Sightseeing in Leeds - what to see. Complete travel guide

Leeds is a city located in the valley of the Aire River. This is one of the largest cities of England. London is located not far away from Leeds, so such an advantageous location makes it very popular. Leeds is also on approximately same distance from east and west coast of the country.

Yet in XIX century this provincial town was one of the main industrial centers of England. It occupied a small territory, but one could see there large choice of different factories. However, nowadays the share of industrial companies in Leeds is not that big. There are less and less factories here and more office buildings. Leeds has slowly become a business center of the north of England.

Because of these changes much renovation work has been done in Leeds. It helped to restore historical buildings of the city. Much space has been devoted to greenery. In Leeds have appeared parks, gardens and boulevards. This has really changed the look of the city. At the same time new educational facilities have been opened here – schools, colleges, and two universities. This has made Leeds one of the largest educational centers of the UK as well. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Among main sights of the city are Royal Arsenal with large exhibition of different collections (items devoted to knights times and knights tournaments, war time, hunting) and City’s Picture Gallery with a large collection of pictures of XX century. Modern Leeds attracts people by its history, its constant flexibility and ability to fit modern life. Today this is a city full of noise and numerous students, sleepless bars, restaurants, and clubs. This is also a place rich in tremendous Edwardian architecture.

Among the permanent symbols of Leeds is the beautiful Cathedral, which since its foundation was the seat of the local bishop. The very first church in its place was built in 1838. A few years after the construction was completed, it began to expand. The reformation of the church was finally completed by 1901. Now, it is a spectacular monument in the Neo-Gothic style.

An equally impressive architectural site is the Church of St. Peter. In its place, the very first church was built in the 7th century, and later it was completely destroyed during a major fire. Subsequently, the religious monument was destroyed twice more by fire. The last church managed to be fully preserved not only its appearance, but also its interior decoration. Inside, visitors can see an ancient organ, very beautiful stained-glass windows and mosaics.

In the north-western part of Leeds you can see the ruins of the Kirkstall Abbey, which was built in 1152. The monastery ceased to exist during the reign of Henry VIII. Not so long ago, the dilapidated historical building was restored and opened for visits. Some parts of the monastery have survived quite well. During an excursion, visitors will be told about how monks spent their life hundreds of years ago.

On one of the central streets of the city you can see a very unusual historical building with a rounded facade. This is the Leeds Corn Exchange, which was built in 1864 and was one of three similar exchanges in the country. This historic building is perfectly preserved, it was recently completely restored. Today, it houses one of the most popular shopping centers in the city.

The most luxurious and recognizable historical facility of Leeds is the Town Hall building. Its tower, whose height is 68.6 meters, is visible from many city streets. Queen Victoria herself took part in the opening of the grand building. In the construction such huge sums were invested, which caused discontent of many residents of the city. During the Second World War, the Town Hall was badly damaged by the bombing. However, it was restored in the shortest possible time. Now the historical building has been converted into a cultural center. It often hosts concerts, exhibitions and other mass events. One of the largest and most beautiful squares in the city is in front of the building.