Liverpool, once the British Empire’s second city, has, since World War II been in decline. In recent years there has been a marked increase in investment with the centre of the city undergoing regeneration. In 2008 Liverpool was the European Capital of Culture throughout the full twelve months there were countless events ranging from music concerts by world renowned musicians and singers to superb art exhibitions. Now the dust has settled what is there to draw tourists to this vibrant city? Well there are many new hotels which cater for all tastes with accommodation varying from inexpensiveLiverpool bed & breakfast to top class 5 star luxury. In the article below I take a close look at three attractions in Liverpool.
Tate Liverpool
Situated at the waterfront in Liverpool, as part of the Albert Dock complex, is Tate Liverpool. Since opening in 1988, the Tate, for a short period of time, was the largest gallery of contemporary and modern art in the United Kingdom. The Tate is an extremely popular tourist attraction in Liverpool, with in excess of 600,000 visitors through its’ doors each 12 months. The gallery is in one of the five converted warehouses. Originally converted by James Stirling, the building had to undergo further refurbishment in 1988 in order to create further more space in the gallery. In 2007 the foyer was refurbished, giving the gallery a more modern appearance having better proportions in the reception area.
Albert Dock Complex
Liverpool’s Albert Dock was named after Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, who opened the docks in 1846. Over the years the docks were very busy, but eventually had to close to shipping in 1972. The docks lay quiet and derelict, that is until the 1980’s when they were redeveloped with funds from the Merseyside Development Corporation. The dock consisted of five warehouse buildings, all of which are Grade I listed, making the Albert Dock the largest set of Grade I listed buildings in the United Kingdom. The docks are now home to a number of tourist attractions, including the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
The Anglican Cathedral
Liverpool is renowned for having two cathedrals: the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral. When John Charles Rye was assigned Bishop of Liverpool in 1880, ironically Liverpool did not have a cathedral at that time. Soon, after a lot of deliberation, the powers that be decided that a cathedral was essential. In 1902, they chose to hold an open competition for the design of the cathedral. The winning design was chosen in 1903, and astonishingly, was a proposal by student Giles Gilbert Scott, who had no previous construction experience. Another architect, George F. Bodley, was assigned to work with Scott, and oversee all designs and building works. King Edward VII laid the foundation stone in 1904, and in 1910, the first part of the cathedral, the Lady Chapel, was finished.
As well as the 3 visitor attractions mentioned above Liverpool has a great many more. As well as this there are many, many more not too far from the city, which are suitable destinations for a day’s visit. Places such as Manchester, are ideal for a day out however you might wish to stay there longer to take in more of the place. You may also find that our comprehensive listings of bed and breakfast in Liverpool are useful during the planning stages of your vacation.
Liverpool City Breaks And A Number Of Enchanting Places You Must See Read also
