We’re not the only Richmond in the world. In fact, our city gets its name from its first sister city, Richmond upon Thames.

According to Sister Cities International, “A sister city is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries, officially recognized after the highest elected/appointed officials sign off to become sister cities.” The idea is to cultivate international relationships, explore other cultures, and stimulate economic development.

The 2 Richmonds have a long history. The other Richmond became our first sister city in the 1930s — around 2 decades before the official program was established nationally by President Eisenhower.

Richmond upon Thames is a borough of London, located around 10 minutes southwest of the city. We’re both river cities — Richmond, VA was actually named by William Byrd II because the appearance of the James River reminded him of the Thames in Richmond, England.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. | Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

Richmond upon Thames is known for its quaint, appealing outdoor spaces as well as an array of history and arts attractions. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew may even rival Lewis Ginter — it has one of the largest + most diverse botanical collections in the world. The historic gothic revival Strawberry Hill House is also a timeless tourist attraction.

Richmond upon Thames is connected to us historically + culturally. But we actually have more than one sister city — Windhoek, Namibia; Olsztyn, Poland; Zhengzhou, China; and Ségou, Republic of Mali are Richmond’s other current sister cities. We also explored Saitama City, Japan in a previous conversation.

If you want to keep up with the goings-on in the other Richmond, check out the town's Facebook page. Virtual adventure is out there.

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Photos courtesy Bries, Umix, Lyfengine, Windmemories