Find out how you can take a virtual tour of Liverpool from the comfort of your own home
Have you ever visited Liverpool? It’s a bright and bustling city that’s full of character, beautiful architecture and great places to eat.
It’s world famous as the home of two major football teams, the Cavern Club and, of course, the Beatles. And over recent years it has undergone massive redevelopments which have greatly enhanced the city.
Of course, we can’t visit Liverpool right now as travel restrictions are keeping us all close to home. But luckily, the wonders of modern technology make it possible for us to go on a virtual tour of Liverpool.
From the comfort of your own home, you can take a look around some of the top locations around Liverpool. You’ll get a taste of the local sights, and learn about their history and significance.
Read on to discover a few of the locations you can visit on your virtual tour of Liverpool.
The Three Graces
You will find the three buildings known as the Three Graces on the Pier Head in Liverpool.
The Three Graces of Liverpool are the Royal Liver Building, the Port of Liverpool Building and the Cunard Building.
These three buildings were all constructed between 1903 and 1916, and stand on Liverpool’s St George’s Dock which was filled in by the start of the 20th century. They represent the commercial success of the city both now and throughout its proud history.
The Port of Liverpool has its iconic dome, which you can see at the top of this page, while the architecture of Venice inspired the design of the Cunard building. It was designed to make you feel as if you were on one of Cunard’s grand liners.
And of course the famous Royal Liver building is topped with two Liver birds, the emblem of the city.
We can’t visit the Liver birds just yet, but for now these virtual tours will let you see them from home.
Merseyside Maritime Museum
A short distance from the Three Graces, you’ll find the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
The museum opened in 1980 inside a former warehouse at Liverpool’s famous Royal Albert Dock.
It’s full of fascinating artefacts from Liverpool’s seafaring history. Highlights from the museums permanent collections include ship models, paintings, and even full sized vessels.
There are also collections covering everything from the RMS Lusitania to shipping line posters. There’s so much to see, and the museum is well worth a visit once it reopens. For now, the virtual tour will give you a taste of what you can expect when you visit.
St George’s Hall
Across the road from Liverpool’s Lime Street station, you’ll find one of the city’s landmark venues.
St George’s Hall is a stunning Grade 1 listed building which dates back to 1841. The hall was originally built to house musical events, and is the gathering point for the city at time of celebration and commemoration.
It’s considered to be one of the finest examples of neoclassical design, and exhibits the graceful columns and vaulted ceilings that are typical of this style of architecture. Inside the hall, there is also a large concert pipe organ which was once the largest in the world, and a stunning encaustic tiled floor.
When things get back to normal, this should definitely be on your itinerary for a day out in Liverpool. But for now, the virtual tour will allow you to take a look around the exterior of this impressive building.
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is known as the National Gallery of the North, and has housed Liverpool’s finest art collection since it opened in 1877.
A trip to the Walker Art Gallery is a must for any art lover on a visit to Liverpool. And while travel restrictions are in place, the gallery’s virtual tour will give you a taste of what to expect.
The gallery was presented to the city by Andrew Barclay Walker to mark his term as mayor. He was a brewer who was known for donating generously to good causes and creating notable public buildings.
The picture above shows the Spirit of Liverpool sculpture which sits on top of the gallery. This is actually a copy of the original sculpture, which was removed in 1993 for safety reasons due to the marble deteriorating. The original is in storage at the Museum of Liverpool, and a replica took its place on the gallery’s roof in 1994.
The Walker Art Gallery has collections covering painting, sculpture, decorative art and even fashion. Inside, you will find one of the finest painting collections in the UK. It includes works by artists such as Monet, Rembrandt and Rosetti, as well as contemporary artist such as Hockney.
The gallery also houses temporary exhibitions, which in the past have included works by Van Gogh and photography by Linda McCartney.
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Or for an example of more modern architecture, why not take a look around the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral?
The cathedral is the home of the Roman Catholic church in Liverpool, with the affectionate nickname of ‘Paddy’s Wigwam’.
Its design was the result of a worldwide competition, and the cathedral opened to the public in 1967. Frederick Gibberd’s striking design allows the full congregation of 2000 people to all see the altar at once. It also incorporates the crypt that Sir Edwyn Lutyens created in a previous failed attempt to build a cathedral in Liverpool.
It’s certainly an eye-catching piece of architecture, and well worth seeing when you’re able to visit Liverpool. But for now, the virtual tour lets you take a look around before you visit.