Liverpool

Written: April 3rd, 2008  Print This Page  Email This Page

Liverpool is a city located within the borough of Merseyside in England. It is a city that is known for its numerous listed buildings that bear witness to the richness of Liverpool’s history and heritage. These buildings and structures are part of the reasons why many visitors come to Liverpool every year.

Sights & Activities

Liverpool is the location of a UNESCO World Heritage site—its historic waterfront. The waterfront is recognized for its contribution to the development of global trading. The Albert Dock, in particular, is the world’s first iron, brick and stone warehouse system that contains a great number of grade I listed buildings. One of the most prominent landmarks of the waterfront area is the Port of Liverpool Building, built in the early part of the 20th century in the style of Edwardian Baroque. Some people may comment that this building resembles the St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The building, along with the Cunard Building and the Royal Liver Building, form what is locally known as the ‘Three Graces.’

Along Water Street is the Liverpool Town Hall, a public building that first opened its doors in 1754 and is still used today by the local government. Behind it is the Nelson Monument, built in honor of Admiral Horatio Nelson in the early part of the 19th century.

Along Lime Street is another well-known public structure, the St. George’s Hall. This neo-classical building provides venues for concerts as well as housing law courts in the city. Though located a short distance away from the waterfront, it is still part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Near the hall is the St. John’s Gardens, a memorial park that used to be a site of a church during the 18th and 19th century. What makes these gardens unique is the presence of a number of monuments, most of which were made by sculptors of the Victorian and Edwardian era. Among the most notable are the Balfour Monument, the Regimental Monument, and the Gladstone Memorial.

There is also the Walker Art Gallery which houses the largest collection of artworks outside of London. The gallery is located along William Brown Street and is right next to the County Sessions House, another historic structure built 1884. Fronting these buildings is the Wellington’s Column that was built in 1875 to commemorate the achievements of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. The column’s alternative name is the Waterloo Memorial.

One prominent outdoor space in Liverpool is the St. James’s Cemetery, where visitors can go strolling along its tree-line paths. Near the cemetery is the Liverpool Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral that is built on the site that is identified as the center of the city.
In the southern part of the city is the Sefton Park, a large outdoor space that features tennis courts, walking and jogging paths, an open-air theatre, and the Palm House.

Weather

Liverpool experiences the four seasons of the year, with warm summers and cold, damp winters. Spring and autumn are generally considered mild, though the weather is known to change at a moment’s notice in Liverpool. Though most visitors go to the city during the summer months of June to August, a visit during the spring or autumn are still quite suitable, with the added bonus of avoiding large crowds that flock to the city’s attractions. Constant travelers to the city would always advice on bringing an umbrella, as it is known to rain in Liverpool even during summer.