This neighborhood was established by the Germans during the period (1871-1918) to serve as the new center of the city. In contrast to the old town - which had narrow, crooked streets and fewer squares than it does today - the new city was designed with huge boulevards and wide, straight boulevards that were seen as modern and healthy. Many architectural styles were used, such as Gothic, Baroque, and others, and the monuments are often a mixture of several or all of these (historical) styles.