; the home and grave of the writer Edgar Allan Poe; the row house where journalist and editor H. L. Mencken spent most of his life; the birthplace of baseball player Babe Ruth; and many historic structures, including the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States (1806-1821). The city has monuments dedicated to Christopher Columbus (1797) and George Washington (1815-1829). The Lacrosse Hall of Fame Museum at Johns Hopkins University celebrates the game created by Native Americans. The Inner Harbor is the site of the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is the home of the Baltimore Orioles professional baseball team. The city’s Memorial Stadium, the former home of the Orioles, is now host to the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes, is nearby.

With one of the world’s largest natural harbors, Baltimore has always been a port city. Excellent rail, road, and air connections make it attractive for industry, manufacturing, and trade. Today, however, Baltimore’s economy focuses on research and development, especially in the areas of aquaculture, pharmaceuticals, and medical supplies and services. In addition to private laboratories, the city is home to more than 60 federal research laboratories, and to Columbus Center, a large marine biotechnology center that opened in 1994.