Manchester tourist information Online

Manchester

Manchester, one of the UK's largest cities, lies at the heart of the County of Greater Manchester. The settlement was founded 2000 years ago by the future Roman Emperor Agricola, who built a fortress named Mamucium (meaning 'breast-shaped hill') after the distinctive shape of the rocky outcrop on which it stood. It wasn't until the 18th century that Manchester came to world-wide prominence as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The area saw the rapid growth of factories producing mechandise for the textile industry and it remained preminent until the 1950s, when foreign imports devasted the cotton industry. Manchester's wealthy past means that it is home to many architectural showpieces, including its greatest monument the Manchester Town Hall, a neo-Gothic masterpiece, built in 1877. Manchester's recent regeneration, especially following the 1996 IRA bombing of the city centre, has resulted in many striking modern buildings such as Urbis (Manchester's Centre for Urban Culture) and some stunning conversions of older buildings including the Corn Exchange and G-Mex. Because of its central position with the UK the city is a great base for tourism. Within one hour's drive are three national parks: the Peak District, the Lake District and Snowdonia. Many seaside towns are also within a hour's journey as are the cities of Lancaster, York, Chester and Liverpool.
Location Map of Manchester
Areas of Manchester City Center

Manchester's compact city centre is less than one mile in diameter and within this and the surrounding area are a number of distinct area with a real mix of leisure facilities and shopping areas.

Manchester Arndale & Market Street
home to all the High Street stores plus some independent shops. Market Street has department stores such as Debenhams, Littlewoods and British Home Stores. On the corner of Market Street and St Ann's Gate stands the largest Marks & Spencer in the world, rebuilt since the IRA bombing, and joined to Manchester Arndale by a suspended glass walkway. Manchester Arndale dominates the city's central shopping area. When completed in 1979 the 30 acre Arndale Centre was the largest covered town shopping centre in Europe. Since 2003 there has been extensive redevelopment of the site, including creation of a covered area on the northern side, to replace of the old Bus Station. Manchester Arndale now has a over 200 stores on 2 levels, from High Street names to specialist concessions. There are also restaurants and fast food outlets.

Deansgate, King Street and St Anne's Square
prestigious designer shops from all over the world. Kendals, an old-established department store has a listed Art Deco façade and this store offers a range of designer goods. St Ann's Square, one of Manchester's most fashionable shopping areas, lies between King Street, Deansgate and Exchange Square. Laid out in Georgian times, the square takes its name from the neo-Classical St Ann's Church, which overlooks the space. This elegant church, dating from 1712, is the only building surviving from that period in the area. At the centre of the square is a memorial commemorating the Boer War. One side is dominated by the Royal Exchange, once the historic Cotton Exchange, this building is now home to the Royal Exchange Theatre, the world's largest theatre in-the-round.

Chinatown
one of Manchester most colourful districts, bordered by Charlotte Street, Portland Street, Oxford Street and Mosley Street. The area boasts oriental-style restaurants including Chinese, Thai, Korean and Japanese plus lots of intriguing supermarkets and bakeries. Chinatown first originated in Manchester in the 1970s when several Chinese restaurants opened in the old cotton warehouses around Nicholas Street, Faulkner Street and George Street. The area soon became the focus for the Chinese community in the north of England. One of the highlights is the Ming Dynasty Imperial Arch spanning Faulkner Street. Designed and built by a team of engineers from Peking, this arch was presented to the city by the people of China in 1987. The importance of the Chinese population in the community was underlined by the establishment of the Chinese Arts Centre in 1989. On Sunday, the day most takeaways and restaurants take off, the area comes to life, with thousands of Chinese from across the north of England flooding into the area to meet friends, promenade, shop, visit Chinese medicine shops and use Chinese financial and legal services. At Chinese New Year performers and spectators get together to enjoy a party led by the largest dancing dragon in Europe.

Exchange Square & New Cathedral Street
home to the biggest names in fashion. Exchange Square is the focal part of Manchester's redevelopment. On one side stands the Old Corn Exchange, now reopened as the Triangle shopping centre, and on another are the Selfridges department store and Marks & Spencer. Around Exchange Square are a cluster of hotels whilst behind it stands the rebuilt Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre and the Printworks entertainment complex. Ooff the square is Shambles Square, with Sinclair's Oyster Bar and the Old Wellington Inn, Manchester's oldest pubs. A recent addition is the modern Urbis, Manchester's Centre for Urban Culture. The opening of New Cathedral Street completed the transformation of the old Shamble West Development, this gently curving street has a number of prestigious stores including Harvey Nichols.

The Gay Village
a lively district centred around Chorlton Street and Canal Street, a short walk from Piccadilly Gardens. Mostly known as 'the village', it is an intregal part of the culture life of Manchester. The warehouse bars, restaurants and nightclubs of the village have brought a vibrancy to a rundown area of the city. The canalside area is at the forefront of Manchester's alfresco café scene. At night the village comes alive, enticing the die-hards to party all night along Canal Street. Manchester is said to be UK's gay capital and the village represents Europe's greatest concentration of gay interests, services and businesses. Changing attitudes have made the area a popular tourist attraction and you don't have to be gay to enjoy the Bohemian atmosphere! In August the area is dominated by Manchester Pride, a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life.

Northern Quarter
bounded by Piccadilly to the south and Ancoats to the north, between Manchester's main retail centre and commercial core, it is the city's creative urban heart. Now a busy social and residential area, it attracts Manchester's creative community becoming an epicentre for the city's talented and successful artists, designers and musicians. Home to the new ArTzu Gallery and the Northern Quarter Art Gallery, specialising in the exhibition of new and experimental works. The Quarter has countless trendsetting fashion stores, record shops, bars and cafés and the world-famous Afflecks Palace houses more than 50 traders on 5 floors. The area was made famous by Alfie -remake of the 1960s cult classic - which was filmed here.

Piccadilly
the main gateway into Manchester- the site of Manchester Piccadilly, the city's main railway station, and the newly modernised Piccadilly Gardens. The large area borders the central shopping area, Gay Village, Chinatown and Northern Quarter. Once a rundown area of the city, Piccadilly has been through a period of rejuvination and is now an important commercial district. Piccadilly Gardens, with its impressive fountain, has become an important meeting place in the city. Grouped around the Gardens are lots of pubs and bars and many hotels - it also hosts a flower market every Thursday, Friday and Saturdayand on Saturday a fashion market.

Peter's Fields - The Conference Quarter
by Peter Street, Oxford Street, Whitworth Street and Deansgate, home to some of Manchester's conference venues, including G-Mex, housed in the old Central Station, and neighbouring MICC. Opposite G-Mex is the Bridgewater Hall, home of the Hallé Orchestra, which has won accolades for its appearance and superb accoustics. Peter's Fields is also the location of the Great Northern shopping and leisure development in the Grade II listed Great Northern Warehouse, with a mixture of retail and leisure venues including bars, cafés and restaurants. The Great Northern Square beside the development was the first purpose built square in Manchester since World War II.

Castlefield
an attractive waterside district, to the south-west of the city centre, a perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle. Known as 'the birthplace of Manchester', Castlefield was the site of the settlement that grew up beside the Roman fortress of 'Mamucium'. It became an important industrial and warehousing area when a wharf opened in 1765 at the terminus of the Bridgewater Canal (the country's first modern canal). In 1804 this was joined by the Rochdale Canal and the waterways allowed Manchester to receive raw materials and export manufactured goods. In 1830 the railway age began when the Liverpool-Manchester line completed its journey at Liverpool Road Station, the world's first passenger station. By the late 19th century huge viaducts carried railway lines into the city centre across the Castlefield Basin. When industry declined in the mid 20th century the area was a wasteland but by the 1980s it began to regenerate when designated Britain's first Urban Hertiage Park and now a popular destination with galleries, bars and tourist attractions. The Castlefield Urban Heritage Centre, includes a reconstruction of the Roman fort. The southern part of the area is centred around water, while the northern part is dominated by the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. A short distance from Open spaces, including Catalan Square and the Outdoor Events Arena, is the place for the festivals held througout the year. Since 1992 Metrolink trams have been operating through the area across the viaduct once used by steam trains from Central Station (now GMEX).

The University of Manchester, Visitor's Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL
the University is just to the south of the city centre. England's first great civic university, it had its origins in Owens College established on Quay Street in 1851. The College moved to the present site in 1873 and in 1880 was granted a Royal Charter to become the Victoria University. This institution established colleges in Leeds and Liverpool, until these were granted independance in 1903 when the Victoria University of Manchester was created. The buildings around the quadrangle, completed by 1902, were designed by Alfred Waterhouse,who also created the Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum in London. In 2004 the Victoria University of Manchester combined with UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) to form the University of Manchester. The UK's largest university, it now comprises two main areas: the Oxford Road campus and the former UMIST campus in the Sackville Street area. With 70 departments the university offers courses covering almost all subjects with 18,000 students, including 2,500 from overseas. Several university buildings are open to the public including the Manchester Museum, the John Rylands University Library, the Whitworth Gallery and the Contact Theatre .

Salford Quays
to the west of the River Irwell, is a separate city only two miles from Manchester city centre. This revitalised area is Greater Manchester's Waterfront. Salford was once at the heart of a distribution network for the north-west's textile industry, the area characterised by canals, docks and warehouses, an industrial landscape made famous by the paintings of the Salford artist LS Lowry. Following the collapse of the textile industry in the 1950s Salford became an wasteland but since the 1960s the area has been part of one of the largest regeneraton schemes in the UK. Transformed, this waterside area now has many cultural developments including the Lowry art gallery. The area also has hotels, 2 theatres, cafes, restaurants, bars and a shopping mall. Nearby are two world famous sporting venues: the Manchester United Football Stadium and the Lancashire County Cricket Club.