| "A place more destitute of all interesting objects | | | | from textiles and costume, to transport and the |
| than Manchester it is not easy to conceive..." | | | | police. Manchester's art galleries contain important |
| wrote English poet Robert Southey (1774-1843) in | | | | collections, with the Wentworth famous for its |
| 1807. If he were to return today he would be | | | | British watercolors, post-impressionists and |
| shocked indeed. | | | | 20th-century art. At Salford Museum and Art |
| Most of the city's old "dark satanic mills" have | | | | Gallery the work of local artist L.S. Lowry can be |
| been converted to trendy pubs, shops, hotels and | | | | seen. His images of matchstick people set against |
| discos. One of Manchester's newest hotels, The | | | | an industrial landscape have earned him popularity |
| Britannia, with its magnificent blue and gold | | | | beyond the art world. |
| wrought iron staircase, was created with style | | | | Manchester is a major cultural center with 10 |
| from an old warehouse. | | | | theaters including the Opera House. The Royal |
| Two hundred and ninety-five kilometers (180 | | | | Exchange, famous for its modern productions, |
| miles) northwest of London, the bright, brash, | | | | was originally the cotton exchange and a board |
| breezy, but business-like city of Manchester claims | | | | still shows the prices when dealing stopped in |
| title as the unofficial capital of northern England. | | | | 1968. The new auditorium looks like a space |
| At once young at heart and rich in history, the | | | | capsule from the outside, but inside is a very |
| city has much to offer within its boundaries as | | | | traditional "theater-in-the-round" built on and |
| well as being an ideal base for touring the Penine | | | | suspended over the trading floor of the old |
| Hills to the east, the Lake District and Scottish | | | | exchange. |
| border to the north and the rugged mountains of | | | | Another popular venue is the Free Trade Hall, |
| north Wales to the southwest. | | | | home for more than a century to the world |
| During the 19th-century, Manchester was | | | | renowned Halle Orchestra, where a wide range of |
| nicknamed "Cottonopolis" due to its dependence | | | | music from pop to promenade concerts is |
| upon cotton. The heritage of this industry can still | | | | performed. |
| be found in many parts of the city. | | | | There are three libraries of special interest near |
| Close to Manchester's International airport, Britain's | | | | the city center, in addition to the Central Public |
| largest after London's Heathrow and Gatwick, you | | | | Library in St. Peter's Square. One of them, the |
| will find Quarry Bank Mill, one of the original | | | | Portico Library in Mosley Street, established in |
| water-powered cotton mills which has been | | | | 1806 as a social and literary institution, has many |
| restored as a working museum. | | | | rare first editions. A plaque records the names of |
| The Museum of Science and Industry occupies | | | | its famous literary browsers, including that of |
| the old Liverpool Road Station, the first passenger | | | | Peter Mark Roget, compiler of the famous |
| railway station in the world. In the Power | | | | Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases. |
| Exhibition Hall, engines driven by water, steam and | | | | Definitely worth including in any visit to |
| electricity are displayed. Some, including steam | | | | Manchester is a tour of the Granada Studios. Here |
| locomotives, are fully operational. At Ellesmere | | | | you can explore life-size sets of the British House |
| Port, the Boat Museum houses one of the largest | | | | of Commons and Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street |
| collections of canal craft in Europe. | | | | and stroll along the real Coronation Street. |
| Other museums cover a wide range of subjects, | | | | |