On the shores of the English Channel on the south coast of Great Britain is the best seaside resort in the country – the city of Brighton. Tourists invariably flock here to visit the famous Brighton Beach, as well as to see local attractions.
The city is located in the county of East Sussex and is administratively connected to the neighbouring city of Hove (in fact, they are considered one city with the name Brighton and Hove).
City’s History
Initially, the site of Brighton was the settlement of Brighthelmstone, which at the beginning of the 16th century was attacked by the French and was completely burned.
A small village already called Brighton attracted the attention of the rulers of Great Britain in 1724 after most of the buildings were washed away due to a storm. Residents sought financial assistance from the government, funds were allocated and new buildings appeared on the coast.
In 1750, the final “discovery” of Brighton as a resort town took place – Dr. R. Russell recommended the healing air of the city to everyone. Then Brighton overnight from a provincial town became a fashionable resort for representatives of high society.
A well-known and iconic personality for the city was the engineer M. Volk, who in 1883 created one of the first electric railways in the world. The remains of those railway lines are still of interest to tourists.
In 1968, the history of the University of Brighton began, which received university status in 1992. Despite its relative youth, the University of the Seaside Resort is among the top 20 universities in the UK.
In 1997, the cities of Brighton and Hove merged, and Queen Elizabeth II herself granted urban status to this new city.
Attractions of the Seaside Resort
All the sights and interesting objects of the city can be seen from above by visiting the Ferris Wheel on the Brighton waterfront. It is 45 meters in diameter and rises to 50 meters.
To visit Brighton and not see the Royal Pavilion is an unforgivable mistake. Built at the beginning of the 19th century, the residence of the future King George IV is consistent with the Prince Regent’s desire for luxury. The building was built in the colonial style: there are Chinese, Indian, and Moorish motifs in the design.
Previously, there was a villa on the site of the future pavilion, which was rebuilt by D. Nash. The interiors of the residence are also impressive: luxury prevails over functionality. It is better to visit the pavilion in the second half of summer when the gardens around the palace begin to blossom.
Part of the Royal Pavilion is the Brighton Dome, which houses the Theatre, the Concert Hall with an organ and the Grain Exchange.
Also in the gardens of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton is the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, where admission, like in other public museums, is free.
Another Art Gallery “Factory” is located in the building of the former Regency Church in the centre of Brighton. It hosts independent exhibitions, as well as exhibitions in collaboration with other art galleries.
In Brighton, one of the two piers in England, listed as historical and architectural monuments, is of interest – the West Pier. Previously, it was only a promenade, then gazebos, a theatre and a concert hall appeared here. In 1975, the pier was closed and later suffered from a fire. Until now, no decision has been made on the restoration of this attraction.
Brighton’s central pier still houses an amusement park, as well as several bars and restaurants. This place is popular among celebrities and members of the royal family, new fashion programs are filmed here, and photo shoots are held for famous publications.
There is a 10-meter Peace Statue on Brighton’s waterfront. This is a monument depicting an angel with symbols of power. In fact, in 1912, this statue was erected as a memorial to King Edward VII, known as the “Peacemaker”. Every year, a peace festival is held near this statue.
Also, the Brighton embankment has its own avenue of stars, created following the example of Hollywood. The stars on it were awarded to King George IV, engineer M. Volk, comedian M. Miller, Prime Minister W. Churchill, writer G. Green and others.
Of the religious sites of the city, of interest is the Royal Chapel built in 1795, located in the centre of Brighton, the Church of St. Bartholomew, nicknamed the “Ark”, built in the 19th century, and St. Peter’s Church, built according to the project of C. Berry in 1824-1828.
In the centre of Brighton is the Booth Museum of Natural History, which exhibits almost 500 stuffed animals of various species, dinosaur fossils, and a collection of butterflies. The founder of the museum is the famous bird collector E. Booth.
Brighton is home to England’s oldest and one of the world’s first cinemas, the Duke of York’s Picturehouse. It is often recognized as one of the best cinema halls in the country.
You can relax in nature on the territory of the Royal Park, where there is a large lake, a pond with ducks, a garden of fragrant flowers for visually impaired visitors, and other entertainment. Also worth a visit are the Stenmer Park Reserve, which displays a large number of animals and plants typical of southern England, and the Kipling Gardens park, located in the suburbs of Brighton.
Also interesting is the pub, included in the Guinness Book of Records only for its long name, which, translated into Russian, sounds like this: “The Brighton Brewing Company of Bertie and Belcher offers to taste beer at The Hedgehog and the Keg, which is in Hove, and not anywhere more”. And if you like online entertainment more and don’t want to leave your house, try playing at the casino.
