By: Beverley Goodwin
Ah, Liverpool! The Pool of Life, the Pool of Talent, The World in One City and also the place where John, Paul, George and Ringo were born. The north west waterfront of England is somewhat far away from the sight of the average tourists. Seriously, you may ask, what are the interesting things to do in Liverpool, besides visiting the Beatles Story museum and, of course, watching the Merseyside Derby – even if you’re not a bloodsworn fan, just to hear the fans singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. So, what is there to do in Liverpool?
Tourism has always been a major factor in Liverpool’s economy. The city offers architectural splendour with numerous monumental landmarks and rich cultural live – art galleries, museums and others places of interest. The enormous weight of Beatles as one of the most influential groups in the history of rock music is what makes Liverpool a city with a cult status among the rock fans worldwide. You can easily explore the landmarks and use the unusual opportunities for entertainment, as the Pool of Life offers convenience in terms of mass transit. After all, the city pioneered the first railway tunnels, the transatlantic steamship transportation, municipal trams, electric trains, passenger helicopter service and more. You will have quick access to the main points of interest in the city. So where to start?
Discover the Grandeur of the Historical Buildings in Liverpool
The architecture of Liverpool clearly shows how a small medieval parish can turn into a bustling industrial city thanks to the Industrial Revolution. The architectural styles in the city mirror this rapid development: the few remaining timber framed Tudor mansions, like the Speke Hall manor house, are the oldest landmarks, followed by Georgian public buildings, imposing neo classical edifices and Victorian architecture. From the late-18th century onwards, the city evolved into the second economy hub (after London) in Great Britain. As a result, Liverpool was declared England’s finest Victorian city by English Heritage. The listed buildings here are thousands. 27 of them are Grade and 85 are listed as Grade II. The number of sculptures surpasses any other city in the UK except the City of Westminster. Same applies for the concentration of Georgian houses. Because of the city’s influence on the development of the international maritime trade and docking technology, the historical harbour sites of Liverpool are declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are also collectively known as the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City.
The Waterfront of the City
Perhaps the most widely recognised image of Liverpool is the Pier Head. Here are the iconic three graces of Liverpool: the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. These buildings dominate the port area and stand as a proof of the city’s opulence in the last two centuries. They create one of the most impressive coastal skylines in the world. The status of the Liverpool harbour as a historical site is threatened by the Liverpool Docks project, which is a colossal development of skyscrapers. It is expected to be the largest cluster of tall modern buildings in Europe. The project will take place despite the concerns of UNESCO and the skyline of Liverpool will be changed forever. For example, the widely recognised Princes Half tide Dock will be demolished and the 50 storey Shanghai Tower will take its place.
The Beating Heart of the City
Whatever you want to do in Liverpool, you shouldn’t miss the chance to see the city’s commercial district and the cultural quarter. Here you can see many decorated civic buildings like the Georgian masterpiece – Liverpool Town Hall. Other noted edifices are the Tower Buildings, Albion House, Oriel Chambers and many, many more. There are several streets lined with dozens of listed buildings: Victoria Street, Castle Street, Dale Street, and Old Hall Street. The Cultural Quarter is the area around William Brown Street. The Liverpuldians proudly compare the district’s layout to a Roman Forum. The notable buildings here include the neo-classical St George’s Hall, William Brown Library, Walker Art Gallery, Picton Reading Rooms and World Museum Liverpool. Here are also the Wellington’s Column and the Steble Fountain. The city centre is not the only place to see unique buildings. In Liverpool, even the local Chinatown is unbelievably impressive – it has the largest gateway outside of China!
Two Unusual Places of Worship
Liverpool has two Cathedrals. They have two things in common: they have been built in the 20th century and they are both unique in their own way. The Anglican Cathedral is a gigantic Gothic church with a central tower that dominates the landscape around it. It is the largest Cathedral in the UK and the fifth largest in the world. Everything about this place of worship is gigantic – the nave, the bells, the organ. On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral is a striking example of revolutionary design. The building looks more like a giant wigwam made of concrete and stainless steel than anything closely resembling a Catholic church building.
The Nightlife in Liverpool
While the experts of cleaning in Liverpool take care of the hygiene in your hotel room, you will be having a good time in the city centre, exploring the countless listed buildings, museums and other landmarks. However, you will need to save your strength for the nightlife in the city. Many authority sources (as TripAdvisor) recommend Liverpool as the UK city with the best nightlife. The number of night bars, nightclubs, live music venues and pubs is astonishing. The most famous entertainment sites in the city include:
- Alma de Cuba
- Blue Angel
- Bumper
- Chibuku
- Heebie Jeebies
- Korova
- The Krazyhouse
- The Magnet
- Nation
- Popworld
There are many other destinations. Here is also the legendary Cavern Club, where the Beatles started the Beatlemania. Most of the popular establishments in the city can be found around the Concert Square, St. Peter’s Square, and the adjoining streets. Liverpool is also famous for its large LGBT community, making it the European equivalent of San Francisco. It has its own official gay quarter.
What You Actually Do in Liverpool – Football!!!
That’s right, if there’s one thing about Liverpool that makes it the most successful city in the UK, that’s football. The Pool is home to Everton F.C. and Liverpool F.C. Collectively, the two clubs have 5 European Cup titles, 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup title, 3 UEFA Cup titles, not to mention the countless domestic titles, awards and honours. The city have staged top division football every single season since 1888, when the Football League was formed. The Merseyside Derby is often regarded as a classic example of a friendly rivalry. Many families in the city contain supporters of both clubs. Liverpool and Everton produced some of the most talented and celebrated players in history: Kenny Dalglish, Dixie content/contributors-and-job-applicants/Dean, Alan Hansen, Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan, Gary Lineker, Ian Rush, Neville Southall, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and many other legends.
1 Comment