The first thing that comes to mind when talking about Liverpool is, of course, the famous Beatles. It was in this city that a group appeared that conquered the entire planet. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of fans have come here to stroll through the streets of Liverpool and visit the museum, which contains exhibits directly related to the musicians.
Besides Beatles fans, Liverpool is well known among football fans. After all, this is the birthplace of one of the most popular English clubs of the same name, which was founded back in 1892.
Even if you are not the biggest football fan and are indifferent to the work of the Beatles, Liverpool can still amaze you with its sights. Enjoy a visit to one of the largest art galleries in the UK, a walk along the only street in the kingdom dedicated exclusively to cultural institutions, and a visit to the fifth largest cathedral in the world.
The first attraction you’re likely to visit in Liverpool is John Lennon Airport (map). Ten years ago, a 15-meter “Yellow Submarine” appeared at the entrance to the airport terminal, which is reminiscent of the work of the Beatles. It was made in 1984 for the International Garden Festival, but in 2005 the airport management decided to rent the submarine and place it on its territory.
In different places of the terminal you can see a quote from the John Lennon song, which became the official motto of the airport – “Above us only sky.” When you arrive at the airport building, pay attention to the check-in hall, in front of which stands a two-meter bronze statue of the legendary musician.
You can get acquainted with the history of the Beatles at the “The Beatles Story” museum (on the map). It is located almost in the very center of the city on the picturesque embankment. The exhibition is presented in 18 different rooms. The first rooms tell about the emergence of the group and its creative successes. Exhibited here are photographs, original vinyl records, musical instruments played by the Beatles, as well as their personal belongings.
In one of the rooms of the museum you can see a life-size model of the street where The Cavern pub, where the band performed, was once located. Now it has recreated the atmosphere of the 60s down to the smallest detail: the same scene, the same surroundings. It is curious that the Beatles Story museum contains part of the plane that brought the musicians from Europe to the USA in 1964. This was a significant event, because it was then that the triumphant conquest of America by a young group from Liverpool began.
The museum has rooms, each of which tells the story of the band members’ solo careers. At the exit of the building there is a cozy themed cafe.
The centerpiece of any traveler’s program is a visit to the Cathedral of Christ and the Holy Virgin Mary (on the map). It is the first largest in the UK and the fifth largest in the world. The cathedral was built in the first half of the 20th century. Its length is 189 meters, and the height of the central tower reaches 101 meters. The bell tower of the cathedral is one of the highest, and within its walls you can often hear the sounds of an ancient organ.
Another architectural landmark of the city is the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (on the map). This is the main Catholic church of the city. The history of its construction is very interesting. After representatives of the Anglican Church built the Cathedral of Christ and the Holy Virgin Mary, the Catholic community decided to strike back. For this purpose, a competition was announced for the construction of the largest cathedral in the city, which had to be no worse than the Cathedral. Architect Edwin Lanches won the competition. According to his project, the cathedral could become the second largest in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, with the largest dome. However, construction was delayed, and after World War II it was completely frozen. Soon the authors of the project abandoned their ambitious idea.
In 1959, a new architectural competition was launched, which was won by Frederick Gibberd. He proposed to build a temple in an ultra-modern style. This radical decision was made, and five years later the cathedral received its first parishioners. Currently, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral serves as the see of the city’s bishop and functions as a parish church.
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral currently serves as the see of the city’s bishop and functions as a parish church.
Once you are in Liverpool, you should definitely look into the city port (on the map). The complex of buildings on the embankment is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The central part of the buildings is represented by the so-called “Three Graces”. These three administrative buildings were a symbol of the city’s heyday when it was one of the largest and most important ports in the world. There is also a monument to the drivers of the Titanic, which was assigned to the port of Liverpool (on the map).
Liverpool is home to the Walker Art Gallery (map). It was founded in 1819 and is now one of the largest art galleries in the UK. Here are collected paintings by European artists from the 14th century to the present day. The collection of sculptures deserves special attention. The gallery is located on William Brown Street, the only street in the United Kingdom that exclusively houses museums, monuments, galleries, as well as libraries and other cultural institutions.
Football fans come to Liverpool to visit Anfield stadium (on the map),
where the Liverpool football club plays its matches. Currently, it is ready to accommodate up to 45,552 fans at a time, but there are not enough seats for everyone who wants to see their favorite team play, so there is talk of a possible expansion of the stadium.
For tourists, Liverpool is also attractive because it is easy to get to. There are regular flights from Moscow with transfers to Prague, Barcelona and other European cities. The travel time is about 6 hours, and the ticket price starts from 10 thousand rubles.
