Large cities in England. The largest cities in Great Britain The main city in England

58.2k (151 per week)

What other UK cities besides London do you know? Surely, thanks to football, Manchester and Liverpool are well-known, many have also heard about Birmingham. And this is not surprising, because all of the cities named are among the largest in population in the United Kingdom. Although it is worth noting that in the entire country only 66 settlements have received the honor of being called a city, while in Russia there are more than a thousand of them. There are only 2 cities in the country with a population of over a million, and only 55 cities on the list with a population of over 100 thousand people.

Estimate!

Give your rating!

7.25

10 0 1 1

show more

1. London (8,173,900 people)

The capital of Great Britain, London, ranks first in terms of population. It is the largest city in the European Union and the second largest in Europe.

The first mention of London dates back to 43 AD. e., and it still occupies a leading position in many indicators. London is located on 1700 sq. km of area, it holds the record for the number of palaces, bridges, suburbs and monuments per square meter. Squares and parks occupy a huge part of the city, and the largest are Bushy Park and Richmond Park.

London's climate is moderate and natural disasters rarely occur here. Well, the London fogs and rains are known all over the world.

London is home to more than 40 prestigious universities, and the city is one of the largest business and commercial centers. There are also 6 international airports with a passenger traffic of 150 million people.
In addition to the already large resident population, millions of tourists come to London every year, attracted by its many attractions. We know all these monuments from school - Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster, Trafalgar Square, the Tower, the Elizabeth Tower and much more.

2. Birmingham (1,028,700 people)


Birmingham, a million-plus city, is also in second place. It can be called a center of technical education. During the Industrial Revolution, after the invention of the steam engine, the city became a powerful center of industry, and has managed to maintain this status to this day.

The architecture of the city surprisingly connects the buildings that were erected after the Second World War with the quarters of jewelers and gunsmiths that have remained in the city since the Middle Ages. Among the most notable attractions are the Birmingham Anglican and Catholic Cathedrals, the Birmingham City Museum, and the Duddeston railway viaduct, which, thanks to the participation of local residents, was not destroyed, but turned into a place for recreation.

There are 3 universities in Birmingham, and many technical institutions whose graduates become specialists in heavy industry. The city can also boast that many famous personalities were born or lived there, such as musicians Ozzy Osbourne and Nick Mason, actors Tony Hancock and Oliver Phelps, etc.

3. Leeds (751,485 people)

Leeds takes third place. It is not as famous as the previous ones, but also attracts a lot of tourists, and all because in 1996 the collection of the Royal Armory was moved here from the Tower of London. Among the attractions worth coming to Leeds for are Kirkstall Abbey, Tuckeray Museum, Tropical World Orangery, Sculpture Museum and Harewood Palace. Leeds has 2 universities, and the oldest school in the city is over 450 years old.
There are two dog breeds associated with Leeds and the surrounding area that were bred here. The first Yorkshire Terrier was originally bred by miners to hunt rats. The second is the Airedale Terrier, which was named after the valley of the Aire River.
An interesting fact is that Linds is the city where the Marks & Spence trading empire was born. It was here at the city market in 1884 that Mikhail Marks opened his first stall.

4. Sheffield (551,800 people)

The fourth most populous city in the UK is Sheffield - the greenest in the country due to the abundance of green spaces. It is also called the “steel city”, and all because it is the center of metallurgy and steel production. Several discoveries in this area were made in this city. In the 14th century, Sheffield was famous for the production of knives, and by the 17th century it became the center of cutlery production throughout England.
Despite its large population, residents of the city call it the largest village in Great Britain, because there are so many trees that Sheffield can really be confused with some kind of village.

Sheffield is an ideal city where you can combine an active holiday with a relaxing one. Historical festivals are regularly held here, there are many cafes and bars, beautiful local architecture, and about 80 parks throughout the city. In addition, this is where the oldest football club, Sheffield United, is located.

The city also has many attractions, for example, the ruins of Sheffield Castle, where Mary Stuart was imprisoned. Also interesting is the Walk of Fame in the city center, which is designed like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, only here it honors famous Sheffield residents.

5. Manchester (502,900 people)

The fifth most populous city in the United Kingdom, Manchester is a large financial, transport, commercial and industrial city, the center of a group of "textile" cities in south-east Lancashire. However, it is known to many as a leisure center; young people especially love it. Once upon a time, Manchester had more theaters than London, and today the city is attracting new art. Those who come to Manchester City are looking for inspiration, energy, talent and skill.

The Pennines are located to the west of Manchester, so the upper floors of each high-rise building offer breathtaking views of snow-capped mountain peaks.

The city is incredibly proud of the University of Manchester, which has an impressive scientific heritage. This is confirmed by the fact that of all the students who studied or are studying there, 25 are Nobel Prize laureates. There is no need to introduce the famous Manchester United football team to anyone - this is a separate pride of the city that has made it famous throughout the world.

Among the attractions that attract tourists are the town hall, the main street King Street, the beautiful courthouse in Crown Square, the Central Library, the Manchester Art Gallery, the modern and beautiful Urbis exhibition center, the Lowry theater and concert complex and many more interesting places, both ancient and built in the modern world.

Great Britain(Great Britain), which is often simply referred to colloquially as England, is a state whose largest and most significant part is located in Europe. Officially, Great Britain has a significantly longer name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and is located not only in the British Isles.

Basic information

Total area of ​​the kingdom: 244,820 km2
Population: about 62 million inhabitants
Capital: London city (about 10 million inhabitants)
Official languages: English and Welsh.
National currency: pound sterling (GBP)
Country dialing code: +44
Local time: 3 hours behind Moscow

  • Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the King or Queen of Great Britain. Executive power is exercised by a cabinet of ministers headed by the prime minister, the head of the party that won the parliamentary elections.
  • Legislative power is in the hands of parliament. Consisting of the House of Commons (650 members), re-elected every 5 years, and the House of Lords (the number of members is not strictly established, currently 788 people). There are three main parties in the country. Two traditional ones: Conservative (Tory) and Labor (Whig), as well as Liberal Democratic.

The United Kingdom includes:

  • four historical metropolitan areas located in the British Isles, plus the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (separate administrative units) in the English Channel. And this in turn:
  • England is the largest administrative part, including 39 counties, 6 metropolitan counties (special urban areas: Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Time and Wear, South Yorkshire) and Greater London. It occupies 2/3 of the island of Great Britain. The area of ​​England is 130,395 km2;
  • Wales, which includes: 9 counties, 3 cities, 10 city-counties. Occupied area: 20,779 km2;
  • Scotland - occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain and the adjacent islands: the Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland. Occupied area: 78,772 km2;
  • Northern Ireland is divided into 6 counties and 26 districts. Area: 13,843 km2;
  • as well as 14 territories in different parts of the world, under the control of Great Britain and called overseas (overseas).
  • In Europe it is . In America: British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands (all Caribbean), Montserrat Island, Falkland Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, South Sandwich Islands. In Africa - the island of Saint Helena. In the Pacific Ocean is Pitcairn Island. In the Indian Ocean - British Indian Ocean Territory

Major UK cities

  • - apparently the largest city in Western Europe;
  • (more than 1 million people) - located in Central England, the second most populous city (after London) in the UK;
  • (about 1 million people) - the largest city in Scotland and the third most populous in the United Kingdom;
  • (about 600 thousand people) - the capital and second largest city of Scotland;
  • Manchester (about 500 thousand people) - located in the north-west of England, a large industrial, cultural, financial, and transport center of the country. Home to the most famous of English football clubs, Manchester United;
  • (about 500 thousand people) - a port on the north-west coast of England and the homeland of another famous soccer club, Liverpool

The main ones are concentrated in London and its surroundings. This is the huge British Museum, the main residence of the queen, the ancient Tower Castle, where parliament sits and where members of the royal family are married, St. Paul's Cathedral, the country palace of Windsor west of London and the ancient Hampton Court Palace on the Thames, as well as much more.

  • The country's university centers, Oxford and Cambridge, are extremely famous and are considered one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the Old World.
  • It would be worth visiting the prehistoric one, in the county of Wiltshire in the west and nearby - built, as they say, in just 40 years and in the same Gothic style. The vast Dartmoor moors in Devon, which became the setting for the most famous of the Sherlock Holmes novels, The Hound of the Baskervilles, south Cornwall and its wonderful
  • Drive along the entire south-east coast, from Dover to Torquay, famous for its chalk cliffs and cozy coastal towns with surprisingly sunny weather for England. The counties of Kent and Norfolk are exceptionally beautiful, on the coast of which you can also enjoy a seaside holiday to the fullest

Don't forget about traveling to Scotland, famous for its lakes and castles. Loch Ness is suspected to still be home to the dinosaur Nessie, and the number of ancient castles (or the ruins of them) in this northern country number in the thousands.

You should definitely visit, climb the Arthur’s Seat rock, from which the famous king, host of the Round Table, surveyed the surrounding area, and also get to the romantic castle on an island off the west coast of Scotland.

In this article we will talk about cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Bristol and Sheffield, which are part of the Core Cities Group association (Core Cities of England) and are the administrative centers of their regions. These cities were built not very far from each other, so a common style is easily visible in their architecture. The list is missing London, the largest city in the UK, but we will have a separate article about it. The remaining cities generally have no more than half a million inhabitants (except Birmingham, where 1 million citizens live). This is explained by the fact that the British by nature do not like megacities. Perhaps this is due to their island psychology. The British are not very fond of visitors from the continent and value privacy and peace.

Let's start with Birmingham. Birmingham is the second largest city not only in England, but also in the UK. After World War II, a significant part of the city was destroyed. Thanks to investments and well-balanced government policy, the city was rebuilt. Today Birmingham is an industrial city with a developed engineering and metallurgical industry. The city is also known for its jewelers and jewelry fairs. The founder of fantasy, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, spent his childhood in Birmingham. Birmingham, like the rest of England, has a fairly mild, humid climate. The city's main attractions are Birmingham Anglican Cathedral and Birmingham Catholic Cathedral, as well as the Birmingham Museum and Big Broom Clock Tower. There are two local teams playing in the English Premier League: Aston Villa and Birmingham City.

Liverpool is the center of nightlife in England. In 1190 there was a settlement here called Liverpool, which meant "muddy body of water". In 1880, the port village of Liverpool became the city of Liverpool, through which 40% of all goods were delivered to the country. The city became famous thanks to The Beatles and the football team of the same name. The city is home to the Church of England Cathedral, designed in a neo-Gothic style, the Walker Art Gallery and the Cathedral of Christ Pantocrator, a stronghold of Catholicism in England.

Manchester

The city of Manchester throughout the world is associated primarily with Manchester United, one of the most titled football teams in the history of the Premier League. But the city is interesting not only for the “red devils”. The city is home to the largest Manchester University, where more than 40 thousand students study and over 10 thousand employees work. In 1830, the world's first railway was built here, with trains running according to a schedule. If you decide to visit Manchester, be sure to visit the City Hall, the Lowry Theater and Concert Centre, St Peter's Square, Old Trafford Stadium and the Urbis Exhibition Centre.

Leeds

Leeds is one of the most ancient cities in England. The name of the city was first mentioned in historical chronicles back in 730 AD. Leeds is famous for its numerous shops and the Leeds United football team, which made waves throughout football Europe in the 2000/01 season.

Newcastle

Newcastle is a city where old trends are intricately intertwined with new ones. The city received its modern name thanks to Robert, the son of William the Conqueror. In 1080, Robert built a castle here, which he named Novum Castellum, which translated from Latin meant “new castle”, i.e. newcastle in modern English. Many buildings in the Georgian style (castle fortress, medieval cathedral, residential buildings), Hadrian’s Wall remind of the glorious history of the city. In the Middle Ages, the local fortress attracted the attention of William Wallace himself, who tried to capture it three times and failed three times. The 20-meter monument “Angel of the North”, one of the largest shopping centers in Europe, countless cafes and restaurants - reflect the modern dynamics of Newcastle’s development. Today, Newcastle has a firmly established reputation as a student city, thanks to Northumbria University and Newcastle University.

Nottingham

Nottingham, the birthplace of Robin Hood, was founded by the Saxons back in the 7th century. The famous Sherwood Forest still surrounds the city. Nottingham has several shopping centers, making it one of the top 5 shopping destinations in the UK. The city's most famous attractions, besides Sherwood Forest, are the Old Market Square (the largest square in the UK), Nottingham Castle, the Screen Room (the smallest cinema in the world) and the Windmill.

Bristol

Bristol is a city that has the prestigious status of a “city”. The city's name means "place by the bridge." Bristol today is a major port and an important cultural center of England. It was the birthplace of trip-hop, one of the most popular styles of electronic music, making Bristol the country's most musical city. Bristol Cathedral is the city's main attraction. Also worth visiting are St Mary Redcliffe Church (the city's tallest building) and the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Sheffield

Sheffield is one of the largest cities in the north of England, the metallurgical center of the country. At first Sheffield was a small village, but the Vikings built a castle and cathedral here. After iron ore deposits were discovered in the city, Sheffield began to develop rapidly. First of all, Sheffield attracts tourists with its picturesque landscapes.

    Cities in Europe with a population of more than 500 thousand people. As of mid-2012, there are 91 such cities in Europe, among which 33 cities have a population of more than 1,000,000 inhabitants. The list contains official data on the number... ... Wikipedia

    This term has other meanings, see Russia (meanings). The request "RF" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Russia Russian Federation ... Wikipedia

    This term has other meanings, see Yaroslavl (meanings). The city of Yaroslavl ... Wikipedia

    Europe- (Europe) Europe is a densely populated, highly urbanized part of the world named after a mythological goddess, forming together with Asia the continent of Eurasia and having an area of ​​about 10.5 million km² (approximately 2% of the total area of ​​the Earth) and ... Investor Encyclopedia

    France- (France) French Republic, physical geographical characteristics of France, history of the French Republic Symbols of France, state and political structure of France, armed forces and police of France, France’s activities in NATO, ... ... Investor Encyclopedia

    1) Commonwealth of Australia, state. The name Australia (Australia) is based on its location on the mainland of Australia, where over 99% of the territory of the state is located. Since the 18th century possession of Great Britain. The Commonwealth of Australia is currently a federation... Geographical encyclopedia

    - (USSR, Union of SSR, Soviet Union) the first socialist in history. state It occupies almost a sixth of the inhabited landmass of the globe, 22 million 402.2 thousand km2. Population: 243.9 million people. (as of January 1, 1971) Sov. The Union holds 3rd place in... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

    I (United States of America, Etats Unis, Vereinigte Staaten von Nord America) federal republic in North America, between 24° 30 and 49° north. latitude, and 66° 50 and 124° 31 west. duty. (Greenwich Mean Time), stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and... ...

    - (United States of America, Etats Unis, Vereinigte Staaten von Nord America) federal republic in North America, between 24° 30 and 49° north. latitude, and 66° 50 and 124° 31 west. duty. (Greenwich Mean Time), stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

    This term has other meanings, see Vologda (meanings). The city of Vologda ... Wikipedia

England is undoubtedly a country that most tourists want to visit. It attracts them due to its closedness from the outside world, its difference from other, non-island states. Even the name “Foggy Albion” already smacks of some kind of mystery.

If you ask any adult what cities in England he knows, almost everyone will first answer about London, because the first phrase in English textbooks is LondonisthecapitalofGreatBritain, which translates as “London is the capital of Great Britain.” It happens that this is where the list of English cities known to man ends.

View of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey from the London Eye.

London truly is the center of England, its heart and center of people. Tourists, making a systematic exploration of Britain, first of all pay attention to London. It contains most of the English attractions known to the world, such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, Trafalgar Square. And the Queen and her royal family can easily be included in the attractions of England and London.

The main feature that almost all cities in England have is the similarity of their architecture. This is explained by the limited area of ​​the country and the compactness of cities in which architects of the same direction worked. Cities in Foggy Albion are relatively sparsely populated. The only city in which the population reaches 7.5 million inhabitants is London.

Next on the list of large cities is Birmingham, which has a population of about a million people. In Birmingham, you should definitely visit the cathedral, museum, art gallery, and Town Hall. Also popular with tourists is the local Botanical Garden, a marine life center, a bird sanctuary and a zoo.

Shopping center "Bull ring". Birmingham, England

The remaining large cities (Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester) can hardly be called megacities: they have about half a million inhabitants. This is explained by the historical commitment of the British to solitude and a measured life.

With all this, it cannot be said that English cities are not different from each other at all. Provincial, but quite large cities, of course, differ from the capital, while each city has something unique, a certain “zest” that distinguishes it from all the others.

For example, many people are familiar with Cambridge and Oxford, as young people from all over the world come here in the hope of enrolling in a prestigious college. is certainly familiar to fans of football and local teams Manchester United and Manchester City.

Legendary Cambridge

Fans of, without exaggeration, the great “The Beatles” go to the museum to visit the history museum of their favorite group. It is interesting to visit Leicester, which is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in England and the world. In addition to English, the local population also communicates in their native languages.

If you want to see the most ancient English fortress, Lincoln should definitely be included in your list of cities to visit.

Lincoln Cathedral of the Virgin Mary. City of Lincoln

Those wishing to visit the Royal Shakespeare Theater and the playwright's house museum should go to Stratford.

You need to enjoy the architectural perfection in, the main place of which is the famous York Cathedral.

In addition, York is known for its extensive network of cycling routes, so those who follow a healthy lifestyle can make the most of their time here.

The cities of Brighton and Bournemouth are located on the south coast of England., which can be visited by lovers of seafood and SPA treatments. The list of interesting cities would not be complete without mentioning Sheffield, which is one of the greenest cities. It has more than two million trees, for which it is called the largest English village.

Fans of spectacle should pay attention to the hot air balloon festival held in Bristol. Many events are held in beautiful Bath: a film festival, a beer festival, music and literary festivals.

Of course, this is not a list of all cities in England, but it is better to see everything with your own eyes and reveal all the secrets of England yourself. From any London station you can take a train or bus to anywhere in the country, be it big or small cities, and within a few hours you can see a completely different, non-metropolitan life. Real life in England.