Leeds, England Tourist Attractions
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The city of Leeds, situated on the River Aire, has a long-established tradition of industry (textiles, furniture, paper, leather, electrical equipment). Its primary importance is as the regional commercial and financial center as well as being the cultural hub of the area.
City Square
The hub of Leeds is City Square, outside the City Station. In the square are numerous statues, including figures of the Black Prince (son of Edward III) and the inventor James Watt.
Joseph Priestley Church
It was here that Joseph Priestley ministered and invented the first artificially carbonated water. His idea for carbonated water was obtained from viewing the fermentation vats, now no longer standing, where he observed that carbon dioxide was to be found above the vats.
Town Hall
Park Row, a shopping and business street, leads to Victoria Square, in which stands the Leeds Town Hall, a Palladian building, consecrated in 1858 by Queen Victoria. There is a Corinthian colonnade along the main front which is dominated by a 200ft/61m-high clock tower. Its ornate Victoria Hall is used for concerts.
City Art Gallery
On the east side of Victoria Square in Calvery Street is the Leeds City Art Gallery, opened in 1888, which has a fine collection of works by British artists, with particular emphasis on the 20th C. English water color painting is also well represented with 750 pictures by J.S. Cotman (1782-1842), one of the leading members of the Norwich School, mainly East Anglian landscapes. There are also works by Constable and Gainsborough together with the Italian and French masters (including Courbet, Corot, Renoir, Signac). The Henry Moore Sculpture Galleries contain works by the artist and sculptures by his contemporaries Jacob Epstein and Barbara Hepworth.
City Museum
The Leeds City Museum has departments of geology, zoology, ethnology and archaeology, including particular material from Yorkshire.
Civic Hall
The Leeds Civic Hall is an imposing building opened by George V in 1933. The towers are decorated with owls, the heraldic emblem of the city.
Headrow
The best shopping area in Leeds is to be found in the side streets off the Headrow, the main through route across the city, laid out in 1924-1933.
Victoria Quarter
A stroll through the recently restored arcade of the Victoria quarter to the southeast of Headrow is highly recommended. The glass-roofed passage reflects the style of the Victorian era.
St John's Church in New Briggate
The finest of the Leeds' churches is St John's in New Briggate, built 1632-1634. The exterior is in Perpendicular style; the interior is notable for having two naves. The church has been preserved almost completely in the style in which it was built and still has the original Renaissance rood-screen, pulpit and stalls.
St Anne's Cathedral
St Annes's, Leed's Roman Catholic cathedral in Cookridge Street, was built in 1904.
Church of Holy Trinity
The Georgian church of Holy Trinity on the river bank in Boar Lane (1721-1727) has a very fine tower added by Chantrell in 1831.
St Peter's Church
St Peter's, a medieval church rebuilt in 1839-41 in a mixture of Decorated and Perpendicular styles, is the oldest parish church in Leeds. It stands between the River Aire and the railroad.
Corn Exchange
The Corn Exchange in Kirkgate is an interesting building. The oval building, built 1861-1863 in Victorian style, now houses shops and a cafe.
Armley Mills Museum
About 2mi/3km west of Leeds city center in Canal Road stands the former wool mill Armley Mills. It presents a fascinating history of wool production in Yorkshire from the 18th C.
Lotherton Hall
Lotherton Hall near Leeds was built before the First World War. Colonel Gascoigne, who lived here, was an avid collectorand today you can view the Oriental Gallery, which has items dating back to the 19th C.On the first floor, the Nightengale Gallery displays the work of local contemporary artists.The house is surrounded by a formal Edwardian garden and a bird garden that is home to over 200 species.
Thackray Medical Museum
This medical museum situated next to the Yorkshire city's St. Jame's University Hospital. It has a collection of 20,000 medical artifacts and displays the development of medicine through the ages. Visitors can learn about the development of keyhole, plastic and micro surgery.
Royal Armouries
The Royal Armouries in Leeds have one of the world's most famous collections of arms and armor. Their are five galleries displaying over 3,000 years of history with live demonstrations, stunning reenactments and exhibits of arms and armor.
Brewery Place (formerly Tetley's Brewery Wharf)
Brewery Place is a redevelopment that includes 300 flats, offices, restaurants, a health and fitness club and a 150 bed hotel.
Leeds International Concert Season
This week-long annual festival combines contemporary and jazz music from around the world.
Leeds International Film Festival
This major international film festival takes runs two weeks in mid- to late October and includes full-length screenings as well as seminars.
Leeds Summer Heritage Festival
This annual festival takes place in July.
Map of Leeds Attractions
Map - Leeds
