Manchester is one of the biggest cities in the UK. It is also one of the most exciting cities in the country, with plenty for everyone to see and do. Whether you are looking for history and museums, a thriving nightlife or premier cultural venues, you will find it in Manchester.
Manchester is an outward looking European City, with the warmth and atmosphere of a village; it contains a range of village areas each with its own unique identity and special qualities.It is Manchester's Castlefield area that perhaps best captures the city's rich layers of history. Castlefield was home to the Romans for 400 years from 79 AD. Medieval Manchester grew around the Cathedral area, while Castlefield became a deer park, transforming during the mid 1700's into the centre of the Industrial Revolution.
Industry grew rapidly after the Bridgewater Canal opened in 1761, bringing coal into the city to heat the mills. Above all, the construction of the Manchester Ship canal made Manchester a major world port and trading centre.The city's rich merchants, built palatial warehouses as symbols of their success and today, Manchester has preserved many of its fine Victorian buildings, and given them a new lease if life as striking hotels, new homes and offices. The Town Hall, designed by Waterhouse, with its famous display of Ford Madox Brown murals, and what is now the Palace Hotel are among the city's finest buildings.
In the arts, politics, social and educational movements, Manchester often led the field. The city was home to Charles Dickens, Mrs. Gaskell, Howard Spring and many other key historical figures.Manchester has a whole variety of attractions, museums and galleries. The most popular is Europe's unique Granada Studios Tour, where you can take a look behind the scenes of leading television programmes. The award winning Museum of Science and Industry illustrates the city's rich industrial and architectural heritage.
