Manchester
Manchester is the metropolitan borough of the county of Greater Manchester in England. It has an area of forty-five square miles and a population of four hundred and fifty-eight thousand people. This city began in 79 AD when the Romans constructed the fort Mamucium. This location was then abandoned by the Romans in the third century. During the industrial revolution, Manchester became known for its textile manufacturing. Its textiles were sold around the world and the city began a period of rapid growth. Today, the cities major economic activities are service based industries and tourism.
Educational needs of Manchester is serviced by a variety of primary, secondary and special schools. Primary schools include Abbott Community Primary School, All Saints’ C.E. Primary School, Alma Park Primary School, Bishop Bilsborrow Memorial R.C. Primary School, Cheetham C.E. Community School, Christ the King R.C. Primary School and Crosslee Community Primary School. Secondary schools in the city include Burnage High School for Boys, North Manchester High School for Boys, North Manchester High School for Girls, Wright Robinson College, Parklands High School and Plant Hill Arts College. Special schools in the district include The Birches School, Southern Cross School, Meade Hill School, Piper Hill High School and Camberwell Park School.
Manchester is served by Manchester Airport. This airport is the busiest airport of any UK airport outside of the city of London. It serves over twenty one million passangers a year. It offers service to destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. The city is also service by a train system. The city has two mainline stations and operates an extensive railway network. Manchester was also one of the first cities in the United Kingdom to get a light rail tram system. It was the Manchester Metrolink which opened in 1992. It includes a twenty three mile network with thirty seven stations. The city is currently in the process of expanding its network. Another transportation node in the city is Manchester’s bus network. This network operates with over fifty bus companies.
Tourist from all over the world come to Manchester to see its beautiful architecture. This city has a wondefully diverse architectural style that ranges from the Victorian to the Modern. A popular attraction in the city is Bridgewater Hall. Bridgewater Hall was built in 1996 and is home to the Manchester Boys Choir. It is also used for graduation ceremonies of the Manchester Metropolitan University. Its main feature is a pipe organ that contains over fifty-five hundred pipes. This hall also has a twenty-three hundred seat auditorium.
Manchester Victoria Station is another popular attraction in the city. This is the second mainline railway station in the city. Also located in it is a Metrolink station. This station is located on Hunts Bank by Manchester Cathedral. This building was erected in 1844 to replace the Manchester Oldham Road railway station.
Manchester is a city that has quite a few museums. One of the more prominent ones is Manchester Museum. This museum, owned by the University of Manchester, was built in 1888. It houses an extensive collection of works which include armor, archer items, beetle specimens, pottery, plants, art, birds and fossils. Another important museum is the Museum of Science and Industry. This museum has a wide array of exhibits which include a Supermarine Spitfire, replica of the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine and a South African GL class Beyer-Garratt. Other museums in the city include the People’s History Museum, the Manchester Jewish Museum, the Manchester Costume Gallery at Platt Fields, the Urbis centre, the Cornerhouse, Whitworth Manchester galleries, the Lowry art centre and the Manchester United Museum. Manchester also has a bustling opera and theater scene. These include the Manchester Opera House, the Palace Theatre, the Royal Exchange Theatre, the Library Theatre, the Contact Theatre and Studio Salford.
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church that was built over the course of six hundred years. Thomas de la Warre founded and constructed a collegiate church for the parish in 1421 which would later be referred to as Manchester Cathedral. Its official name is quite long and not used that often, The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester. Construction continued on this building in the beginning of the sixteenth century. Over the course of its long history, this cathedral has been continually added to and renovated. It also had its treasures looted by various noblemen. The cathedral has ten church bells and sixteen misericords.
The original fort that the city was founded from is called Mamucium and is located in the Castlefield district of the city. The fort measured one hundred and seventy-five yards by one hundred and forty yards and was surrounded by a rampart and a ditch. In the second century, the wood ramparts were replaced with stone ones which measure around nine feet thick. The fort covered about four acres.
Visitors in Manchester should also check out the bustling nightlife in the city. This city is serviced by more than five hundred restaurants, bars, pubs and public houses. This gives Manchester the capacity to service over two hundred and fifty thousand patrons a night. Popular nightclubs in the city include Club Clique, the Paradise Factory, Sankeys Soap, Funkademia and the The Warehouse Project. Other attractions in the city include Manchester Apollo, MEN Arena, Night and Day Café and Bridgewater Hall.
