Albert Dock

Recognised for its historic importance, Liverpool’s Maritime Mercantile City was inscribed onto UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2004 to help preserve one of the world’s most recognisable ports as a historic site. In the 19th century, the city of Liverpool was a flourishing export and passenger port that employed thousands of workers from around Britain and Ireland, and it was from here that many set sail for new lives in America. With the decline of the British Empire, the area fell into disrepair until the city council embarked upon a major renewal project in the 1980s. The centrepiece of this project is the Albert Dock, 3 hectares (7 acres) of water surrounded by renovated warehouses with iron colonnades. The warehouses have been converted into lively spaces for restaurants, shops and cafés, interspersed with museums chronicling the city’s contribution to British history and culture. The Beatles Story, dedicated to the famous Fab Four, is one of Liverpool’s top attractions, featuring a replica of the Cavern Club where the group performed in the early days alongside posters, personal memorabilia, and other displays. The area is also home to the Tate Gallery Liverpool, Britain’s largest gallery of contemporary art outside London, featuring displays of art from the Tate museums in London.