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Leeds
Interesting places in Leeds:Leeds is a major city in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on the River Aire in northern England, and is the urban core of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.
Although not considered a 'traditional' tourist destination, Leeds has plenty to occupy the visitor for a short break or a longer stay. As well as the main sights, museums, galleries, shops, parks etc, wandering around the buzzing city centre to take in the atmosphere and admire the fantastic blend of architectural styles from the past few hundred years is a pleasure in itself.
City Centre
Within the city centre the main districts are the civic quarter, central shopping district, exchange quarter and financial district.
- Millennium Square. - a great public space home to some gorgeous civic architecture, concerts, exhibitions, ice rinks, Christmas markets...
- St Anne's Cathedral, Cookridge Street. Small, but an extremely interesting example of an Arts and Crafts, 19th Century Catholic Cathedral - unique within the UK.
- St John's Church, New Briggate. Hidden away within peaceful gardens lies this true gem, built just before the English Civil War, it has beautiful ornate woodwork in its charming interior, and architecturally it is an extremely rare example of a 17 century double nave design.
- Town Hall, The Headrow, Designed by Cuthbert Broderick. . The city's symbol and pride and joy, one of the world's finest Victorian buildings, and home to a dazzling array of concerts, particularly during the city's popular and extensive . The recently restored interior is stunning.
- Leeds Art Gallery and The Henry Moore Institute, The Headrow. The world of modern and classical art is at your disposal here in Leeds.
- Oxford Place Chapel, Oxford Place. Lovely 19th Century, red-brick baroque church.
- Victoria Quarter and County Arcade . When the Victorian civic authorities sought to improve the sights and foul smells of Briggate and the city centre, they decided to demolish some of the city's dirtiest yards, alleyways, shambles and lanes and in there place build covered shopping arcades filled with fine establishments. These were to cater for the refined tastes of the growing moneyed classes of Leeds. This rebuilding continued into Edwardian times and the legacy of which are some of Europe's finest, most elegant shopping locations. Even today these arcades are home to some of the most exclusive designer shops that Great Britain can offer (Vivienne Westwood, Hugo Boss, Luis Vuitton and Harvey Nichols to name but a few).
- Kirkgate Market, Vicar Lane. This traditional British market is largest in Europe. Housed in an opulent late Victorian palace to commerce, it has both indoor and outdoor stalls. Marks and Spencer had their first establishment here, originally called, 'Marks Penny Bazaar'.
- Corn Exchange, Call Lane. Shopping in surroundings to rival any of Leeds' fine arcades. Located just to the south of Kirkgate markets on Vicar Lane. Designed by Cuthbert Broderick and architecturally based on the Paris corn exchange. A largely elliptical building, crowned with a great glass dome roof, that allows light to stream in even on the greyest Yorkshire winter mornings. (Broderick was also architect of Leeds town hall and the Leeds Mechanics' Institute, Millenium Square, Two shops designed by Broderick still survive opposite the Mechanics Institute on Cookridge Street, now converted into a cocktail bar.)
- Parish Church, Kirkgate. An attractive and fairly large neo-gothic church with a renowned choir and concerts from time to time. During the rebuilding of the Parish church in Victorian times, the original Saxon crosses where Leeds folk would have worshipped in the 8/9th centuries (well before the first church of Leeds had been founded) were unearthed in the medieval tower and is permanently on display inside.
- Holy Trinity Church, Boar Lane. An unassuming location and exterior hide an elegant baroque interior, built for the merchant class by subscription and donation so they could worship well away from the lower working classes of the city. The Iconic spire of Holy Trinity has dominated the skyline of the city for hundreds of years; and after undergoing restoration in 2006/7 will continue to do so.
- Park Square. A lovely Georgian square reminiscent of Dublin, and is often an overlooked haven of tranquility in the city centre.
- River Area.
- Clarence Dock. This interesting development of cafes, restaurants, shops and apartments will be completed during 2008. Home to Royal Armouries Museum. N.B. cafes/restaurants/shops currently not open.
- The Royal Armouries Museum, Armouries Drive . National museum of all things deadly, from swords and guns to armoury and pikes, now famous for its regular live jousting. Contains rare armour belonging to King Henry VIII and a diverse arsenal from the Royal collection, sourced from a-far a field as China, India and America. Features rare experimental pistols, and weaponry from many of the world's conflicts.
- Salem Chapel, Bridge End. Interesting and unique Unitarian chapel. Also the place where Leeds United football club was founded, replacing the old bankrupt Leeds City football club .
- Leeds Christmas Illuminations, city centre. The UK's biggest display, are an annual display from Nov-Jan comprising both big show lights and the subtle and beautiful across the city, and are even longer than the legendary Illuminations (known as 'The Leeds Lights').
Civic Quarter
Home to the Town Hall, the fantastic Art Gallery, Henry Moore Institute and Millennium Square, this grand corner of the city is where many of the main tourist draws are to be found. The Light with its shops, restaurants, bars, hotel, cinema etc in a beautifully converted historic building is of course a major pull; but venture along the Headrow and experience some of the best cultural attractions on offer in the city. The Art Gallery has great rotating exhibitions and the best collection of 20th century British Art outside London. Adjoining it are the Henry Moore Institute and the Central Lending Library with its beautiful Victorian interior. Both the library and art gallery are going to be comprehensively renovated and restored in the next few months. Across the road is the Town Hall (see above), a breathtaking demonstration of civic pride.
On Great George St is a small selection of shops, the 19th century entrance (with a lovely colonial-style entrance hallway and small gallery space up the stairs) of the Leeds General Infirmary, and the recently restored Electric Press which is now home to the Carriageworks Theatre and several bars and restaurants, providing a semi-al fresco eating environment for all weather conditions. Next door is the impressive and well-used public space of Millennium Square (see above) with its attractive Mandela Gardens (opened by Mandela himself, now a freeman of the city, they are a lovely spot especially in summer) abutting the Electric Press building. The square is crowned with the Portland Stone neo-classical Civic Hall and the new City Museum (due to open 2008). Down on Cookridge St is the city's small but unique Arts and Crafts St Anne's Cathedral.
Central Shopping District
The very centre of Leeds is a temple to consumerism. Bounded by the 'Public Transport Box', a rough half mile square between The Headrow, Vicar Lane, Boar Lane and Park Row gives Leeds one of the most compact, busy and diverse pedestrian shopping districts in the UK where the highest concentration of the city centre's stores are to be found.
The principle shopping street is the broad and bustling Briggate (recently attractively repaved), where many flagship stores such as Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, Debenhams are to be found alongside high-end fashion (eg Louis Vuitton) and high street favourites (Topshop, Zara, H&M) etc. Briggate's attractive and eclectic architecture spans three centuries, and the grand shop fronts only add to the streets appeal.
Either side of the top end of Briggate are the city's famous arcades, splendidly palatial Victorian roofed-over shopping streets home to some of the city's most exclusive and interesting shops. The famous Victoria Quarter (Victoria St, County Arcade and Cross Arcade) have some of the most expensive clothes in leeds. Queen's and Thornton's arcades are a little more affordable with more independent stores. Down from the arcades, several medieval yards (or "loins") run off almost hidden from between shopfronts on Briggate. Whilst some are little more than shop-backs and some are now closed off, some exude genuine historic atmosphere and a few are home to attractive pubs and bars, including The Angel Inn, The Ship, The Bay Horse, Queen's Court and three-hundred-year-old Whitelocks'.
Beyond Briggate, there are several other prominent shopping streets, including gorgeously symmetrical King Edward Street with its matching Victorian Burmantoft terracotta buildings. Commercial Street, Kirkgate, Lands Lane and Albion St are other principal streets in the area, continuing the mix of shops, cafés, lovely architecture. There are also several indoor shopping centres, and a central focal point is tiny but busy Central Square at the base of Lands Lane. Albion Place is a quieter street of elegant Georgian buildings (mainly offices) including the exclusive Leeds Club and the city's central private members library, running between the square and Albion St. Swan Street is a quiet and pretty little street between Briggate and Lands Lane with a few attractive little shops, cafés and bars and a laid-back vibe, as well as the internationally famous City Varieties theatre and music-hall, once home to Charlie Chaplin.
Exchange Quarter
Centred on the massive dome of the Corn Exchange, the Exchange Quarter is the centre of Leeds' bohemian life, with one-off boutiques, funky cafés and piercing parlours filling its pretty cobbled streets. It is becoming increasingly chic, however, with a plethora of upscale bars and stylish restaurants, particularly on Call Lane.
The Corn Exchange dominates the area, sitting squattly at the junction of several major roads. This grand victorian building is one of the finest in the city, and was a functioning corn market for several decades, but was almost unused for much of the twentieth century, until its restoration to its present form in the 1980s. It now houses a myriad of little boutiques, a few cafés and market stalls. The goth and emo teenagers that hang around outside frequent many of the shops such as Grin and Exit, but there are also a range of fashion and artisan stores to please all, and the beautiful architecture (the shops fit into the retained 19th-century store-fronts, and the domed roof is spectacular from the interior) can be enjoyed by everyone.
Three sides of the Corn Exchange are bounded by semi-pedestrian cobbled streets lined by a hotch potch of attractive victorian buildings home to shops and restaurants from Blue Rinse (see below) to Pizza Express, housed in the beautiful Third White Cloth Hall, sadly sliced in half by the railway in the mid-nineteenth century, but retaining its lovely facade and clock-tower. Along the railway, the continental feel continues with bars and cafés that spill on to the pavement. Beautiful Assembly Street, a hub of nightlife, is lined with elegant and imposing eighteenth-century warehouses and has been recently repaved, and in the summer is a relaxing place to sip a coffee or cocktail and admire the buildings and atmosphere. Nearby Crown Street buildings are a fine example of modern architecture at its finest, sympathetic to the surrounding environment but adding a dash of vibrancy with bright use of colour above its restaurants and bars.
Call Lane, the area's main drag, is a hive of activity in the evenings, with several of the city's best and most stylish bars, all vying for attention. In the day-time however it is much quieter, with a few vintage and alternative clothes stores at the Kirkgate end, and musical instrument shops located at the Calls end. There is plenty of enjoyment to be had from wondering around the pretty and historic medieval yards that run between Call Lane and Lower Briggate (at night these too come alive and are full of revellers).
Kirkgate is currently a fairly downmarket shopping street with a few off-beat stores. However plans are afoot to refurbish the historic town-houses and bring life back into the street as a centre for independent shops, with the renovation of the dilapidated First White Cloth Hall along similar (if smaller) lines to the Corn Exchange. The east end of Kirkgate and New York Street also increasingly have a number of bars and clubs, including the celebrated Northern Light; there are also several new apartment buildings springing up. The end of Kirkgate is market by Leeds Parish Church, a grand (if not enormous) neo-gothic structure home to one of the country's most revered children's choirs. To the west, Central Road links Kirkgate to Duncan Street, and is home to some attractive Flemish-style buildings, a few off-beat shops and the acclaimed Little Tokyo restaurant and Leeds institution the HiFi Club. Duncan Street has a number of small shops.
The Calls was where riverside life restarted in Leeds, with its renovation from a derelict nowhere to the city's most desirable real estate in the 1980s. The apartments lining the waterfront may not be as exclusive or as rare today, but it is still an attractive and expensive area, home to some of Leeds' longest running high-end establishments including 42 The Calls hotel, Pool Court and the Calls Grill. Some of the waterfront and streets around here are surprisingly yet to be fully renovated, but it's unlikely to be long before developers get their claws into the remaining warehouses, railway arches and mill-cottages. Leeds Civic Trust's heritage centre and left-wing arts centre The Common Place fill the gap between the Calls and the railway line.
Financial District
Whilst the Financial District doesn't have the obvious draws of the Civic Quarter, it is nonetheless an interesting area that deserves at least a little of your time. Roughly bounded by the Headrow and Westgate to the North, the A58 motorway to the West, the River Aire to the South and Park Row to the East, this is the most expensive business real estate in the city. Many large companies have their offices here as well as innumerable lawyers, estate agents, etc.
Park Square is probably the number one attraction of the area. Situated just south-west of the Town Hall, this large and handsome Georgian Square has lovely formal gardens that fill up with workers at lunchtime in the warmer months. Whilst most of the square is bounded by rows of 18th century redbrick townhouses that made the square one of the city's most fashionable addresses 200 years ago, the South West corner is home to a little-known architectural highlight of Leeds, a converted warehouse (now offices) built in the 19th century as a replication of a Moorish Palace, complete with turrets and Islamic-style ornate design. The streets to the south of Park Square are a mixture of Georgian townhouses and more modern office buildings sitting cheek-by-jowl. Whilst not hugely diverting, there are several interesting buildings in this area. Wellington Street, a busy thoroughfare which marks the bottom of the Georgian area, has several restaurants and bars as well as being characterised by more modern business development. The area between Wellington Street and the river is being comprehensively redeveloped as an ultra-modern business district ('Wellington Place'), which is planned to include cultural attractions and the UK's first city beach on the banks of the Aire; currently new glass and steel towers rising seemingly every few weeks. Work is due to start on La Lumiere, the tallest building to be built in the city on Wellington Street. This massive skyscraper will be the tallest residential building in Europe upon completion.
Between East Parade and Park Row, two busy main routes through the area, are a series of parallel streets that are home to some of the city's top restaurants and bars, most famously Greek Street. There is a rich patchwork of architecture spanning the past two centuries in this small area, with fine Gothic buildings and sleek modern towers. Park Row itself boasts outstanding buildings such as the Leeds Permanent building, blending seemlessly into modern glass building-fronts.
The south-east corner of the Financial District is City Square, one of the most important hubs of city life. Recently cleaned up and repaved, the square is still home to bronze nymphs holding gas lights and the famous statue of the Black Prince. The old post office is now the swanky Restaurant Bar & Grill and Loch Fyne seafood restaurant. A rarely beautiful 1990s office block sits at No1 City Square, and the south side is taken up by the Art Deco facade of grand old dame of the Leeds Railway hotel trade, The Queens Hotel (L.N.E.R.).
Other Sights
- Thackray Medical Museum, Beckett Street (next door to St James' Hospital). Award winning. The best of its kind in the country, with all manner of exhibits and the chance to experience the life of a Victorian child or mill-worker (and their often gruesome medical history). If you've got children, you'd be mad to miss it!
- Tropical World, Princes Avenue, Roundhay. Great for a rainy day as it's all indoors, this extensive menagerie has animals, birds, fish and insects from across the globe in thoughtfully themed zones.
- Temple Newsam, Temple Newsam Road, off Selby Road. One of the great historic estates in England. With over 1500 acres landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century, it is a large Tudor–Jacobean mansion housing a large collection of works of art. The garden has some excellent walks and houses a working Rare Breeds farm.
- Harewood House, Harewood. This huge estate, complete with extensive gardens, lake, lovely café and bird gardens, is owned by the Queen's cousin. The opulent roccoco house itself is well worth a look around.
- Kirkstall Abbey, Abbey Road, Kirkstall. Largest abbey in the North of England - see below
- Armley Mills, Canal Road, Armley. Excellent museum of industry and Leeds' (major) role in the Industrial Revolution.
- Thwaite Mills, Thwaite Lane, Stourton . Rare example of a former stone-crushing mill, now an excellent working museum.
- Middleton Railway, Moor Road, Hunslet. The oldest working railway in the world. Situated in South Leeds between Middleton and Hunslet, it used to carry coal from the coal mines to the south of the city to the factories of Hunslet and central Leeds. You can now have a ride on the historic rolling stock.
- Church of St John the Baptist, Church Lane, Adel. Whilst a long way out of town, this leafy and extremely affluent suburb has some lovely houses, and is a world a way from the bustle of the city centre - nearby York Gate garden is beautiful and well worth a visit), this lovely and well-preserved early Norman church set in verdant grounds is a hidden treasure
- Seven Arts, Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton.
- Bramham Park, Wetherby. Another such stately home to the north-east of Leeds with a long history and lovely gardens and grounds.
- Xscape, Colorado Way, Castleford. Indoor real snow skiing, Ice climbing wall, cinema and restaurants!.
- Leeds United Football Club.
- Rugby.
- Cricket.
Future Sights
- Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square. 2008.
- Lumiere, Wellington Street. Planned to be the tallest residential building in Europe. Will, as well as being a dramatic addition to the city's skyline (at 52 stories the tallest UK building outside London) that will no doubt grab the attention of visitor's and residents alike, contain a winter garden, shops and restaurants
- Holbeck Urban Village . The complete renovation and restoration of an entire city district. In the south-west of central Leeds, this historic area was key to the Industrial Revolution, and has many buildings and sites of interest, including the stunning Egyptian-style Temple Mill and Italianate Tower Works. The restoration and redevelopment has already begun with the Round Foundry, a new-age village of offices, flats, cafés and media centres complete with traditional paved streets and 200-year old buildings. A plethora of other developments promise that this area will become more and more of an exciting destination.
Top photos chosen by u all:
Temple Mill, Marshall Street, Leeds, UK.
Made by tricky ™
John Marshall's flax mills on Marshall Street, Holbeck, Leeds, UK. I think the building is supposed to be a full scale replica of the , and was opened in1838. It now appears to be derelict, though theres a huge amount of regeneration going on in the streets around this area, so probably not for long... As beth points out, the roof used to be grassed, and they grazed sheep up there when it was used for making cloth :-)
Restored Reredos in Leeds Cathedral
Made by Lawrence OP
Designed in 1842 by A W N Pugin and carved sculpted in wood by the Hull carver and builder George Myers, this splendid reredos in Leeds Cathedral was recently unveiled after a 3 month restoration, costing £85,000 as part of the cathedral £2.5 million restoration project. In subsequent days I shall be posting more photos of the restored cathedral and the reredos.
Carlton_Towers_Little_London
Made by James W Bell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=482pbl6Ey9c Short video featuring Little London, Burmantofts, Lincoln Green, Ebor Gardens and Seacroft www.youtube.com/watch?v=diDadrWW4_w This one directly above portrays how it all so so should have been :-(
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Made by Jim Moran
Long Exposure shot of the River Aire passing through one of the six tunnels underneath Leeds Railway Station, known as The Dark Arches.
Oh Christmas Tree......#1
Made by Warren D
As we're now officially into the advent period here are a couple of shots of the christmas tree in city square Leeds.
Landing at Leeds Bradford Airport
at Leeds Bradford Airport. Features views over Burmantofts, Quarry Hill House, The Headrow, Leeds City Centre, Little London, Leeds Met Uni, Leeds Uni
Underground Leeds-The subteranean city explore!
Let the intrepid explorers of the Leeds Historical Expedition Society take you on a tour through some of Leeds most secret places, Here we follow the course of the
Take-off from Leeds Bradford Airport & Views over Yorkshire
Take off in a KLM City Hopper north from Leeds Bradford airport, views include Burley-in-Wharfedale, Micklethwaite, Bingley, Cottingley, New Brighton,
Britain's Best Breaks ~ Leeds
Known as the 'Gateway to Yorkshire' Leeds is a great place to visit, lively, cosmopolitan and entertaining. A city set in the heart of a
Leeds Mela 2007 - Diya Mirza
Diya Mirza talking to people at the leeds mela...Leeds Mela - Diya Mirza
Leeds Mela - June 2007 Part 1
Leeds Mela - Including tracks from Gubhi Sandhu.....Leeds Mela 2007
Barnsley to Leeds from the air
Boat, Wakefield, Leeds City Centre, Hyde Park, Headingley, West Park, Moor Grange, Tinshill and Cookridge....Leeds Bradford Airport Barnsley Oakwell
40004, 40143, 40057, and 40122 Leeds and Settle & Carlisle
featuring 40004 on the afternoon Carlisle to Leeds, 40057 and D200 on the S&C, and 40143 on a Middlesboro-Leeds footex...cfps class 40
Leeds Mela - June 2007 Part 2
Leeds Mela - Including performances from Angel & Masti Dancers and tracks from Amrit Saab and Shubra......Leeds Mela 2007
Leeds
The day we went to Leeds Roundhay Park to see Govinda and Salman Khan at Bollywood In The Park. Afterwards we went to Leeds City Centre for Dipesh's birthday
Visualise Leeds
A visual representation of the wonderful city of Leeds...City Leeds Visual
Flying Scotsman Leeds Carlisle 4 may 1987
Title says it all...Flying Scotsman Steam
Take-off into the clouds from Leeds Bradford Airport
Take off from Leeds Bradford airport aboard a BMI flight going to London Heathrow. Shows footage mostly over Yorkshire and Lancashire....leeds bradford airport
flybe Dash 8 Flight from Leeds to Southampton
Terminal, University of Southampton, Ocean Village, Northam and Swaythling....Leeds Bradford Yeadon Tarn Guiseley Menston Burley-in-Wharfedale Southampton Solent Ocean Village
Leeds Live it Love it
documentary about Leeds city centre....Leeds city centre nightlife documentary
leeds bradford take off
take of from runway 32 from leeds bradford airport...leeds bradford airport egnm
Take-Off From Leeds Bradford Airport
off from from Leeds Bradford Airport, shows Yeadon Tarn, Yeadon, Guiseley, and parts of West Yorkshire from the air....Jet2 leeds bradford airport
Against Me! Live in leeds
Against me! playing live in leeds, at the cockpit. 18/03/06. The first chorus and rest of the song of sink florida sink
45407 on the Leeds & Bradford Residential Express - 20/01/07
Stalybridge - Huddersfield - Brighouse - Halifax - Bradford Interchange [diesel reversal to Leeds] Leeds - Dewsbury - Brighouse - Hebden Bridge - Copy Pit - Blackburn -
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