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Places Of Interest in Newcastle |
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When it comes to
places of interest in Newcastle you may think that the
city’s exports like TV show Byker Grove, the magazine
Viz, and Newcastle Brown Ale, shed some light on what
the city has to offer, but Newcastle is much more interesting
than that. Firstly there’s the city’s historic offerings, remnants of its rich past which still stand today. Within Newcastle itself you can go and explore Castle (Garth) Keep [map], the remains of the ‘new castle’ that gave the city its name. Founded by the eldest son of William the Conqueror, it is one of the finest examples of a Norman Keep in the country. The Keep has three floors for you to explore linked by a succession of staircases that take you to rooms such as the Gallery, King’s Chambers, Queen’s Chambers, Great Hall and the dungeon. And once you've seen the inside, you can get some excellent views across the Tyne from the top. Newcastle’s cathedral, the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas [map], was built on the site of a Norman church that stood next to ‘new castle’, and dates back mainly to the 13th and 14th century. The cathedral is one of Britain’s smallest but has plenty to see including stained glass, memorials and a 15th century font. And its Lantern Tower, added later in 1448, is one of only four built in the country, and is one of Newcastle’s most well known landmarks. The cathedral is still used for worship every morning, but is usually open every weekday until 6:00pm, on Saturday until 4:00pm and on Sunday until 7pm but it is closed between 12:00pm and 4:00pm. Other historic attractions include the medieval City Walls the best example of which can be seen on Stowell Street in Chinatown, the 13th century monastery at Blackfriars [map], Grey’s Monument [map], a memorial to the 2nd Earl Grey Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834, and the Old George [map] pub, where King Charles I is believed to have drank back in 1649. For a complete overview of Newcastle’s illustrious history, why not try the Discovery Museum [map]. As well as exploring the city’s history, it also celebrates Newcastle’s achievements, through a series of exhibits, something the whole family can enjoy. Moving towards Newcastle’s historic Quayside, you’ll find Bessie Surtees’ House [map]. In the 16th and 17th century the quayside was where wealthy merchants made their homes in half timber houses, but Bessie Surtees’ House stands out because of the scandal she caused by climbing out of the window to elope with the penniless John Scott. The romantic tale has a happy ending though, as the groom went on to become the Lord Chancellor of England. Staying Quayside, one thing you won’t fail to notice are the bridges across the River Tyne. There are now seven bridges in total, thanks to the recent addition of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge [map], which was officially opened in 2002. Designed to look like a blinking eye, the £22 million bridge acts as a link for pedestrians and cyclists between Gateshead and Newcastle and is the first bridge to be built across the Tyne in over 100 years. The Millennium Bridge is the world’s first tilting bridge and it follows in the footsteps of some of its predecessors in its distinction. The Tyne Bridge [map], probably the most well known of the other bridges, was opened in 1928 by King George V and at the time was the largest single span bridge in the world. And the High Level Bridge [map], designed by Robert Stephenson, was the world’s first road and railway bridge. Other places of interest within central Newcastle include the Blue Carpet [map], a contemporary urban art piece located outside the Laing Art Gallery [map] that consists of blue tiles, manipulated to form a functional public space. There’s also the Life Science Centre [map], an interactive exploration into the vast subject of existence. Other places of interest close to Newcastle include Gateshead and the Angel of the North [map], Hexam Abbey, Hadrian’s Wall [map], Alnwick Castle [map] and the towns of Bamburgh [map] and Jarrow [map] to name just a few. If you want to comment on our choices or recommend somewhere, why not use our What You Recommend form to let us know. |
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