Thursday 24 October 2024

In the city of Bristol, south west England

 Bristol is renowned for capturing the hearts of travelers, photographers, creatives, musicians, and artists.

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(in South West England) Bristol, a ceremonial county, is the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. The county is in the west of the combined authority area, which includes the Greater Bristol area (the 11th most populous urban area in the UK) and nearby places such as Bath. Iron Age hillforts and Roman villas were built near the confluence of the rivers Frome and Avon. Bristol received a royal charter in 1155 and was historically divided between Gloucestershire and Somerset until 1373. From the 13th to the 18th century. A major port, Bristol was a starting place for early voyages of exploration to the New World. At the height of the Bristol slave trade, from 1700 to 1807, more than 2,000 slave ships carried some 500,000 people from Africa to slavery in the Americas.

+ The city's modern economy is built on the creative media, electronics, and aerospace industries; the city-center docks have been redeveloped as cultural and heritage centers. There are a variety of artistic and sporting organizations and venues including the Royal West of England Academy, the Arnolfini, Ashton Gate, and the Memorial Stadium. The city has two universities; the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).

+ Today, Bristol is a quirky British city with hilly vistas and historic sights to explore. Visitors interested in ships will have a blast aboard Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the world’s first great oceanliner, and the Matthew, a replica of the ship upon which John Cabot sailed to America in the 15th century. The Clifton Suspension Bridge (shown here) is another must-see.

+ From a population of about 330,000 in 1901, Bristol grew steadily during the 20th century, peaking at 428,089 in 1971. The Royal Edward Dock enlarged its Avonmouth docklands during the early 1900s. Another new dock, the Royal Portbury Dock, opened across the river from Avonmouth during the 1970s. (Aircraft manufacturers also built factories).

+ The rebuilding of Bristol city center was characterized by skyscrapers from the 1960s and 1970s, mid-century modern architecture, and road building. Beginning in the 1980s some main roads were closed, the Georgian-era Queen Square and Portland Square were restored, the Broadmead shopping area regenerated, and one of the city center's tallest mid-century towers was demolished. (Bristol's road infrastructure changed dramatically during the 1960s and 1970s.)

+ The 20th-century relocation of the docks to Avonmouth Docks and Royal Portbury Dock, 7 mi. (11 km) downstream from the city center, has allowed the redevelopment of the old dock area (the Floating Harbor); the inaugural 1996 International Festival of the Sea held in and around the docks affirmed the area as a leisure asset of the city.



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