Liverpool

Liverpool
'Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City' consists of six areas that are closely associated with Liverpool's global commercial port, a port that has contributed significantly to the building of the British Empire. The site contains innovative examples of dock construction and port management from the 18th and 19th centuries. Related constructions include commercial offices, residential properties, warehouses and the docks itself.

The prosperity that this trade brought upon the city is reflected in the Cultural Quarter. A group of monumental public buildings was erected here in the (Neo)Classical style. The lavish St. George's Hall (mid 19th century) is the most prominent example of these. Its design is like a Greek temple on the outside, with a Roman interior.

The six areas that make up this world heritage site are:
1. Pier Head
2. Albert Dock Conservation Area
3. Stanley Dock Conservation Area
4. Castle/Dale/Old Hall Street Commercial Center
5. William Brown Street Cultural Quarter
6. Lower Duke street

Year Decision Comments
2004 Inscribed Reasons for inscription



Visit July 2008

Despite being a WHS ŕnd European Capital of Culture 2008, Liverpool is hard to love at first sight. I'm afraid they've mistimed the major restoration and construction works that are going on. Everywhere you see cranes and construction workers. The waterfront is hardly accessible at all (looks like they're building a nice promenade though).

I started my wanderings at Albert Dock. The warehouses and pumping station here are already prettily restored. The main building houses the Maritime Museum, which I thought would be an appropriate start for the day. I do like museums in general, but this one appears to be a favourite for school trips - resulting in running and screaming children everywhere. The displays merely brush the subjects of slave trade, emigration, life at sea, WWII and ship building. The best thing about it that it is free.

A few minutes further north along the river is Pier Head: the landmark of Liverpool with the three office buildings Royal Liver, Cunard and Dock Office. They must form an impressive sight when approached by ship.

After a good non-authentic Japanese lunch I explored the rest of the city. It's quite a walk to the Cultural Quarter, but certainly worth it. The buildings here look so out of place in this working city: 'over the top classical' I would call their style. Columns and statues everywhere. Definite prize piece is St. George's Hall, almost like The White House in size and stature. Via a small entrance at the lower front it is possible to visit its interior (free again!). The building is used as a combination of a law court and a concert hall. The main hall is a wonderful work of art with granite columns, even more statues and a huge organ.

Looking back on this day, I would say that there is plenty on offer for a satisfying WHS visit. However, the maritime story of Liverpool could be explained better and I hope that all new constructions will not obscure the monuments.

More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery

Reviews

Ingemar Eriksson (Sweden):
When I visited Liverpool, it was not on the list. I hope they have put up signs to show the things mentioned in the explainations why L is on the list.
I agree with Ian Cade that L doesn´t seem to be exeptional enough. I hope they can restore the splendour of the buildings that are there but often is in a bad shape. Many nice details are to be discovered everywhere and when in L, don´t miss going to Port Sunlight which I think is a nice Garden Town nearby.
Date posted: January 2006
Ian Cade (England):
The main part of the WHS is the riverside area Pier Head and Albert Docks, the Pierhead area (pictured) has the most famous building ensemble in the Royal Liver, Cunard and Port Authority buildings. The Albert docks are along the Merseyside a little further and are based around the large enclosed docks, which were one of the first in the world. In this area there are several free museums, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, is the best one to head to for an introduction to what makes Liverpool a ‘Maritime- Mercantile City’ it also has some interesting exhibits on migration, especially of the Ireland- America route, and the lower floor is dedicated to the slave trade which the city played a large role in.
The site also encompasses parts of the rest of the city, which has some reasonably grand buildings, and the odd monument here and there, but on the whole I was left wondering if this was really a site worthy of being on the World Heritage List. It is important but I don’t know if it is of universal outstanding value.
The city is nice, if a little scruffy, and is worth visiting if you want to see that England is not all just Royal castles, it has a distinctive culture and accent and it is a good place to experience, especially if you are interested in the Beatles, but I don’t think it is exceptional enough to be a WHS.

I managed to spend an afternoon in Liverpool after heading up from Ironbridge Gorge, which is about an hour and a half drive away. If you don’t have a car it has plenty of transport connections, it is about 3 hours by train from London or 5 hours by Bus.
Date posted: August 2005


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