m (Gallery)
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'''''Manchester''''' is a city in the north of [[England]], nearby [[Liverpool]].
 
'''''Manchester''''' is a city in the north of [[England]], nearby [[Liverpool]].
  
<center><wz tip="">[[File:Manchester-April2018-1.jpg|650px]]</wz></center>
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<center><wz tip="Manchester's town hall, rear view (April 2018). The city is massive and collosal, sometimes at the expense of its aesthetic and charm.">[[File:Manchester-April2018-1.jpg|650px]]</wz></center>
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In one of the highlights of Manchester, the Chetham's library, are kept Robert Southey's ''Letters of Espriella'' in which says of Manchester that ‘a place more destitute of all interest it is impossible to conceive’. It does not seem to make much of an impression on many, but it can make several claims of importance and relevance, starting with being the world's first big industrial city (with the textile manufacture). Today it remains a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city global city] (where it is classified as β- while [[Birmingham]] for instance is only γ+). Its architecture is of varying quality and it is not the most pleasant city to walk around. It has some nice brick buildings, including the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_Hotel,_Manchester Midland hotel], an impressive Edwardian Baroque building, where Rolls & Royce met to form their company. It was also a favorite of [[Hitler]] who knew it for its architecture and this area of the town was allegedly spared bombing not to damage it.
  
In one of the highlights of Manchester, the Chetham's library, are kept Robert Southey's ''Letters of Espriella'' in which says of Manchester that ‘a place more destitute of all interest it is impossible to conceive’.
 
  
 
We visited it in [[April (2018)]] ([[Fabrice]] did pass by once in [[2017]] in a failed attempt to get a [[Chinese]] visa; on our second visit, which was with [[Camilo]], he also tried to get a Chinese visa, and also failed).
 
We visited it in [[April (2018)]] ([[Fabrice]] did pass by once in [[2017]] in a failed attempt to get a [[Chinese]] visa; on our second visit, which was with [[Camilo]], he also tried to get a Chinese visa, and also failed).
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== Things to do/see ==
 
== Things to do/see ==
  
* Chetham's Library (Mon).
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* Chetham's Library (Mon) {{done|30 April 2018}}
* Castlefield park (canals and Roman amphitheatre)
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* Castlefield park (canals and Roman amphitheatre) {{done|29 April 2018}}
* Manchester Art Gallery
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* Manchester Art Gallery {{done|29 April 2018}}
* Manchester Cathedral
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* Manchester Cathedral {{done|30 April 2018}}
* The John Rylands Library (Sun).
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* The John Rylands Library {{done|29 April 2018}}
* Town hall
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* Town hall {{done|only saw outside, closed for refurbishment}}
 
* Victoria baths
 
* Victoria baths
* People's History Museum
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* People's History Museum {{done|30 April 2018}}
* A beer at the Old Wellington
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* A beer at the Old Wellington {{done|30 April 2018}}
 
* St. Mary's Church
 
* St. Mary's Church
 
* Whitworth
 
* Whitworth
* Heaton Park (far).
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* Heaton Park (far)
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=== Chetham's Library ===
  
=== Chetham's Library, Manchester ===
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Chetham's Library might be the most important spot of Manchester. Founded [[1653]] in a [[1421]] building, is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world. It holds over 120000 volumes of printed books an other documents. Unlike the time of Chetham, would instructed ‘to require nothing of any man that cometh into the library’, its visit is today strictly regulated.
  
Chetham's Library, founded [[1653]] in a [[1421]] building, is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world. It holds over 120000 volumes of printed books an other documents. Unlike the time of Chetham, would instructed ‘to require nothing of any man that cometh into the library’, its visit is today strictly regulated.
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<center><wz tip="A room that changed the face of the World. This is where Marx and Engels developed the Communist Manifesto.">[[File:Manchester-April2018-20.jpg|600px]]</wz></center>
  
<center><wz tip="">[[File:Manchester-April2018-20.jpg|600px]]</wz></center>
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[[Marx]] and [[Engels]] used to meet there, in the window seat that you see on the left in this picture above, where they developed the Communist Manifesto. In a letter to Marx, Engels remember:
  
[[Marx]] and [[Engels]] used to meet there, in the window seat that you see in this picture above, where they developed the Communist Manifesto.
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:''During the last few days I have again spent a good deal of time sitting at the four-sided desk in the alcove where we sat together twenty-four years ago. I am very fond of the place. The stained glass window ensures that the weather is always fine there.''
  
:''During the last few days I have again spent a good deal of time sitting at the four-sided desk in the alcove where we sat together twenty-four years ago. I am very fond of the place. The stained glass window ensures that the weather is always fine there.'' The stained glass is gone but the rest stayed there.  
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The stained glass is gone but the rest stayed there.  
 
The guide also mentioned a meeting of [[Cromwell]] on the roundtable, but I could find no other mention of that.  
 
The guide also mentioned a meeting of [[Cromwell]] on the roundtable, but I could find no other mention of that.  
  

Revision as of 12:23, 13 May 2018

Contents

Manchester

Manchester is a city in the north of England, nearby Liverpool.

Manchester-April2018-1.jpg

In one of the highlights of Manchester, the Chetham's library, are kept Robert Southey's Letters of Espriella in which says of Manchester that ‘a place more destitute of all interest it is impossible to conceive’. It does not seem to make much of an impression on many, but it can make several claims of importance and relevance, starting with being the world's first big industrial city (with the textile manufacture). Today it remains a global city (where it is classified as β- while Birmingham for instance is only γ+). Its architecture is of varying quality and it is not the most pleasant city to walk around. It has some nice brick buildings, including the Midland hotel, an impressive Edwardian Baroque building, where Rolls & Royce met to form their company. It was also a favorite of Hitler who knew it for its architecture and this area of the town was allegedly spared bombing not to damage it.


We visited it in April (2018) (Fabrice did pass by once in 2017 in a failed attempt to get a Chinese visa; on our second visit, which was with Camilo, he also tried to get a Chinese visa, and also failed).

Things to do/see

  • Chetham's Library (Mon) GreenTick.png30 April 2018
  • Castlefield park (canals and Roman amphitheatre) GreenTick.png29 April 2018
  • Manchester Art Gallery GreenTick.png29 April 2018
  • Manchester Cathedral GreenTick.png30 April 2018
  • The John Rylands Library GreenTick.png29 April 2018
  • Town hall GreenTick.pngonly saw outside, closed for refurbishment
  • Victoria baths
  • People's History Museum GreenTick.png30 April 2018
  • A beer at the Old Wellington GreenTick.png30 April 2018
  • St. Mary's Church
  • Whitworth
  • Heaton Park (far)

Chetham's Library

Chetham's Library might be the most important spot of Manchester. Founded 1653 in a 1421 building, is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world. It holds over 120000 volumes of printed books an other documents. Unlike the time of Chetham, would instructed ‘to require nothing of any man that cometh into the library’, its visit is today strictly regulated.

Manchester-April2018-20.jpg

Marx and Engels used to meet there, in the window seat that you see on the left in this picture above, where they developed the Communist Manifesto. In a letter to Marx, Engels remember:

During the last few days I have again spent a good deal of time sitting at the four-sided desk in the alcove where we sat together twenty-four years ago. I am very fond of the place. The stained glass window ensures that the weather is always fine there.

The stained glass is gone but the rest stayed there. The guide also mentioned a meeting of Cromwell on the roundtable, but I could find no other mention of that.

Gallery