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The early 19th century was a time of rapid growth for Liverpool. In 1830 the world's first passenger railway was opened between Liverpool and Manchester.

St. George's Hall is a Grade 1 listed building and was first opened in 1854. Built to provide a civic hall and assize court for Liverpool, the hall is the finest example of neo classical architecture in Europe, if not the world.

Today, St. George's Hall is as visually stunning and as magnificent as ever. It continues to look out over the cultural quarter of Liverpool with dignified and majestic grace, hence its description as 'The Jewel of the North'.

The Three Graces are the three prominent buildings adjacent to each other on the Liverpool waterfront.

Liver Buildings
The Royal Liver Building was designed by Aubrey Thomas and was erected in 1910. It was one of the world's first multi-storey buildings with a reinforced concrete structure. The two main clock towers are surmounted by domes on which the world famous Liver Birds are perched.

Cunard Building
The Cunard Building was designed by Willink and Thicknesse, and was constructed between 1914 and 1918. Its design is influenced by the grand Italian palaces, but it also contains some neo-classical and Greek Revival features.

Offices of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board
The Offices of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board was designed by Aubrey Thomas and was completed in 1907. Its overall design is symmetrical and internally an eight-sided hall reaches right up to the dome. It is distinguished by its central domed roof feature, and has copolas at its corners which reflect the central dome.

But Liverpool's historical treasures aren't limited to the city centre. Sefton Park houses the newly-restored Victorian Palm House, whilst nearby Calderstones Park is the site of the Calder Stones, huge sandstone monoliths older even than Stonehenge.

They provide the first evidence of a settlement in Liverpool, and their cup and spiral markings are the only such example in England. Just south of Calderstones Park is Speke Hall, a Tudor half-timbered country mansion; its sweeping views towards the Mersey and Welsh mountains provide a serene respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

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St George's Hall