Sister cities of St Albans

St Albans /sɨnt ˈɔːlbənz/ (Lat. Villa Sancti Albani or Villa Albani) is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35 km) north of central London; it forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans.

It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt. Property prices are notoriously high within the district, which is one of the most expensive in the UK.

St Albans has two official demonyms: Verulamian and Albanian. St Albans was a settlement of pre-Roman origin named Verlamion (or Verulam) by the Ancient British, Catuvellauni tribe. It became the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travellers heading north and became the Roman city of Verulamium.

Saint Alban, the first British Christian martyr, was possibly beheaded in AD 308 by Maximian on the orders of Emperor Diocletian, who denounced Christianity and had ordered the deaths of all subjects and allies of the Roman Empire who refused to give up the faith. Saint Alban consequently gave the town its modern name.