The City of Manchester

History of Manchester

The history of Manchester is one of change from a minor Lancastrian township into the pre-eminent industrial metropolis of the United Kingdom and the world. Manchester began expanding "at an astonishing rate" around the turn of the 19th century as part of a process of unplanned urbanisation brought on by a boom in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. The transformation took little more than a century.

Evolving from a Roman castrum in a Celtic heartland, Manchester's history embraces the world's first passenger railway station and first public library. It also led the political and economic reform of 19th-century Britain as the vanguard of free trade. By the start of the 21st century it had become a major post-industrial city with multiple sporting, broadcasting, and educational institutions.

The Arts

Manchester is traditionally a centre for the legitimate theatre, many plays and shows having their preview before going on to the West End. The new Bridgewater Concert Hall is the home of the world renowned Halle orchestra and regularly plays host to International artists.

The roots of popular music are deeply embedded in Manchester with many star bands and solo artists starting their careers here and regular shows by all the top groups taking place in the city.

In addition, the City boasts many fine galleries and museums and no visit to Manchester would be complete without a visit to the galleries at The Lowry, homage to the patron saint of Mancunian artists, LS Lowry. The collection numbers around 350 Lowry works; many of his drawings depict Salford where he lived and worked for thirty years.

Independent city centre gallery Cube is a brilliant place to examine the city's hugely diverse architectural history, while MoSI (Museum of Science and Industry) in Castlefield, situated in the oldest passenger railway building in the world, is a fun and thought-provoking introduction to the city which created the world's first ever computer. The Manchester Museum houses over 6 million specimens and objects, from a 200 million-year-old tree fossil to the skeleton of a sperm whale.

Just south of the city centre is the Whitworth Art Gallery, a large and lively space owned by the University of Manchester, and famous for its collection of textiles and wallpapers. It includes a fine collection of British watercolours, prints, drawings, sculpture and modern art. There's also a constantly changing diary of touring exhibitions.

Entertainment

A city of culture, of music and theatre but also a a city of pubs, restaurants and bars. Above all Manchester is a city of entertainment. Everywhere you go in the city at night you will find people eating, drinking and talking. Feast on a banquet in the largest Chinatown this side of San Francisco or dine in one of the city's many top class eateries. A short ride from the centre is Rusholme which is mecca for lovers of true Indian curries.

Best bars in Manchester

Top 10 restaurants in Manchester

Top 10 things to do in Manchester

Shopping

New Cathedral Street houses the likes of Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Zara and French Connection; whilst King Street, a short but very sweet thoroughfare, has been a place for prestigious retail therapy since the 19th-century: Vivienne Westwood, DKNY and Armani Collezioni/Emporio Armani, to name but a few. Manchester's flagship Marks & Spencer store is nearby together with the Manchester Arndale Centre - a double layer of shopping heaven with big names like Top Shop and the biggest Next store in the world.

The Triangle on Exchange Square, is a beautiful old corner building that once housed the Corn Exchange. This is a mecca for designer icons like adidas Originals, Karen Millen and Calvin Klein.

Manchester's oldest department store, House of Fraser (formerly Kendals), can be found on Deansgate. The listed 1930s building is a giant old-fashioned icon of a store, but behind its Art Deco façade you’ll find Nicole Farhi, Kenzo, Joseph and many more. Market Street is good for bargains in places like Primark, Schuh, Debenhams and H&M.

If you'd prefer to venture out of the city centre head to the Trafford Centre: 230 stores and 47 restaurants under one roof.