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Liverpool History 800 years
In 2007 it was Liverpool's 800th birthday, marking 800 years since King John signed the city's charter in August 1207. Liverpool has come a long way since then, evolving from a tiny fishing port - the Dee was the predominant river of the time - to second city of the Empire.
King John's interest in Liverpool was as a departure point for Ireland. He built Liverpool Castle - on what is now Castle Street - although it wasn't completed until 1237, twenty-one years after his death. Overlooking the Mersey, the castle stood for more than 400 years; it was partly destroyed in the Civil War, before the area was levelled and St George's Church built and re-built on the site. The Victoria Monument was erected there in 1902, and the area sustained blanket bombing during the Blitz in 1941. Somehow, the Victoria Monument survived, albeit surrounded by rubble - today the area is Derby Square, home to Liverpool's Queen Elizabeth Law Courts.
Liverpool's maritime history is comprehensively mapped out in the Mersey Maritime Museum, itself part of the former Victorian warehouse complex at the Albert Dock.
Liverpool's greatest period of economic wealth from the mid-eighteenth to mid-nineteenth century came at a price: the ruthless exploitation of African resources, which not only included raw materials but also humans.
Liverpool has always been a city that's been proud of its 
architecture. We have a waterfront that's as recognisable as New York, Hong Kong or Sydney, so get yourself on the Ferry and revel in its splendour.
Liverpool grew rapidly through Britain's industrialisation: the Dee silted up and goods were carried to Liverpool up the Mersey, where they were dispatched across the world.
The early 19th century was a time of rapid growth for Liverpool.
Our city's place in the story of pop didn't start and finish with the Fab Four.
If music and maritime power hadn't taken Liverpool's name to every corner of the globe, then football surely would have.
Highlights This Month
- The Beat Goes On 12/7/2008
- Liverpool Biennial - International Festival of Contemporary Art 2008 20/9/2008
- Le Corbusier - The Art of Architecture 2/10/2008
- Southport Comedy Week 23/10/2008
Highlights Next Month
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