In the 17th century, Manchester was the epicenter of England Industrial Revolution. This city’s story is sometimes shrouded in the soot and smog of Charles Dickens’ novels but Manchester is a city with a glorious past and a greater future. Manchester is also a city of firsts. It is the first truly modern city in the world and the first modern computer birthplace. Here are the top must-see attractions in Manchester, England.
Castlefield
Castlefield is where the many chapters of Manchester’s story merge into one. Explore the remains of the Roman for that was built to guard the river crossing. Wander the Bridgewater canal bank which is widely regarded as where the Industrial Revolution started. Admire the various mills and warehouses which once generated incredible wealth for this city.
Beetham Tower
Beetham Tower is one of the city’s symbols. As Manchester’s fortune swelled in the nineteenth century so did its civic pride. The elites saw this city as the new Venice and commissioned grand monuments and buildings.
Manchester Town Hall
The Manchester Town Hall is this city’s crowning glory. It was built to rival London’s great buildings. Admire the Victorian Gothic is exterior, lavish murals, and stately rooms which celebrates the history of the city.
Manchester Art Gallery
For many years, Manchester’s merchants spent a lot of money buying cultural treasures to fill their homes. You will find many of these treasures in the Manchester Art Gallery. You will Also get to see the country’s first radical art movement as well as contemporary works.
Manchester Museum
Step into a Gothic Revival time capsule at the Manchester Museum. It houses millions of items from the most important Egyptology collections in the UK to a T-Rex skeleton.
John Rylands Library
Manchester enjoys a proud philanthropic tradition. One of such is Enrique’s Rylands who donated the John Rylands Library. She was the largest textile magnate in Manchester. She acquired about 40,000 books and oversaw every detail of this Library.
Chetham Library
For a long time, Manchester has known the power of knowledge. This library was commissioned in 1653 and it is the first free public library in the country. It has remained open to all ever since.
The People’s History Museum
Reform and revolution run deep in this city’s water. The People’s History Museum is housed in an Edwardian Pumphouse. It celebrates those who challenged this country’s rigid class and political systems. Stand before the desk where ‘The Rights of Man’ was penned by Thomas Paine. This book helped to ignite the revolutionary fires in France and America.
If there is one source of pride that truly unites Manchester, it is its two football clubs: Manchester City and Manchester United. Manchester May have lost its Industrial powerhouse of England title but it is still a city that never stops dreaming. Just across the city, you will find daring new ideas, innovations, and projects that continues to attract travelers from all over the world.