When travelling, there’s nothing better than traipsing the streets of a city and wandering across some of the stunning scenery it has to offer, especially when it comes to beautiful buildings. Manchester in the UK has plenty of the latter, with an array of places that look just as awesome on the outside as they are on the inside.
1. John Rylands Library
The John Rylands Library can be overlooked by tourists, but you wouldn’t want to miss out on this Victorian neo-Gothic building, which is a sight to behold. It houses one of the finest collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world – including the oldest known piece of the New Testament, the St John Fragment.
2. London Road Fire Station
The terracotta-tiled, Grade II-listed London Road Fire Station will soon be a space filled with restaurants, bars and plenty more exciting reasons to visit. For now though, it’s still worth wandering by to view this stunning block by Piccadilly Place. Opened in 1906, it was built by J. Gerrard and Sons of Swinton, and was listed as a Grade II building in 1974 – meaning that it is of special architectural or historical interest and national importance. It operated as a fire station until 1986.
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3. Whitworth Art Gallery
Following a refit and extension into Whitworth Park, Whitworth Art Gallery was named the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2015 – and it’s hardly surprising, given that it takes your breath away before you even step inside. Surrounded by a lush green lawn, it’s especially magical at sunset, when the interior lights glow to reveal the artworks. It’s considered one of the finest galleries on the continent, so put it on your must-visit list – if not for the art, then for a chill-out session in the glass-walled cafe or for a picture underneath the brick arches.
4. Manchester Town Hall
This neo-Gothic, Victorian building is the headquarters of the Manchester City Council and got the go-ahead for a £330 million (roughly US$427 million) revamp in November 2016. At 140 years old, the Grade I-listed building – meaning it is a building of exceptional interest – is a great photo opportunity while it is still standing in its original form (the revamp is slated for completion in 2023).
5. Imperial War Museum North
One of five branches of the Imperial War Museum, this Daniel Libeskind-designed building really stands out at Salford Quays. The structure’s unconventional look – it comprises three interlocking parts – represents a globe shattered by war, leaving earth, water and air shards behind. You have to pay a small fee to climb the ‘air shard’, which offers incredible views of MediaCityUK and Salford Quays.
