UNESCO World Heritage Site

UNESCO

Liverpool is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, like the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The city won the status in 2004 because of its impressive waterfront which, according to UNESCO, represents a ‘supreme example of a commercial port at the time of Britain’s greatest global significance’.

The World Heritage Site officially stretches from Albert Dock, which alone has the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the UK, along The Pier Head and up to Stanley Dock. These icons of Liverpool heritage made Liverpool one of the centres of world trade in the 18^th and 19^th centuries and meant it played an important role in the growth of the British Empire and the industrial revolution beyond.

Any visit to Liverpool should involve a stroll around Albert Dock to drink in some of this history. Then you should take a trip across the Mersey on one of the river’s famous ferries to see from a distance the awe-inspiring view of Liverpool, which has one of the most recognised waterfronts in the world.

But Liverpool’s heritage consists of more than just its celebrated dockland area. Liverpool architecture is also recognised globally, consisting of a unique mix of contemporary and classical buildings. There’s the soaring Gothic Revival Liverpool Cathedral, the biggest Anglican Cathedral in the UK – VisitLiverpool recommends a climb to the top of the tower for the best views across the region – and the modernist architecture of the Catholic Cathedral, affectionately known as ‘Paddy’s Wigwam’, with its vast stained glass crown.

Liverpool’s noted architecture also includes the stunning St George’s Hall, described by Prince Charles as the finest example of neo-classical architecture in the country, where you can explore the great hall, fascinating criminal court and judges’ chambers.