Liverpool 18081 225931109 2008-07-16T02:02:29Z Romney yw 5971079 /* Poetry */ modified Jim Bennett link for moved page {{Sprotected2}} {{Otheruses}} {{Infobox Settlement <!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage--> <!-- Basic info ----------------> |official_name = City of Liverpool |other_name = |native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = [[Metropolitan borough]] & [[City status in the United Kingdom|City]]<!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City) --> |motto = <!-- images and maps -----------> ||image_skyline = IMAG1698.JPG |image_caption = ''Liverpool waterfront at night'' |imagesize = 280px |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type =Coat of Arms |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = EnglandLiverpool.png |mapsize = 200 * 247 |map_caption = Location within England |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map = <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map --> |pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> |pushpin_map_caption = |pushpin_mapsize = <!-- Location ------------------> |subdivision_type = Sovereign state |subdivision_name = [[United Kingdom]] |subdivision_type1 = [[Constituent country]] |subdivision_name1 = [[England]] |subdivision_type2 = Region |subdivision_name2 = [[North West England]] |subdivision_type3 = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]] |subdivision_name3 = [[Merseyside]] |subdivision_type4 = Admin HQ |subdivision_name4 =Liverpool City Centre <!-- Politics -----------------> |government_footnotes = |government_type =[[Metropolitan borough]], [[City status in the United Kingdom|City]] |leader_title =Governing&nbsp;body |leader_name =[[Liverpool City Council]] |leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager --> |leader_name1 =John Reid |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title = Founded |established_date = 1207 |established_title2 = City Status |established_date2 = 1880 |established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) --> |established_date3 = <!-- Area ---------------------> |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired--> |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = 111.84<!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion--> |area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion--> |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- Population -----------------------> |population_as_of=2005 est / Urban=2006 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total ={{EnglishDistrictPopulation|ONS=00BY}} ([[List of English districts by population|Ranked {{EnglishDistrictRank|ONS=00BY}}]]) |population_density_km2 =5001 |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro =1,103,089 |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban =816,900 |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title =Ethnicity </br><small>(2005 Estimate)<ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276787&c=liverpool&d=13&e=13&g=359393&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1206484641920&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812 Neighbourhood Statistics]</ref> </small> |population_blank1 = 92.3% White<br />2.1% Chinese and other<br /> 1.9% Asian or Asian British<br /> 1.9% Mixed Race<br /> 1.8% Black or Black British |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |blank4_name = [[Demonym]] |blank4_info = [[Scouser]]/[[Liverpudlian]] <!-- General information ---------------> |timezone = [[Greenwich Mean Time]] |utc_offset = +0 |timezone_DST = [[British Summer Time]] |utc_offset_DST = +1 |latd=53 |latm=24 |lats= |latNS=N |longd=2 |longm=59 |longs= |longEW=W |elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use<ref> </ref> tags--> |elevation_m = |elevation_ft =230 <!-- Area/postal codes & others --------> |postal_code_type = Postal Code |postal_code =[[L postcode area]] |area_code =0151 |blank_name =[[ISO 3166-2:GB|ISO 3166-2]] |blank_info =GB-LIV |blank1_name =[[ONS coding system|ONS code]] |blank1_info =00BY |blank2_name =[[British national grid reference system|OS grid reference]] |blank2_info ={{gbmappingsmall|SJ437905}} |blank3_name =[[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS]] 3 |blank3_info =UKD52 |website = [http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/ www.liverpool.gov.uk] |footnotes = }} <!---Start of article---> '''Liverpool''' ({{Audio|en-uk-Liverpool.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a [[city]] and [[metropolitan borough]] of [[Merseyside]], [[England]], along the eastern side of the [[Mersey Estuary]]. It was founded as a [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] in 1207 and was granted [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] in 1880. Liverpool has a population of [[List of English districts by population|436,100]], and lies at the centre of the wider [[Liverpool Urban Area]], which has a population of 816,216. [[Historic counties of England|Historically]] a part of [[Lancashire]], the urbanisation and expansion of Liverpool were broadly brought about by the city's status as a major [[port]]. By the 18th century, trade from the [[West Indies]], [[Ireland]] and [[mainland Europe]] coupled with close links with the [[Atlantic Slave Trade]] furthered the economic expansion of Liverpool. By the early 19th century, 40% of the world's trade passed through Liverpool's docks, contributing to Liverpool's rise as a major city. Inhabitants of Liverpool are referred to as '''Liverpudlians''' but are also known as "[[Scouse]]rs" , in reference to the local meal known as '[[scouse (food)|scouse]]', a form of stew. The word scouse has also become synonymous with the Liverpool [[accent]] and [[dialect]]. Liverpool's status as a [[port city]] has contributed to Liverpool's diverse population, which draws from a wide range of peoples, cultures, and religions, particularly those from [[Ireland]]. The popularity of [[The Beatles]] and the other groups from the [[Beat music|Merseybeat]] era contributes to Liverpool as a tourist destination - a significant part of the city's modern economy. In 2007 the city celebrated its 800th anniversary, and in 2008 it holds the [[European Capital of Culture]] title together with [[Stavanger]], [[Norway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/culture/pdf/doc1155_en.pdf|title=Report on the Nominations from the UK and and Norway for the European Capital of Culture 2008|accessdate=2008-07-11}}</ref> ==History== {{main|History of Liverpool}} [[Image:Liverpoolmap 1947.jpg|thumb|left|A map of Liverpool from 1947]] King John's [[letters patent]] of 1207 announced the foundation of the borough of Liverpool, but by the middle of the 16th century the population was still only around 500. In the 17th century there was slow progress in trade and population growth. Battles for the town were waged during the [[English Civil War]], including an eighteen-day siege in 1644. In 1699 Liverpool was made a [[parish]] by [[Act of Parliament]], that same year its first slave ship, Liverpool Merchant, set sail for Africa. As trade from the [[West Indies]] surpassed that of Ireland and Europe, and as the [[River Dee, Wales|River Dee]] silted up, Liverpool began to grow. The first commercial [[wet dock]] was built in Liverpool in 1715.<ref> {{cite web |title=The Lost Dock of Liverpool |publisher=Channel 4: Time Team, [[21 April]] [[2008]] |url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/2008/liverpool/liverpool-found.html |accessdate=2008-06-02}} </ref><ref> {{cite web |title=Liverpool Dock System |publisher=''New York Times'', [[2 January]] [[1898]] |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C07EFD91039E433A25751C0A9679C94699ED7CF |accessdate=2008-06-02}} Note: "pdf" reader needed to see full article </ref> Substantial profits from the [[slave trade]] helped the town to prosper and rapidly grow. By the close of the century Liverpool controlled over 41% of Europe's and 80% of Britain's slave commerce. [[Image:LiverpoolCastle.jpg|thumb|left|[[Liverpool Castle]] in the 13th century]] By the start of the 19th century, 40% of the world's trade was passing through Liverpool and the construction of major buildings reflected this wealth. In 1830, Liverpool and [[Manchester]] became the first cities to have an intercity rail link, through the [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]]. The population continued to rise rapidly, especially during the 1840s when [[Irish diaspora|Irish]] migrants began arriving by the hundreds of thousands as a result of the [[Irish Potato Famine (1845-1849)|Great Famine]]. By 1851, approximately 25% of the city's population was Irish-born. During the first part of the 20th century, Liverpool was drawing immigrants from across Europe. [[Image:Opening Liverpool and Manchester Railway.jpg|thumb||250px|Inaugural journey of the [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]] in 1830, the first ever commercial railway line]] The Housing Act 1919 resulted in mass council housing building across Liverpool during the 1920s and 1930s. Thousands of families were rehoused from decrepit inner-city slums to well-equipped new homes on suburban housing estates which offered a far higher standard of living. A great deal of private houses were also built during this era. The process continued after the [[Second World War]], with many more new housing estates being built in suburban areas, while some of the older inner city areas where also redeveloped for new homes. The population of Liverpool peaked in the 1931 census, which reported 855,688 inhabitants. This had declined to 610,114 by 1961, and decreased further to 439,476 in the 2001 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_chart_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10105821&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=Vision of Britain: Liverpool population|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> During [[World War II]] there were 80 [[Liverpool Blitz|air-raids on Merseyside]], killing 2500 people and causing damage to almost half the homes in the metropolitan area. Since 1952 Liverpool has been twinned with [[Cologne]], [[Germany]], a city which also shared the horrific experience of excessive aerial bombing. Significant rebuilding followed the war, including massive housing estates and the [[Seaforth Dock]], the largest dock project in Britain. In the 1960s Liverpool became a centre of [[youth culture]]. The "[[Merseybeat]]" sound which became synonymous with [[The Beatles]] and fellow Liverpudlian rock bands of the era catapulted the city to the front of the popular music scene. From the mid-1970s onwards Liverpool's docks and traditional [[manufacturing industries]] went into sharp decline. The advent of [[containerization]] meant that the city's docks became largely obsolete. In the early 1980s [[unemployment]] rates in Liverpool were among the highest in the UK. In recent years, Liverpool's economy has recovered and has experienced growth rates higher than the national average since the mid-nineties. [[Image:20 forthlin road.jpg|thumb|right|[[20 Forthlin Road]] is one of many Tourist attractions related to The Beatles.]] Previously part of [[Lancashire]], and a county borough from 1889, Liverpool became in 1974 a [[metropolitan borough]] within the newly created [[metropolitan county]] of [[Merseyside]]. At the end of the 20th century Liverpool was concentrating on regeneration, a process which still continues today, with the city winning the accolade of [[European Capital of Culture]] for 2008. To celebrate the [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]] of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] in 2002, the conservation charity [[Plantlife]] organised a competition to choose [[county flower]]s, the [[sea-holly]] was Liverpool's final choice Capitalising on the popularity of the 1960s pop group [[The Beatles]] and other groups of the Merseybeat era, tourism has also become a significant factor in Liverpool's economy. In 2004, property developer [[Grosvenor Group|Grosvenor]] started the [[The Paradise Project|Paradise Project]], a £920&nbsp;m development centered on Paradise Street, which involved the most significant changes to Liverpool's city centre since the post-war reconstruction. Now known as Liverpool one, opened in May 2008. 2007 was the anniversary of the foundation of the city (1207), for which a number of events were planned. ==Governance== [[Image:Liverpool Town Hall.JPG|right|thumb|[[Liverpool Town Hall]] dates from [[1754]]]] Liverpool is governed by [[Liverpool City Council]], one of five councils within the [[metropolitan county]] of Merseyside, and is one of England's [[English Core Cities Group|core cities]] and its [[List of towns and cities in England by population|third most populous]] — 447,500 in 2006, with 816,000 jobs in the [[Liverpool Urban Area]], the conurbation around the city that includes other towns (such as [[St. Helens, Merseyside|St. Helens]] and [[Haydock]]) on the Liverpool side of the Mersey but not those on the [[Wirral Peninsula]]. The term [[Greater Merseyside]] or [[Liverpool City Region]] is sometimes used to describe a broader area, which also includes the [[Halton (borough)|borough of Halton]] and [[Wirral]]. ==Geography== The city is built across a ridge of [[sandstone]] hills rising up to a height of around 230&nbsp;feet (70&nbsp;metres) above sea-level at Everton Hill, which represent the southern boundary of the [[West Lancashire Coastal Plain]]. The [[Liverpool Urban Area]] runs directly into [[Bootle]], [[Crosby]] and [[Maghull]] in south [[Sefton]] to the north, and [[Kirkby]], [[Huyton]], [[Prescot]] and [[Halewood]] in [[Knowsley]] to the east. It faces [[Wallasey]] and [[Birkenhead]] across the [[River Mersey]] to the west. ==Economy== This is a chart of trend of regional [[gross value added]] (GVA) of Liverpool at current basic prices [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf published] (pp.240-253) by the [[Office for National Statistics]] with figures in millions of [[Pound sterling|pounds sterling]]. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year || Regional Gross Value Added<ref name="fn_4">Components may not sum to totals due to rounding</ref> || Agriculture<ref name="fn_1">includes hunting and forestry</ref> || Industry<ref name="fn_2">includes energy and construction</ref> || Services<ref name="fn_3">includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured</ref> |- | 1995 || '''4,394''' || 3 || 950 || 3,440 |- | 2000 || '''5,681''' || 4 || 1,033 || 4,644 |- | 2003 || '''6,595''' || 6 || 953 || 5,636 |} The economy of Liverpool is beginning to recover from its long, post-[[World War II]] decline. Between 1995 and 2001 GVA per head grew at 6.3% annum. This compared with 5.8% for inner London and 5.7% for [[Bristol]]. The rate of job growth was 9.2% compared with a national average of 4.9% for the same period, 1998-2002. However, Liverpool is still comparatively poor; a 2001 report by CACI showed that Liverpool still had four of the ten poorest postcode districts in the country,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/feb2001/pov-f09.shtml|title=www.wsws.org/articles/2001/feb2001/pov-f09.shtml<!--INSERT TITLE-->|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> and almost 30% of people aged 65 or over are without central heating.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7063120.stm|title=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7063120.stm| accessdate=2007-10-26}}</ref> Like the rest of the United Kingdom the city has seen a large growth in the service sector, both public and private. Government offices include parts of the [[National Health Service]], [[Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs|Revenue and Customs]] and [[Home Office]] agencies such as the [[Criminal Records Bureau]] and the [[Identity and Passport Service]], formerly the UK Passport Agency. Major private sector service industry concerns have also invested in Liverpool especially the financial services sector with [[Barclays]], [[Abbey National]], [[Alliance & Leicester]], [[Royal Bank of Scotland]] Group, [[HBOS]] and the [[Bank of Ireland]] either opening or expanding their sites, a number of major call centres have opened in recent years too and the professional advice sector, in particular legal advice has grown. {{Fact|date=March 2008}} The activities of the port had, due to containerisation and reduced levels of commerce, left the region with a communications infrastructure that exceeded its requirements, however the port's cargo volumes have picked up significantly and there are presently plans to accommodate post-[[panamax]] ships on the Mersey. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} Growth in the areas of [[New Media]] has been helped by the existence of a relatively large [[computer game]] development community. Sony based one of only a handful of European [[PlayStation]] research and development centres in Wavertree, after buying out noted software publisher [[Psygnosis]]. Indeed, according to a 2006 issue of industry magazine 'Edge' (issue 162), the first professional quality PlayStation software developer's kits were largely programmed by Sony's Liverpool 'studio' {{Fact|date=July 2008}} Tourism is a major factor in the economy and will be of increasing importance in the run up to the Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture. This has led to a great increase in the provision of high quality services such as hotels, restaurants and clubs. The buildings of Liverpool not only attract tourists but also film makers, who regularly use Liverpool to double for cities around the world and making it the second most filmed city in the UK. {{Fact|date=March 2008}} Liverpool is also one of the few cities in the world where cruise liners can berth in the city centre, and from 2008 a significant number of ships will either set sail or call at Liverpool's cruise liner terminal, including the [[Grand Princess]], and [[the QE2]]. Large naval ships coming in to dock also draw large crowds on sunny days. Liverpool and its boroughs have a large number of sandy beaches accessible by [[Merseyrail]], which prove popular in the summer months. Car-manufacturing also takes place in the city at the [[Halewood]] plant where the [[Jaguar X-Type]] and [[Land Rover Freelander]] models are assembled. The owner of Liverpool's port and airport, Peel Holdings, announced on [[March 6]], [[2007]] that is had plans to redevelop the city's northern dock area with a scheme entitled [[Liverpool Waters]], which may see the creation of 17,000 jobs and £5.5bn invested in the vicinity over a 50 year period. This is coupled with a sister scheme on the other side of the River Mersey, called [[Wirral Waters]]. {{Fact|date=March 2008}} Liverpool's main shopping area is ''Church Street'', lying between [[Bold Street, Liverpool|Bold Street]] to the East and Lord Street to the West. The first phase of [[Liverpool One]] opened in May 2008 and is due to be complete by September 2008, and will be Europe's largest retail development when finished, being the redevelopment of a large part of the postcode area L1 - hence the name. ==Landmarks== {{wide image|Liverpool Waterfront by Night.jpg|1500px|Liverpool waterfront by night, as seen from the [[The Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]], is a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage site]]}} {{see|List of tallest buildings and structures in Liverpool}} Liverpool contains over [[Listed buildings in Liverpool|2,500 listed buildings]] (of which 26 are Grade I listed and 85 are Grade II* listed). It has been the beneficiary of high-minded public spirit since the late 18th century, largely with [[Dissenter]] impetus, resulting in more public sculpture than in any UK city aside from [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], more listed buildings than any city apart from London and, surprisingly, more Georgian houses than the city of [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]. Renowned [[architect]]s are particularly well represented in Liverpool, including [[Peter Ellis (architect)|Peter Ellis]], [[John Wood, the Elder]] of Bath (commissioned in 1749 to design the original Public Exchange which later became the Town Hall), [[Thomas 'Greek' Harrison]], [[James Wyatt]], [[Harvey Lonsdale Elmes]], [[Philip Hardwick]], [[Jesse Hartley]] (Dock engineer and architect of the [[Albert Dock]] and [[Stanley Dock]]), [[Charles Cockerell]], [[Thomas Rickman]], [[John Foster (architect)|John Foster]], [[Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin]], [[J.J. Scholes]], [[Sir Joseph Paxton]], [[Giles Gilbert Scott|Sir Giles Gilbert Scott]], [[J.K. Colling]], [[J.A. Picton]], [[George Edmund Street]], [[John Loughborough Pearson]], [[E.W. Pugin]], [[E.R. Robson]], [[Edmund Kirby]], [[Edwin Lutyens|Sir Edwin Lutyens]], [[Frederick Gibberd|Sir Frederick Gibberd]], [[Alfred Waterhouse]] (who was born in [[Aigburth]]), [[W.D. Caroe]], [[Leonard Stokes]], [[Richard Norman Shaw|Norman Shaw]], [[James Francis Doyle]], [[Walter Aubrey Thomas]] (architect of the iconic [[Royal Liver Building]] on the Liverpool waterfront), [[Gerald de Courcy Fraser]], [[Charles Reilly]] and [[Herbert Rowse]] (architect of [[Martins Bank]], [[Queensway Tunnel]] and [[India Buildings]]). ===Waterfront and docks museums=== [[Image:Royal Liver Building above Dale Street - Liverpool - 2005-06-27.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Royal Liver Building]] towers over Water Street and the Town Hall]] [[Image:Liverpool skyline, closeup.jpg|thumb|right|Liverpool's skyline, as seen from the River Mersey. The [[Royal Liver Building|Liver Building]] on the left]] In 2004, Liverpool's waterfront was declared as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage site]], reflecting the city's importance in the development of the world's trading system and [[Dock (maritime)|dock]] technology.<ref> {{cite web |title="Liverpool - Maritime Merchantile City"|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1150 |accessdate=2008-05-26}} </ref> The docks are central to Liverpool's history, with the best-known being [[Albert Dock]]: the first enclosed, non-combustible dock warehouse system in the world and is built in cast iron, brick and stone. It was designed by [[Jesse Hartley]]. Restored in the 1980s, the Albert Dock is the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in Britain. Part of the old dock complex is now the home to the [[Merseyside Maritime Museum]] (an Anchor Point of ERIH, The [[European Route of Industrial Heritage]]), the [[International Slavery Museum]] and the [[Tate Liverpool]]. Other relics of the dock system include the [[Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse]], which at the time of its construction in 1901, was the world's largest building in terms of area, and is still the world's largest brick-work building. Also the ill-fated [[superliner (passenger ship)|passenger liner]] [[RMS Titanic]] was registered in Liverpool. The [[Pier Head]] is the most famous image of Liverpool, the location of the ''Three Graces'' (a fairly recent phrase), three of Liverpool's most recognisable buildings. In ordefrom north to south they are: *The [[Royal Liver Building]], built in the early 1900s and surmounted by two bronze domes with a [[Liver Bird]] (the symbol of Liverpool) on each. *The [[Cunard Building]], the headquarters of the former [[Cunard Line|Cunard]] shipping company. *The [[Port of Liverpool Building]], the home of the former [[Mersey Docks and Harbour Board]] which regulated the city's docks. They were built on the site of the former [[George's Dock]] and [[Manchester Dock (Liverpool)|Manchester Dock]]. Kings Dock immediately south of the [[Albert Dock]] is the site of the [[Liverpool Echo Arena]] and BT Convention Centre which officially opened on the [[12 January]] [[2008]]. In front of these buildings at the water's edge are the memorials to the men of the merchant navy who sailed out of the port during both World Wars. Memorials to the British mariners, Norwegian, Dutch and to the thousands of Chinese seamen who manned Britain's ships cluster together here. Perhaps most interesting is the Chinese memorial to the men forcibly deported from the city after World War Two and to the families they left behind.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.halfandhalf.org.uk/index.htm|title="Liverpool and its Chinese Seamen"|accessdate=2008-05-28}}</ref> ===Places of worship=== [[Image:Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool.jpg|thumb|right|View of [[Liverpool Cathedral|Liverpool Anglican cathedral]]]] [[Image:AtlanticStNicholas.jpg|thumb|right|Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas and the Atlantic Tower hotel]] The thousands of migrants and sailors passing through Liverpool resulted in a religious diversity that is still apparent today. This is reflected in the equally diverse collection of religious buildings, and two Christian cathedrals. The parish church of Liverpool is the Anglican [[Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool|Our Lady and St Nicholas]], colloquially known as "the sailors church", which has existed near the waterfront since 1257. It regularly plays host to Catholic masses. Other notable churches include the [[Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas]] (built in the [[Neo-Byzantine architecture]] style), and the [[Gustav Adolfus Kyrka]] (the Swedish Seamen's Church, reminiscent of Nordic styles). Liverpool's wealth as a port city enabled the construction of two enormous [[cathedral]]s, both dating from the 20th century. The [[Liverpool Cathedral|Anglican Cathedral]] which was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and plays host to the annual [[Liverpool Shakespeare Festival]], has one of the longest [[nave]]s, largest organs and heaviest and highest peals of bells in the world. The [[Roman Catholic]] [[Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral|Metropolitan Cathedral]], on Mount Pleasant next to [[Liverpool Science Park]] was initially planned to be even larger. Of Sir Edwin Lutyens' original design, only the crypt was completed. The cathedral was eventually built to a simpler design by Sir Frederick Gibberd; while this is on a smaller scale than Lutyens' original design, it still manages to incorporate the largest panel of [[stained glass]] in the world. Appropriately enough, the road running between the two cathedrals is called [[Hope Street, Liverpool|Hope Street]]. The cathedral is colloquially referred to as "Paddy's Wigwam" due to its shape and the vast number of Irish men who worked on its construction and are living in the area. Liverpool contains several synagogues, of which the Grade I listed [[Moorish Revival]] [[Princes Road Synagogue]] is architecturally the most notable. Princes road is widely considered to be the most magnificent of Britain's [[Moorish Revival]] synagogues and one of the finest buildings in Liverpool.<ref> Sharples, Joseph, Pevsner Architectual guide to Liverpool, Yale University Press, 2004, p. 249</ref> Liverpool has a thriving Jewish community with a further 2 Synagogues, one in the [[Greenbank Park]] area of L17 and a second in the Childwall district of the city where a significant [[Jewish]] community reside. Liverpool has had a Jewish community since the mid-18th century. The current Jewish population of Liverpool is around 3000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolheritageforum.org.uk/articles.php?id=36|title=Liverpool's Jewish heritage|accessdate=2007-05-13}}</ref> Liverpool also has an increasing [[Hindu]] community, with a [[Mandir]] on [[Edge Lane]]; the [[Radha Krishna Hindu Temple]] from the [[Hindu Cultural Organisation]] based there. The current Hindu population in Liverpool is about 1147. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} Liverpool also has the [[Guru Nanak]] [[Sikh]] [[Gurudwara]] in L15. The city had one of the earliest [[mosque]]s in Britain, founded in 1887 by [[William Abdullah Quilliam]], a lawyer who had converted to [[Islam]]. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} This mosque, however, no longer exists. Plans have been ongoing to re-convert the building where the mosque once stood into a museum. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} Currently there are three mosques in Liverpool: the largest and main one, [[Al-Rahma mosque]], in the [[Toxteth]] area of the city and a mosque recently opened in the [[Mossley Hill]] district of the city. The third mosque was also recently opened in Toxteth and is on Granby Street. ===Other notable buildings and main museums=== [[Image:Castlest01.jpg|thumb|left|Castle Street Liverpool]] [[Image:MountPleasantLiverpool.jpg|thumb|right|Liverpool's inner city has Georgian terraced streets]] [[Image:Water04.jpg|thumb|left|Water Street Liverpool]] [[Image:Victoria Street, Liverpool.jpg|thumb|right|Victoria Street Liverpool]] The area around [[William Brown Street]] has been labeled the city's 'Cultural Quarter', owing to the presence of the [[William Brown Library]], [[Walker Art Gallery]] and [[World Museum Liverpool]], just three of Liverpool's neo-classical buildings. Nearby is [[St. George’s Hall, Liverpool|St George's Hall]], perhaps the most impressive of these neo-classical buildings. It was built to serve a variety of civic functions, including both as a concert hall and as the city's law courts. Its doors, inscribed "[[SPQR|S.P.Q.L.]]" (Latin ''senatus populusque Liverpudliensis'' - "the senate and people of Liverpool"), as well as its grand architecture proclaim the municipal pride and ambition of the city in the mid-nineteenth century. Also in this area are [[Wellington's Column]] and the [[Steble Fountain]]. Liverpool's [[Liverpool Town Hall|Town Hall]] dates from 1754 and has an interior considered beautiful. The city's stock exchange and financial district are set immediately behind this building, and show how closely government and commerce were tied in the city's development. At 40 storeys, [[West Tower]] is Liverpool's tallest building. The [[Atlantic Tower hotel]] near pier head was designed to resemble the prow of a ship to reflect Liverpool's maritime history. The term [[Red Brick universities|''Red Brick University'']], applied to British universities dating from a similar period, was inspired by the [[University of Liverpool]]'s [[Victoria Building, University of Liverpool|Victoria Building]], noted for its clock tower. Some of Liverpool's landmarks are better known for their oddness rather than for their role. [[Williamson's tunnels]] are architecturally unique as being the largest underground folly in the world. The [[The Philharmonic Dining Rooms|Philharmonic Dining Rooms]] are noteworthy for their ornate Victorian toilets, which have become a tourist attraction in their own right. On Renshaw Street there is the new alternative shopping centre [[Grand Central Hall, Liverpool|Grand Central Hall]] - which has not only fine external architecture but also has much to offer inside, such as the metalwork and ceiling decoration of the Ground floor and the fantastic domed ceiling of Roscoe Hall. It was originally built in 1905, under the guidance of the [[Methodist Church]], as a 2,000-seat [[Cinema (place)|cinema]]. The original organ of Roscoe Hall still remains and is a listed item itself, although recent shop additions to the hall have obscured the view somewhat. [[Everton water tower]] is a Grade II listed building. ==Transport== ===Mersey crossings=== There are three [[tunnel]]s under the [[River Mersey]]: one railway tunnel, the [[Mersey Railway|Mersey Railway Tunnel]]; and two road tunnels, [[Queensway Tunnel]] and [[Kingsway Tunnel]]. [[Image:Albert dock at night.jpg|thumb|300px|left|[[Albert Dock]] at night]] The [[Mersey Ferry]] continues to provide an important link between Liverpool and the Wirral, as well as a tourist attraction. Made famous by the song ''[[Ferry Cross the Mersey]]'' by [[Gerry and the Pacemakers]], the song is now played on the ferryboats themselves every time they prepare to dock at Liverpool after a tourist cruise. The [[Mersey]] is crossed upstream from Liverpool at [[Runcorn]] and [[Widnes]], by the [[Silver Jubilee Bridge]] (usually known simply as the "[[Runcorn Bridge]]") and the [[Runcorn Railway Bridge]]. ===Leeds and Liverpool Canal=== Built between 1770 and 1816 the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]] links Liverpool and the Mersey to [[Leeds]] and the [[River Aire]]. Its terminus had been at Old Hall Street, Pall Mall, Chisenhale Street, but that section now ends at Eldonian Village. A flight of [[lock (water transport)|locks]] just north of there takes the canal down to [[Stanley Dock]], famous for the Tobacco Warehouse, and on to the main dock system. A new link across the front of the Pier Head buildings will link the northern docks to the Albert Dock is presently under construction, with the plan being to open it during Liverpool's Capital of Culture Year of 2008. ===Airport=== [[Image:Liverpool John Lennon Airport.jpg|thumb|[[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] entrance]] {{main|Liverpool John Lennon Airport}} Opened in the 1930s, Liverpool Airport, is situated near [[Speke]] in the south of the city. It was renamed [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] in 2001, in honour of the late [[Beatle]] [[John Lennon]]. The airport's logo consists of a sketch that John Lennon had drawn of himself, and the words "Above us only sky", lyrics from his song ''[[Imagine (song)|Imagine]]''. The sensitivity surrounding the airport's name change meant that the logo had to be designed in secret before it could be unveiled by John Lennon's widow [[Yoko Ono]]. The airport was the starting point for Beatles tours in the sixties, and images of the boys boarding planes there were seen throughout the world. In 2006 the airport handled nearly 5 million passengers and now serves 64 destinations, including many key European cities. New routes to [[New York]] and [[Toronto]] in summer 2007 were withdrawn towards the end of the year, as was the route to [[London City Airport]]. ===Port=== [[Image:Port of Liverpool Building Front.jpg|thumb|[[Port of Liverpool]] Building]] In 2002, 716,000 passengers {{updateneeded}} used the [[Port of Liverpool]], with the [[Isle of Man]] and [[Ireland]] being the two most important passenger routes, goods trade which was very low in the past decades, is growing up now. Together, the Port of Liverpool and [[Manchester Ship Canal]] offer a comprehensive range of port facilities, handling more than 40 million tonnes of cargo and 15,000 ship movements a year – making the [[River Mersey]] Britain's third busiest estuary.<ref>[http://www.merseydocks.co.uk/ Port of Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal - Peel Ports<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The Port and Canal form the "green" gateway to an economy of more than 120,000 industrial and commercial enterprises and a population equal to that of greater [[London]]. Once the fiercest commercial rivals, the Port of Liverpool and the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] are now as one under the banner of Peel Ports, the [[UK]]'s second largest ports group. ===Railways=== [[Image:Lime Street station front.jpg|thumb|[[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Liverpool Lime Street Station]]]] {{main|Liverpool Lime Street railway station}} Liverpool is served by the [[Merseyrail]] [[Urban area|urban]] [[Rail transport|rail]] network. The sections in the city centre are mostly underground. It has three lines: the [[Northern Line (Merseyrail)|Northern Line]], which runs to [[Southport]], [[Ormskirk]], [[Kirkby]] and [[Hunts Cross]]; the [[Wirral Line]], which runs through the Mersey Railway Tunnel and has branches to [[New Brighton, Merseyside|New Brighton]], [[West Kirby]], [[Chester]] and [[Ellesmere Port]]; and the [[City Line (Merseyrail)|City Line]], only from [[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Lime Street]], for [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]],[[Wigan]], [[preston]], [[Warrington]] and [[Manchester]]. The city's main railway station for longer-distance services is [[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Lime Street station]], one of the most famous train stations in Britain. Trains operate to destinations including [[London]] in 2 hours 1/2 with [[Pendolino]] trains, [[Birmingham]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], [[Manchester]], [[Preston]], [[Leeds]], [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]], [[Sheffield]], [[Nottingham]] and [[Norwich]]. The London line was one of the first electrified in Britain with wire (with [[Manchester]] and [[Glasgow]]). Liverpool had been home to the first electrically powered overhead railway in the world. Known as the [[Liverpool Overhead Railway]] or (Dockers Umbrella) it opened on [[February 4]], [[1893]] with an eventual total of 14 stations. The line suffered extensive damages during the second world war and was eventually closed down on [[December 30]], [[1956]] with considerable protest. The tunnel portal in [[Dingle]] is one of the only surviving signs of the railway's existence as the iron bridges were removed for scrap. ===Buses=== Long distance coach services arrive at and depart from the [[National Express|Norton Street Coach Station]]. Local buses serve the whole of the city and its surrounding areas. The two principal termini for local buses are Queen Square Bus Station (located near [[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Lime Street railway station]]) for services north and east of the city, and Paradise Street Interchange (located near the [[Albert Dock]]) for services to the south and east. Cross-river services to the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]] use roadside terminus points in Castle Street and Sir Thomas Street. ===Historic tramway and railways=== Historically, Liverpool had an extensive [[tram]] network, consturction of which started in 1869 by the [[Liverpool Tramways Company]]; however, this was dismantled in the 1950s. Other railway lines, such as the [[Canada Dock Branch]] from [[Edge Hill]] to [[Kirkdale]], no longer see passenger services, or have been removed completely, such as the [[North Liverpool Extension Line]]. ===Proposed new tram=== In 2001, a plan to build new a [[light rail]] system, [[Merseytram]] was developed. After central government insisted on additional guarantees prior to the release of previously committed funds, it was cancelled in November 2005. However, it is to be included in the transport plan from 2006-2011, as it is deemed to be an important part of Liverpool's development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transportmerseyside.org/uploads/documents/dec_06/trav_1164971519_Chapter_6%5B1%5D.pdf|title=Local Transport Plan 2006-2011|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> ==Culture== [[Image:Liverpool 2008 Flag.jpg|thumb|left|Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 flag, flying in front of the [[Port of Liverpool Building]]]] Liverpool is internationally known as a cultural centre, with a particularly rich history in popular music (most notably [[The Beatles]]), performing and visual arts. In 2004, Liverpool was named a [[Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008|European Capital of Culture for 2008]], the other site being [[Stavanger]], Norway. A series of cultural events during 2004-9 is planned, peaking in 2008. ===Poetry=== During the late 1960s the city became well-known for the [[Liverpool poets]], of whom [[Roger McGough]] and the late [[Adrian Henri]] are among the best known. The anthology ''[[The Mersey Sound (book)|The Mersey Sound]]'', by Henri, McGough and [[Brian Patten]], has sold over 500,000 copies since first being published in 1967. In recent years The [[Dead Good Poets Society]] and particularly poets like [[David Bateman]] and [[Jim Bennett (poet)|Jim Bennett]], both of whom at various times have been called the best in Liverpool, have ensured that the reputation of Liverpool based performance poetry has been maintained. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} ===Theatre and Performing Arts=== Liverpool has a strong history of performing arts which is reflected in its annual theatrical highlight [[The Liverpool Shakespeare Festival]] which takes place inside [[Liverpool Cathedral]] and in the adjacent historic St James' Gardens every summer, and in the number of theatres in the city, including the [[Liverpool Empire Theatre|Empire]], [[Everyman Theatre|Everyman]], [[Neptune Theatre|Neptune]], [[Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool|Royal Court]] and [[Unity Theatre, Liverpool|Unity]] Theatres, and the [[Liverpool Playhouse]]. The Everyman theatre, [[Unity Theatre, Liverpool|Unity Theatre]] and Playhouse theatre all run their own theatre company.<ref name=everymanplayhouse>{{cite web|url=http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/|title=Everyman & Playhouse|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref><ref name=unitytheatre>{{cite web|url=http://www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/|title=Unity Theatre Liverpool|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> A flourishing orchestra, the [[Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra]], performs in its own home, the [[Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool|Philharmonic Hall]]. The city also features a youth orchestra. Since the 1960s, Liverpool has been famous for its thriving [[Liverpool music scene|music scene]]. ===Visual arts=== [[Image:Superlambbanana.JPG|thumb|250px|right|[[The Super Lamb Banana|SuperLambBanana]], a well-known sculpture in the Albert Dock area, recently relocated to Tithebarn Street]] [[Image:Albert Docks Liverpool.jpg|thumb|left| Albert Docks, home to the Tate Liverpool]] Liverpool has long had a reputation in the visual arts. Painter [[George Stubbs]] was born in the city in 1724. [[Pre-Raphaelite]]s are among the important paintings in the [[Walker Art Gallery]]. [[Sudley House]] contains another major collection of pre 20th century art.<ref name=liverpoolmuseums>{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/|title=National Museums Liverpool|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> Liverpool has more galleries and national museums than any other city in the United Kingdom apart from London. The [[Tate Liverpool]] gallery houses the modern art collection of the Tate in the north of England, and was until the opening of [[Tate Modern]] the largest exhibition space dedicated to modern art in the United Kingdom. The [[FACT centre]] hosts touring multimedia exhibitions. The [[Liverpool Biennial]] is a festival of arts held (as the name implies) every two years.<ref name=biennial>{{cite web|url=http://www.biennial.com/|title=Liverpool Biennial|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> The festival generally runs from mid-September to late November and comprises three main sections; the International, The Independents and New Contemporaries although fringe events are timed to coincide. It was during this event in 2004 that [[Yoko Ono]]'s work "My mother is beautiful" caused widespread public protest by exhibiting photographs of a naked woman's pubic area on the main shopping street. Despite protests the work remained in place. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} In 2008, Liverpool University's Victoria Building was re-opened as a public art gallery and museum to display the University's artwork and historical collections, including the second-largest display of art by Audubon outside the US. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} === The Gay Quarter === Liverpool's nightlife is diverse and cosmopolitan and the Gay Quarter can be found around Stanley Street, Cumberland Street, Victoria St and Eberle St. [[Stanley Street, Liverpool]] is the main hub of the Gay Quarter and is where most of the gay bars and clubs are found. In June 2008, [[Liverpool City Council]] launched a [[Public consultation]] on the partial pedestrianisation of the Gay Quarter, with a view to enhancing the night time leisure experience of the area (see [http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/06/26/gay-quarter-plans-for-stanley-street-closer-100252-21152409/ Liverpool Echo 26th June 2008] The council proposes to ban traffic in Stanley Street, Cumberland Street and Eberle Street after 6pm with the use of automatic hydraulic bollards at strategic locations. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} (see [[Liverpool gay quarter]] for more info). ==Education == [[Image:Victoria Building Tower UoL.jpg|thumb|[[University of Liverpool]]'s [[Victoria Building]] tower]] In Liverpool primary and secondary education is available in various forms supported by the state including [[secular]], [[Church of England]], [[Jewish]], and [[Roman Catholic]]. [[Islamic]] education is available at primary level, but there is currently no secondary provision. One of Liverpool's important early schools was [[The Liverpool Blue Coat School]]; founded in 1708 as a charitable school. The [[Liverpool Institute High School for Boys]] opened in 1825 closed in 1985, the building after extensive renovation and rebuilding for the [[Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts]] is no longer a secondary school. Prior to closure it had been an English grammar school for boys ages 11 to 18 with an excellent academic reputation built up over more than a century. Its list of scholarships and places at [[Oxford University]] and [[Cambridge]] University runs to some 300 names – in addition to distinctions gained at [[Liverpool University]] and at many other prominent British universities like. The school was a true measure of Liverpool's intellectual capital and its old boys could and can be found in later life in many fields of professional distinction including: law, the Church, armed forces, politics, academia, government and colonial administration as well as in trade & commerce. The [[Liverpool Institute High School for Girls]] also closed in 1985. [[The Liverpool Blue Coat School]] is the top-performing school in the city with 100% 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE resulting in the 30th best GCSE results in the country and an average point score per student of 1087.4 in A/AS levels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/07/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/341_gcse_lea.stm|title=Secondary schools in Liverpool|accessdate=2008-01-10}}</ref> Other notable schools include [[Liverpool College]] founded in 1840 [[Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby|Merchant Taylors' School]] founded in 1620.<ref name=liverpoolcollege>{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolcollege.org.uk/|title=Liverpool College|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> Another of Liverpool's notable senior schools is [[St. Edward's College]] situated in the West Derby area of the city. Historic grammar schools, such as the [[Liverpool Institute|Liverpool Institute High School]] & [[Liverpool Collegiate Institution|Liverpool Collegiate]], closed in the 1980s are still remembered as centres of academic excellence. Bellerive Catholic College is the city's top performing non selective school, based upon GCSE results in 2007. Liverpool has three [[university|universities]]: the [[University of Liverpool]], [[Liverpool John Moores University]] and [[Liverpool Hope University]]. [[Edge Hill University]], originally founded as a [[teacher-training college]] in the [[Edge Hill]] district of Liverpool, is now located in [[Ormskirk]] in South-West Lancashire. The University of Liverpool was established in 1881 as University College Liverpool. In 1884, became part of the federal Victoria University. Following a Royal Charter and Act of Parliament in 1903, it became an independent university, the University of Liverpool, with the right to confer its own degrees. [[Liverpool Hope University]], founded in 1844, is situated on both sides of Taggart Avenue in Childwall and a second Campus in the City Centre (The Cornerstone). Hope is quickly making a name for itself within the Liberal Arts, the University has also enjoyed successes in terms of high graduate employability, campus development, and a substantial increase in student applications from outside of the City. The [[Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine]], founded to address some of the problems created by trade, continues today as a [[post-graduate]] school affiliated with the [[University of Liverpool]] and is one of only two institutions internationally that house the de facto standard anti-venom repository.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} [[Liverpool John Moores University]] was previously a [[Taylor]], and gained status in 1992. It is named in honour of [[John Moores (merchant)|Sir John Moores]], one of the founders of the [[Littlewoods Shop Direct Group|Littlewoods]] football pools and retail group, who was a major benefactor. The institution was previously owned and run by Liverpool City Council. The city has one [[further education]] college, [[Liverpool Community College]]. There are two Jewish schools in Liverpool, both belonging to the King David Foundation. [[King David School, Liverpool]] is the High School and the King David Primary School. There is also a King David Kindergarten, featured in the community centre of Harold House. These schools are all run by the King David Foundation based in Harold House in Childwall; conveniently next door to the [[Childwall]] [[Synagogue]] ==Sport== [[Image:76693565 b44605f726 2.jpg|thumb|right| Anfield, the home of Liverpool F.C]] Liverpool is associated with a variety of sports, most notably [[Association football|football]], but also a number of others. Liverpool has two [[FA Premier league|Premier League]] football clubs: [[Liverpool F.C.]] at [[Anfield]] and [[Everton F.C.]] at [[Goodison Park]]. Liverpool are the most successful [[Football in England|English]] football club of all-time, having won the [[English football champions|league title]] 18 times, [[FA Cup]] seven times, [[Football League Cup]] seven times, [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup/UEFA Champions League]] five times and [[UEFA Cup]] three times and leading the all-time top division table 4 points ahead of Everton<ref>http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engalltime.html including the 07-08 season with 2 points win system</ref>. Everton have also enjoyed spells of dominance, having won the [[English football champions|league title]] nine times, [[FA Cup]] five times, and the [[European Cup Winners' Cup]] once. Their most recent success was the [[FA Cup]] in 1995. [[South Liverpool F.C.|South Liverpool]] were once another successful professional side, however they have experienced a turbulent history and are currently in the [[Liverpool County Premier League]]. The amateur side [[Liverpool Ramblers F.C.|Liverpool Ramblers]] were the first team from the city to enter the [[FA Cup]]. Liverpool is the only city to have staged top division football every season since the formation of the [[Football League]] in 1888, and both Liverpool and Everton have played in the top division every season since 1962. Professional [[basketball]] is played in the city with the addition of [[Everton Tigers]] into the elite [[British Basketball League]] in 2007. The club is associated with Everton Football Club, and is part of the ''Toxteth Tigers'' youth development programme, which reaches over 1,500 young people every year.<ref name=Tigers>{{cite web|url=http://www.uktvslam.tv/page/SlamLogin/BBLNews/0,,10023~1054720,00.html|title=Liverpool Toxteth Tigers website|accessdate=2008-05-02}}</ref> The Tigers will commence play in Britain's top league for the [[British Basketball League 2007-08|2007-08 season]], though their home venue has yet to be confirmed. Their closest professional rivals are the [[Chester Jets]], based 18&nbsp;miles away in [[Chester]]. [[County cricket]] is occasionally played in Liverpool, with [[Lancashire County Cricket Club]] typically playing one match every year at Liverpool Cricket Club, [[Aigburth]]. [[Aintree Racecourse]] to the north of Liverpool in the adjacent borough of [[Sefton]] is home to the famous [[steeplechase (horse racing)|steeplechase]], the [[Grand National]], One of the most famous events in the international [[horse racing]] calendar, it is held in early April each year. In addition to horse-racing, Aintree has also hosted [[motor racing]], including the [[British Grand Prix]] in the 1950s and 1960s. [[Motorcycle speedway|Speedway]] racing was formerly staged at Stanley Stadium in Prescot Road from the 1920s until the late 1930s. It then reopened in 1949, with the Liverpool Chads taking part in the [[National League (Speedway)|National League]], until the track closed mid-season in 1953. A brief open season in 1959 was followed by the final season in 1960 when the Liverpool Pirates participated in the Provincial League. [[Peter Craven]], the [[Speedway World Championship|World Champion]] in 1955 and 1962, started out at Stanley Stadium before moving on to [[Belle Vue Aces|Belle Vue]] in Manchester. A speedway track also operated in the mid-1930s at Seaforth Stadium. Liverpool Harriers, who meet at Wavertree Athletics Centre, are one of five athletic clubs. Liverpool has a long history of boxing that has produced [[John Conteh]], [[Alan Rudkin]] and [[Paul Hodkinson]] and hosts high level amateur boxing events. Park Road Gymnastics Centre provides training to a high level. The City of Liverpool Swimming Club has been National Speedo League Champions 8 out of the last 11 years. Liverpool Tennis Development Programme based at Wavertree Tennis Centre is one of the largest in the UK.<ref name=development>{{cite web|url=http://sportsdevelopment.liverpool.gov.uk/index.asp|title=Liverpool Sports Development website|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> Liverpool is also home to the Red Triangle Karate Club, which provided many of the 1990 squad that won the World Shotokan Championships in Sunderland. Luminaries include Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda, Sensei Frank Brennan, Sensei Omry Weiss, Sensei Dekel Kerer, Sensei [[Andy Sherry]] and Sensei [[Terry O'Neill]], who is also famous for various acting roles. Rugby league is played at amateur and student level within the city; the last professional team bearing the city's name was [[Liverpool City (rugby league)|Liverpool City]], which folded in the 1960s. [[Liverpool St Helens F.C.]] is one of the oldest [[rugby union]] teams in the UK. Liverpool is one of three cities which still host the traditional sport of [[British Baseball]] and it hosts the annual England-Wales international match every two years, alternating with [[Cardiff]] and [[Newport]]. Liverpool Trojans are the oldest existing baseball club in the UK. The [[Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake|Royal Liverpool Golf Club]], situated in the nearby town of [[Hoylake]] on the Wirral Peninsula, has hosted [[The Open Championship]] on a number of occasions, most recently in 2006. It has also hosted the [[Walker Cup]]. Liverpool has a Lacrosse Club, open to both Men and Women. Playing at Liverpool Cricket Club in Aigburth, South Liverpool, the Mens team is mainly built around the University squad, but with University old boys and locals joining the team. Having started in the lowest division in the north, Division 5, they have successfully gained promotion to Division 4 in their first competitive season. [[Parkour]]/[[freerunning]] is a popular sport in liverpool. Two well-known traceurs from the city are Daniel Ilabaca and Ryan Doyle. ===Sports stadia=== [[Image:Goodisonview1.JPG|thumb|left| Goodison Park, the home of Everton F.C]] The City of Liverpool is home to two professional football clubs, [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]. Liverpool is the only [[England|English]] city to have staged top division football every single season since the formation of the [[Football League]] in 1888, and both of the city's clubs play in high-capacity stadiums. [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] have played at [[Anfield]] since 1892, when the club was formed to occupy the stadium following [[Everton F.C.|Everton's]] departure following a dispute with their landlord. Liverpool are still playing there 116 years later, although the ground has been completely rebuilt since the 1970s and only the Main Stand survives from before 1992. The Spion Kop (rebuilt as an all-seater stand in 1994/1995) was the most famous part of the ground, gaining cult status across the world due to the songs and celebrations of the many fans who packed onto its terraces. Anfield can now hold more than 45,000 spectators in comfort, and is a distinctive landmark in an area filled with smaller and older buildings. [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] moved to [[Goodison Park]] in 1892 after a dispute with their landlord caused them to pull out of [[Anfield]]. The ground is situated at the far side of [[Stanley Park, Liverpool|Stanley Park]] to [[Anfield]]. Goodison Park was the first major football stadium built in England. [[Molineux]] (Wolves' ground) had been opened three years earlier but was still relatively undeveloped. St. James's Park, Newcastle, opened in 1892, was little more than a field. Only Scotland had more advanced grounds. Rangers opened [[Ibrox]] in 1887, while [[Celtic Park]] was officially inaugurated at the same time as Goodison Park. Everton performed a miraculous transformation at Mere Green, spending up to £3000 on laying out the ground and erecting stands on three sides. For £552 Mr. Barton prepared the land at 4½d a square yard. Kelly Brothers of Walton built two uncovered stands each for 4,000 people, and a covered stand seating 3,000, at a total cost of £1,460. Outside, hoardings cost a further £150, gates and sheds cost £132 10s and 12 turnstiles added another £7 15s to the bill. The ground was immediately renamed Goodison Park and proudly opened on [[24 August]] [[1892]], by Lord Kinnaird and Frederick Wall of the FA. But instead of a match the 12,000 crowd saw a short athletics meeting followed by a selection of music and a fireworks display. Everton's first game there was on [[2 September]] [[1892]] when they beat Bolton 4-2. It now has the capacity for more than 40,000 spectators all-seated, but the last expansion took place in 1994 when a new goal-end stand gave the stadium an all-seater capacity. The Main Stand dates back to the 1970s, while the other two stands are refurbished pre-[[Second World War]] structures. There are currently plans for both stadiums to be pulled down and for the teams to relocate. [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] have been considering a move to a new [[Stanley Park Stadium|stadium in Stanley Park]] since 2000; seven years on work has started and the 60,000-seat stadium is expected to be ready by 2010. [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] have been considering relocation since 1996, and in 2003 were forced to scrap plans for a 55,000-seat stadium at [[King's Dock]] due to financial reasons. The latest plan has been to move beyond Liverpool's council boundary to [[Kirkby]], but this has proved controversial with some fans, as well as members of the local community. At one point there were plans for Everton to ground-share with Liverpool at the proposed new stadium in [[Stanley Park, Liverpool|Stanley Park]], but these were abandoned. ==Media== [[Image:Bigtellylpool.JPG|thumb|right|[[BBC Big Screen]]]] The [[ITV]] region which covers Liverpool is [[Granada Television|ITV Granada]]. In 2006, the [[Television]] company opened a new newsroom in the Royal Liver Building. Granada's regional news broadcasts were produced at the [[Albert Dock]] News Centre during the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name="itvnorthwestnews">{{cite news|url=http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvnorthwest/itvnorthwestnews.html|publisher=TV Ark|title=ITV North West News|date=[[September 9]], [[2006]]}}</ref> The [[BBC]] also opened a new newsroom on Hanover Street in 2006. But with both broadcasters based in Manchester, the arrangement is sometimes controversial,{{Fact|date=February 2007}} with Manchester's perceived influence over the region's media. ITV's daily magazine programme [[This Morning (TV series)|''This Morning'']] was famously broadcast from studios at [[Albert Dock]] until 1996, when production was moved to London. Granada's short-lived shopping channel "Shop!" was also produced in Liverpool until it was axed in 2002. Liverpool is the home of the TV production company [[Lime Pictures]], formerly Mersey Television, which produced the now-defunct soap opera, ''[[Brookside]]'', and currently produces ''[[Hollyoaks]]'' for [[Channel 4]] and [[Grange Hill (television)|''Grange Hill'']] for the [[BBC]]. [[Lime Pictures]] is owned by [[All3Media]]. These programmes are regularly filmed in and around the [[Childwall]] area. The city fares better with regards to other media. The city has two daily newspapers: the morning [[Liverpool Daily Post|Daily Post]] and the evening [[Liverpool Echo|Echo]], both published by the same company, the Trinity Mirror group. The Daily Post, especially, serves a wider area, including north [[Wales]]. The UK's first online only weekly newspaper called [[Southport Reporter]] (Southport & [[Mersey Reporter]]), is also one of the many other news outlets that covers the city. Radio stations include [[BBC Radio Merseyside]], [[Juice FM]], [[KCR 106.7 FM]] and [[Radio City (Liverpool radio station)|Radio City 96.7]] as well as [[Magic 1548]]. The last two are both based in [[St. John's Beacon]] which, along with the two cathedrals, dominates the city's skyline. The independent media organisation [[Indymedia]] also covers Liverpool, while [[Nerve (magazine)|'Nerve' magazine]] publishes articles and reviews of cultural events. Liverpool has also featured in films; see [[List of films set in Liverpool]] for some of them. Liverpool will be the host city for the [[2008]] [[MTV Europe Music Awards]]. ==Famous Liverpudlians== Many famous names have been associated with Liverpool; see [[:Category:People from Liverpool|Liverpudlians]]. [[Image:Beatlessullivantogether.jpg|thumb|[[The Beatles]], Liverpool's famous sons]] Liverpool has also played a large part in [[UK]] (and sometimes world) [[Pop Music]] culture since the 1960s. For a list of some noteworthy groups from the area, consult the [[list of famous bands from Liverpool]]. The most popular group from Liverpool are [[The Beatles]]. The [[Wall of Fame]] is located opposite the famous [[Cavern Club]], near the original one where bricks are engraved with the name of bands and musicians who have played at the [[Cavern Club]]. Liverpool has also been home to numerous football stars. [[Wayne Rooney]], [[Robbie Fowler]], [[Steven Gerrard]], [[Jamie Carragher]], [[Phil Thompson]], [[Micky Quinn|Mick Quinn]], [[Peter Reid]], [[Lee Trundle]], [[Tommy Smith (footballer born 1945)|Tommy Smith]] and [[Steve McManaman]] are just some of the many footballers to have been born in the city. In the late 90's [[Melanie Chisholm]] of the [[Spice Girls]] lived there with her family. [[Nel Tarleton]], who held the British featherweight championship on three separate occasions and who was one of only a handful of fighters to win two [[Lonsdale Belt]]s outright, was born in Liverpool and fought many of his fights in the city. [[Ian Broudie]] who fronted 1990's band [[The Lightning Seeds]] is also from Liverpool. [[Image:Liverpool skyline editnight2.jpg|thumb|300px|Liverpool's eastern waterfront from [[Birkenhead]]]] [[Natasha Hamilton]] grew up in the [[Kensington, Liverpool|Kensington]] area of Liverpool, and started singing and performing from the age of 12 in the Starlight Show Group. Joined the fledgling [[Atomic Kitten]] band at aged 16.<ref>[http://www.natashahamilton.biz/ Natasha Hamilton - Home<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Television and film personalities born in Liverpool include: stage and film actor [[Rex Harrison]], renowned comedian [[Ken Dodd]], Singer/TV personality [[Cilla Black]], [[BAFTA]] and [[Golden Globe]] nominee [[Cathy Tyson]] (for cult movie [[Mona Lisa (film)]] and [[Band of Gold (TV series)]]), 2 times BAFTA award-nominee [[Lesley Sharp]], actor, (Shaun of the Dead) [[Peter Serafinowicz]], anarchic comedian/author [[Alexei Sayle]] (star of [[The Young Ones (TV series)]]), [[Margi Clarke]] (star of cult movie [[Letter to Brezhnev]]), [[John Gregson]] (star of [[Treasure Island (1950 film)]], [[The Treasure of Monte Cristo]] and [[Gideon's Way]]), Olivier award-winning and 2 times BAFTA nominee [[Alison Steadman]], 3 times BAFTA award-nominee [[Leonard Rossiter]] (Star of [[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)]], [[Oliver! (film)]] and TV show [[Rising Damp]]), Actor [[Craig Charles]] (star of TV show [[Red Dwarf]], [[Robot Wars]] and [[Coronation Street]]), 2 times BAFTA nominee [[Tom Bell (actor)]] (starring in [[Prime Suspect]] and [[The Krays (film)]]), the McGann brothers ([[Paul McGann|Paul]], [[Joe McGann|Joe]], [[Stephen McGann|Stephen]] and [[Mark McGann|Mark]]), [[David Yip]] (star of [[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]] and [[James Bond]] movie [[A View to a Kill]]) and 2 times Golden Globe nominee [[Tom Baker]] and [[Elisabeth Sladen]] (both of [[Doctor Who]] fame) Also [[Kim Cattrall]] of [[Sex and the City]] was born in Wavertree, a Liverpool suburb. Famous writers such as, [[Academy Award]] and [[BAFTA]] nominee playwrights [[Alan Bleasdale]], [[Willy Russell]] (author of [[Blood Brothers (musical)]], [[Shirley Valentine]], [[Our Day Out]] and [[Educating Rita]]), [[Brian Jacques]] (author of the [[Redwall]] and [[Castaways of the Flying Dutchman]]), award-winning horror author/director/artist [[Clive Barker]] (mostly credited for [[Rawhead Rex (film)]], [[Candyman (film)]] and [[Hellraiser]] fame) and BAFTA award-winning scriptwriter [[Jimmy McGovern]] (author of [[Cracker (UK TV series)]], Hillsborough (a dramatised reconstruction of the events of the 1989 [[Hillsborough disaster]]) and [[The Street (TV series)]]) are from Liverpool. [[Alois Hitler, Jr.]] the half-brother of [[Adolf Hitler]] lived in the city, was married, and had a child. [[William Gladstone]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] on four separate occasions (1868–74, 1880–85, 1886 and 1892–94), was born in Liverpool and lived there till the age of 11. ==International links== Like many cities, Liverpool participates in international [[town twinning]] schemes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Community_and_living/Twinning/index.asp|title=Liverpool City Council: twinning|accessdate=2007-04-24}}</ref> It has six twin towns: * {{flagicon|Germany}} - [[Cologne]], [[Germany]] * {{flagicon|Ireland}} - [[Dublin]] , [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] * {{flagicon|Ukraine}} - [[Odessa]], [[Ukraine]] * {{flagicon|China}} - [[Shanghai]], [[People's Republic of China]] * {{flagicon|Australia}} - [[Taree]],( ''Omaru Park''), [[Australia]] Furthermore the city has "friendship links" with other cities, which are less formal than twinning arrangements. These are: * {{flagicon|Belgium}} - [[Givenchy-lez-la-Bassée]], [[Belgium]] * {{flagicon|Canada}} - [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]], [[Canada]] * {{flagicon|Cuba}} - [[Havana]], [[Cuba]] * {{flagicon|Argentina}} - [[La Plata]], [[Argentina]] * {{flagicon|USA}} - [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[USA]] * {{flagicon|Japan}} - [[Minamata]], [[Japan]] * {{flagicon|Italy}} - [[Naples]], [[Italy]] * {{flagicon|USA}} - [[New Orleans]], [[USA]] * {{flagicon|Italy}} - [[Ponsacco]], [[Italy]] * {{flagicon|Romania}} - [[Ramnicu Valcea]], [[Romania]] * {{flagicon|Chile}} - [[Valparaiso]], [[Chile]] * {{flagicon|Poland}} - [[Elbląg]], [[Poland]] In addition, there are links with [[New York City|New York]], [[USA]] (which has been granted the Freedom of the City of Liverpool); [[Riga]], [[Latvia]]; and [[Stavanger]], [[Norway]]. == City districts== <!-- This list is for official City districts only and not other outer areas and towns --> Districts of Liverpool include: * [[Aigburth]], [[Allerton, Merseyside|Allerton]], [[Anfield, Liverpool|Anfield]] * [[Belle Vale, Liverpool|Belle Vale]], [[Broadgreen]] * [[Childwall]], [[Clubmoor]], [[Croxteth]] * [[Dingle, Liverpool|Dingle]], [[Dovecot, Merseyside|Dovecot]] * [[Edge Hill, Liverpool|Edge Hill]], [[Everton, Liverpool|Everton]] * [[Fairfield, Liverpool|Fairfield]], [[Fazakerley]] * [[Garston, Merseyside|Garston]], [[Gateacre]], [[Gillmoss]], [[Grassendale]] * [[Hunts Cross]] * [[Kensington, Liverpool|Kensington]], [[Kirkdale, Liverpool|Kirkdale]], [[Knotty Ash]] * [[Mossley Hill]] * [[Netherley, Liverpool|Netherley]], [[Norris Green]] * [[Old Swan]], [[Orrell Park]] * [[St Michael's Hamlet]], [[Speke]], [[Stoneycroft]] * [[Toxteth]], [[Tuebrook]] * [[Vauxhall, Liverpool|Vauxhall]] * [[Walton, Merseyside|Walton]], [[Wavertree]], [[West Derby]], [[Woolton]] ==Council wards== [[Liverpool City Council]] as of May 2007 is controlled by the [[Liberal Democrats]] with 51 seats to [[Labour Party UK|Labour's]] 35. The Green Party also hold one seat. Liverpool has been under Lib Dem control for over 9 years. There are 30 Liverpool City council wards:<ref> {{cite web |title=Ward Profiles |publisher=[[Liverpool City Council]] |url=http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Business/Economic_development/Key_Statistics_and_Data/Ward_profiles/index.asp |accessdate=2008-07-03}} </ref> *[[Allerton and Hunts Cross]], [[Anfield, Liverpool|Anfield]] *[[Belle Vale]] *[[Central, Liverpool|Central]], [[Childwall]], [[Church, Liverpool|Church]], [[Clubmoor]], [[County, Liverpool|County]], [[Cressington]], [[Croxteth]] *[[Everton, Liverpool|Everton]] *[[Fazakerley]] *[[Greenbank, Liverpool|Greenbank]] *[[Kensington, Liverpool|Kensington]], [[Kirkdale]], [[Knotty Ash]] *[[Mossley Hill]] *[[Norris Green]] *[[Old Swan]] *[[Picton]], [[Princes Park]] *[[Riverside, Liverpool|Riverside]] *[[Speke Garston]], [[St Michael's Hamlet|St Michaels]] *[[Tuebrook & Stoneycroft]] *[[Warbreck]], [[Wavertree]], [[West Derby]], [[Woolton]] *[[Yew Tree, Liverpool|Yew Tree]] ==Parliamentary constituencies and MPs== :''See also: [[List of Parliamentary constituencies on Merseyside]]'' Liverpool has five [[United Kingdom constituencies|parliamentary constituencies]]: [[Liverpool Garston (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Garston]], [[Liverpool Riverside (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Riverside]], [[Liverpool Walton (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Walton]], [[Liverpool Wavertree (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Wavertree]] and [[Liverpool West Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool West Derby]].<ref> {{cite web |title=Liverpool Members of Parliament |publisher=[[Liverpool City Council]] |url=http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Council_government_and_democracy/MPs_and_MEPs/Liverpool_MPs/index.asp |accessdate=2008-07-03}} </ref> At the [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005 general election]], these were held by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], and are represented by [[Maria Eagle]], [[Louise Ellman]], [[Peter Kilfoyle]], [[Jane Kennedy (politician)|Jane Kennedy]] and [[Bob Wareing]] respectively. [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] candidates finished second in every Liverpool seat in both [[United Kingdom general election, 2001|2001]] and 2005 general elections.<ref> {{cite web |last=Morgan |first=Bryn |title=General Election results, [[7 July]] [[2001]] (pages 78-79) |publisher=House of Commons Library |url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2001/rp01-054.pdf |accessdate=2008-07-03}} </ref><ref> {{cite web |title=Election 2005 |publisher=[[BBC]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/flash_map/html/map05.stm |accessdate=2008-07-03}} </ref> ==See also== *[[1911 Liverpool general transport strike]] *[[2008 European Amateur Boxing Championships]] *[[Big Dig (Liverpool)]] *[[:Category:Culture in Liverpool|Culture in Liverpool]] *[[List of films and television shows set in Liverpool]] *[[Liverpool Garden Festival]] *[[Port of Liverpool]] *[[Williamson's tunnels]] ==Further reading== * ''Bygone Liverpool'', David Clensy, 2008. ISBN 978-143570897-6 * ''Liverpool 800'', John Belchem, 2006. ISBN 978-1846310355 * ''Chinese Liverpudlians'', Maria Lin Wong, 1989. ISBN 978-1871201031 ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{portalpar|North West England|Flag of North West England.svg}} {{Commonscat|Liverpool}} {{Wikinews|:Category:Liverpool|Liverpool}} *[http://www.liverpoolstreetgallery.com Photographing Every Street in Liverpool Project] *[http://www.theliverpoolshakespearefestival.co.uk The Liverpool Shakespeare Festival] *[http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/ Liverpool City Council] *[http://www.theliverpoolshakespearefestival.co.uk Liverpool Event Highlight 2008] *[http://www.liverpool08.com/ Official Liverpool European Capital of Culture website] *[http://www.visitliverpool.com/ Official Liverpool Tourism Site] *{{wikitravel|Liverpool}} {{clear}} {{Liverpool}} {{Merseyside}} {{NW England}} {{UK cities}} {{LargestUKCities}} {{European Capital of Culture}} {{World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom}} {{coor title d|53.4|N|3|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SJ437905)}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref --> [[Category:Cities in England]] [[Category:Coastal cities]] [[Category:Liverpool|Liverpool]] [[Category:Metropolitan boroughs]] [[Category:Port cities and towns in the United Kingdom|Liverpool, U.K.]] [[Category:World Heritage Sites in England]] [[Category:1207 establishments]] [[Category:Settlements established in the 13th century]] [[Category:Towns in Merseyside]] [[Category:Port cities and towns in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Articles including recorded pronunciations (UK English)]] [[ar:ليفربول]] [[arc:ܠܝܒܪܦܘܠ]] [[az:Liverpul]] [[be:Горад Ліверпул]] [[br:Liverpool]] [[bg:Ливърпул]] [[ca:Liverpool]] [[cs:Liverpool]] [[cy:Lerpwl]] [[da:Liverpool]] [[de:Liverpool]] [[et:Liverpool]] [[el:Λίβερπουλ]] [[es:Liverpool]] [[eo:Liverpool]] [[eu:Liverpool]] [[fa:لیورپول]] [[fr:Liverpool]] [[ga:Learpholl]] [[gv:Lerphoyll]] [[gd:Poll a' Ghruthain]] [[gl:Liverpool]] [[ko:리버풀]] [[hr:Liverpool]] [[id:Liverpool (kota)]] [[is:Liverpool]] [[it:Liverpool]] [[he:ליברפול]] [[ka:ლივერპული]] [[la:Liverpolium]] [[lv:Liverpūle]] [[lb:Liverpool]] [[lt:Liverpulis]] [[hu:Liverpool]] [[mk:Ливерпул]] [[ms:Liverpool]] [[nl:Liverpool]] [[ja:リヴァプール]] [[no:Liverpool]] [[nn:Liverpool]] [[pl:Liverpool]] [[pt:Liverpool]] [[ro:Liverpool]] [[qu:Liverpool]] [[ru:Ливерпуль]] [[se:Liverpool]] [[scn:Liverpool]] [[simple:Liverpool, England]] [[sk:Liverpool]] [[sl:Liverpool]] [[sr:Ливерпул]] [[fi:Liverpool]] [[sv:Liverpool]] [[vi:Liverpool]] [[tr:Liverpool, İngiltere]] [[uk:Ліверпуль]] [[vec:Liverpul]] [[vo:Liverpool]] [[zh-yue:利物浦]] [[zh:利物浦]]