Leicester is a city with a rich history and a lot of interesting places. Which ones are worth visiting? Sightseeing in Leicester - what to see. A complete guide to iconic places From which city club leicester

English Leicester, which has existed for about 20 centuries, is the main city of Leicestershire.

Where Leicester is now, there were Celtic settlements. Having fortified them, the Romans built their city, known as Ratae Corieltauvorum. A reminder of this time is the Roman cemetery and the preserved sections of sidewalks. In the 7th century, the city received the status of "city" and became the residence of the bishop. In the 11th century, due to the wars of the church with the nobility and internecine wars, the city lost this status and managed to get it again only in 1919.

The status of "city" was given in the UK to cities with a Cathedral, and was very prestigious.

In the 19th century, Leicester began to develop rapidly and became the center of the engineering, footwear, and textile industries. In his last 4 decades, the urban population has tripled. Water supply, sewerage, municipal buildings appeared in Leicester. The Royal Hospital was built.

The Second World War led to an economic downturn, and in the post-war years, production dropped significantly. The influx of immigrants, representing cheap labor, allowed the revival of urban enterprises. And now Leicester occupies a leading position in the UK economy. In addition to textiles, industrial equipment is produced here, and the city is also home to the head office of the BBS Group, a large company engaged in the design and construction of engineering systems. And immigrants from India, Africa, Caribbean and who have become legal residents of this city, make up 50% of its population.

Attractions

The main attraction of the city is the ancient Leicester Castle, built in the 10th century. It, together with the Church of St. Mary and the picturesque garden, is part of an architectural ensemble located in the city center. And the symbol of the city is the nearby Clock Tower, built at the intersection of five roads.


The Cathedral, bearing the name of St. Martin, is also very interesting. It was he who made it possible for the city of Leicester to receive the prestigious status of "city". The cathedral has an original facade and magnificent interior decoration. In addition, it houses the tomb of Richard III, the English king, whose name is immortalized in Shakespeare's play of the same name. Architectural monuments are also the medieval bridges Aylestone Packhorse Bridge, King William's Bridge and Belgrave Bridge, built in the XV-XVII centuries.


There is also a modern facility in Leicester that deserves the attention of travel lovers. This is the National Space Cosmonautics Center, which houses a planetarium and six halls with expositions on space topics.

Guides and booklets with a list of events planned for the near future, which can be obtained at the tourist center on Every Street, will help you to correctly schedule your sightseeing of the city and not get lost in its vastness.

Hotels


There are over 50 hotels in and around Leicester. The choice of hotel depends on the preferences of the guests. Accommodation in comfortable conditions of city hotels, for example, in or

Leicester is one of the oldest cities in the UK, founded by the Romans. It is located on the banks of the River Sor, in the central part of England, in the East Midlands region. The capital of Leicestershire is very multinational, out of 300 thousand inhabitants, most of them are immigrants. The cultural and ethnic diversity of Leicester, its rich history, elegant architecture and abundance of attractions are of great interest to tourists. Medieval streets that look like labyrinths, unique old bridges, majestic temples and a large number of museums - all this delights even sophisticated travelers.

  • Founded: 50;
  • Area: 73 km²;
  • Time zone: UTC0;
  • Population: 337,700.

You can get to Leicester by plane or train. The airport is located in the county, between the cities of Nottingham, Leicester and Derby. Railway lines link the city with London, Derby, Cambridge and Nottingham.

A selection of profitable air tickets through Aviadiscounter (search as Aviasales + a selection of promotions and sales of airlines).

From where to where departure date Find a ticket

Carcassonne → Nottingham

Pisa → Nottingham

Warsaw → Nottingham

Barcelona → Nottingham

Riga → Nottingham

Faro → Nottingham

Alicante → Nottingham

Reus → Nottingham

Lyon → Nottingham

Baliwick of Jersey → Nottingham

Venice → Nottingham

Geneva → Nottingham

Ibiza → Nottingham

London → Nottingham

Valencia → Nottingham

Krakow → Nottingham

Arecife → Nottingham

Prague → Nottingham

Gdansk → Nottingham

Copenhagen → Nottingham

Rome → Nottingham

And for the selection of long-distance transport (airplanes, trains, buses) in Europe, try, the service offers the best ways to travel along popular routes.

 /   / 52.63333; -1.13333Coordinates :

Chapter Based First mention

Lua error in Module:Wikidata on line 170: attempt to index field "wikibase" (a nil value).

City with Square Official language Population Density

4,180 people/km²

Agglomeration Timezone Telephone code Postcode Official site

(English)

<

Expression error: unexpected operator<

From ESBE (data from the late 19th century)

Ley(che)ster is the chief town of the English county of the same name on the River Sor, a right tributary of the Trent.

Museum, exchange, theater beautiful architecture, ruins of an ancient castle; traces of Roman pavement and ancient walls.

Leicester is the main center of woolen and knitwear factories; many other factories and factories; many channels facilitate communication with domestic markets.

Residents 142051.

Leicester - ancient city, known to the Romans under the name Ra'tae. Under the heptarchy, it was part of the kingdom of Mercia; the city was taken by the Danes, who made it one of their 5 main cities; it was surrounded by a fortress wall and fortified with a castle, destroyed in the reign of Henry II. Leicester suffered much during the Wars of the Roses and during the internecine war under Charles I, when it was taken first by the Royalists, then by the Republicans. In the vicinity - an ancient abbey, founded in 1143.

Geography

The unitary unit of Leicester covers an area of ​​73 km² and borders on all cardinal points with the non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire.

Population

According to 2001 data, 279,921 people lived on the territory of the unitary unit of Leicester, with an average population density of 3,818 people / km². Leicester - along with London, Birmingham, Luton and Slough one of the most immigrant cities in England, its diverse ethnic composition was formed in the 1950s and 1960s due to the large demand of local industry for cheap foreign labor, and the subsequent immigration of the 1970s years and today. 30% of the population has South Asian roots. Many immigrants from Africa, Ireland, Poland, China, Jamaica.

Policy

Leicester is governed by a unitary unit council of 54 MPs elected from 22 wards. The most recent election on 5 May 2011 results in 52 council seats being held by Labor. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrat Party each have one council member.

Economy

Leicester is home to the headquarters of the large building materials company BSS Group. The company's shares are included in the FTSE 250 index calculation base.

Education

The city is home to 2 universities: the University of Leicester, which has been in the Top 15 universities in the UK since 2009 (according to the Times Good University Guide and Guardian University Guide), and DeMonfort University.

The main office of the British Psychological Society is located in Leicester.

Sport

Leicester is based professional football club Leicester City, which in the 2015/16 season became the champion of England. Also, Leicester City is a three-time winner of the Football League Cup (1964, 1997, 2000) and the owner of the FA Super Cup (1971). From 1891 until 2002, Leicester played at Filbert Street, with a capacity of 22,000 spectators. Since 2003, the club has hosted opponents at the King Power Stadium (capacity 32,262 spectators).

twin cities

An excerpt characterizing Leicester

But, despite the wild fright, I gradually still managed to somehow pull myself together and calm down a little. After a little thought, I finally realized that this, most likely, was just a very real vision, which, with its sensations, completely repeated the nightmare that had once happened to the witch girl ...
Despite the fear and still too vivid sensations, I immediately tried to return to the fabulous "ice palace" to my abandoned, and probably already very nervous, girlfriend. But for some reason, nothing worked ... I was squeezed like a lemon, and I didn’t even have the strength to think, not to mention such a “journey”. Angry at myself for my "softness", I again tried to pull myself together, when suddenly someone else's strength literally pulled me into the already familiar "ice" hall, where my faithful friend Stella was rushing about, jumping excitedly.
– Nu, that same you?! I was so scared!.. What happened to you? It’s good that she helped, otherwise you would still be flying “somewhere” now! – panting from “righteous indignation”, the little girl immediately blurted out.
I myself didn’t really understand yet how this could happen to me, but then, to my great surprise, the voice of the unusual mistress of the ice palace sounded affectionately:
- My dear, you are a Darina! .. How did you end up here? And you're alive!!! Are you still in pain? I nodded in surprise. - Well, what are you, you can’t watch this! ..
The girl Anna affectionately took my head, still "boiling" from the sizzling pain, in her cool hands, and soon I felt how the terrible pain began to slowly recede, and after a minute it completely disappeared.
– What was it?.. – I asked dumbfounded.
“You just looked at what happened to me. But you still do not know how to defend yourself, so you felt everything. You are very curious, this is your strength, but your misfortune, dear ... What is your name?
“Svetlana…” I said hoarsely, slowly coming to my senses. And here she is, Stella. Why are you calling me Darin? This is the second time I've been called that, and I'd really like to know what it means. If possible, of course.
- Don't you know? the witch asked in surprise. I shook my head negatively. – Darinya is “giving light and protecting the world”. And at times, even saving him...
“Well, I would at least save myself for now!” I laughed sincerely. - And what can I give if I myself don’t know anything at all. And I still make only mistakes ... I still can’t do anything! .. - and, after thinking, added sadly. And no one teaches! Unless, sometimes, my grandmother, and also Stella ... And I would so like to study! ..
“The teacher comes when the student is READY to learn, dear,” the elder said quietly, smiling. “And you haven’t figured out even yourself yet.” Even in the fact that you have long been open.
In order not to show how much his words upset me, I tried to immediately change the subject and asked the witch girl, persistently spinning in my brain, a delicate question.
“Forgive me for my indiscretion, Anna, but how could you forget such a terrible pain? And is it possible to forget this at all? ..
“I didn’t forget, honey. I just understood and accepted it... Otherwise, it would be impossible to continue to exist - sadly shaking her head, the girl answered.
- How can you understand this? Yes, and what to understand in pain? .. - I did not give up. - Was it supposed to teach you something special? .. Excuse me, but I never believed in such a "teaching"! In my opinion, only helpless "teachers" can use pain in this way!
I was seething with indignation, unable to stop my running thoughts! .. And no matter how hard I tried, I could not calm down.
Sincerely sorry for the witch girl, at the same time, I wildly wanted to know everything about her, which meant asking her a lot of questions about what could hurt her. It was like a crocodile, which, devouring its unfortunate victim, shed burning tears over it ... But no matter how ashamed I was, I could not help myself ... It was the first time in my short life when I almost I didn’t pay attention to the fact that I could hurt a person with my questions ... I was very ashamed of this, but I also understood that for some reason it was very important for me to talk to her about all this, and continued to ask, “closing on all eyes. ”... But, to my great happiness and surprise, the witch girl, not at all offended, continued to calmly answer my naive childish questions, without expressing the slightest displeasure.
“I understood the reason for what happened. And also the fact that this was also apparently my test ... Having passed which, this one was revealed to me wonderful world where my grandfather and I now live together. Yes, and much more...
“Did you really have to put up with this just to get here?!” Stella was horrified.
- I think yes. Although I can't say for sure. Everyone has their own way ... - Anna said sadly. – But the main thing is that I nevertheless passed it, having managed not to break down. My soul remained pure and kind, not angry at the world, and at the people who executed me. I understood why they were destroying us... those who were "different". Which they called Veduns and Witches. And sometimes also "demonic children"... They were simply afraid of us... They were afraid that we were stronger than them, and also that we were incomprehensible to them. They hated us for what we could do. For our Gift. And one more thing - they envied us too much ... And after all, very few people knew that many of our killers, themselves, secretly tried to learn everything that we could do, only they didn’t succeed. Souls, apparently, were too black...
- How is it - studied ?! But didn't they themselves curse you?.. Didn't they burn you because they considered you the creations of the Devil? Completely taken aback, I asked.
“So it was,” Anna nodded. “Only at first, our executioners brutally tortured us, trying to find out the forbidden, known only to us ... And then they burned us, tearing out many tongues so that they would not accidentally divulge what had been done to them. Yes, you can ask your mother, she went through a lot, more than anyone else, probably ... That's why she went far after her death, by choice, which none of us could do.

Leicester is a city that every self-respecting traveler must visit. There are many reasons for this. First, Leicester is one of the most ancient cities in all of Britain. It was founded during the reign of the Romans. The city from the very beginning was the largest commercial metropolis of the country and the backbone of all of England. And of course, there is something to see here.

Leicester is a city with many attractions. You should definitely look at the local castle, built in the 1070s on the ruins of the city's Roman walls. Architecture lovers will love the Cathedral of St. Martin. And for nature lovers - local botanical gardens and parks. And in Leicester, the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey have been preserved. It used to be

And of course, we can't forget about sports. A professional football club called Leicester City is based in this city. It was he who won the English championship last season (2015/2016). And besides, Leicester City is a three-time winner of the Football League Cup and the National Super Cup. The club has existed since 1884.

For lovers of shopping

Leicester is a city not only with a rich history, but also with a huge number of different shops and boutiques. The biggest shopping mall here is called Highcross. And it contains over 120 different stores. There are also solid department stores in the center - such as John Lewis, Debenhams and House of Fraser.

There are boutiques in the shopping center, whose names are well known to everyone - Swarovski, H&M, Carluccio "s, Levis, Lacoste and many others - it's hard to list everything. By the way, in addition to shops in the shopping center there are restaurants and cafes.

Leicester is a city known for vintage shopping. In local stores you can buy things that have the right to be called a work of art or an exhibit.

And here is the Leicester Market - the largest indoor market in all of Europe. In general, avid shopaholics should definitely visit Leicester at least once.

Gastro tourism

Many people go traveling to indulge in various culinary delights. Leicester (a city in England, by the way) is an ideal place for connoisseurs of ... real Indian cuisine. At first, this wording is surprising. But in fact, there is nothing strange, because it is in Leicester that the Indian is located. It is located on Highfields Street. But besides this restaurant, Leicester also has Laguna, The Rise of the Raj, Sayonara, Phulnath and Sharmilee. And they all specialize in Indian cuisine! And the last three restaurants are completely vegetarian.

You can also try the national British cuisine in Leicester. There is an excellent institution, it is called Opera House. And in general, it is worth taking a walk along the secluded streets of this English city - you can find many restaurants with good cuisine and affordable prices.

Memo to tourists

The city of Leicester now has a population of around 340,000. The people here are very pleasant and friendly, and tourists, in which case, can turn to passers-by for help. But only in English, of course.

Be sure to visit the tourist center, located on Every Street. 95% of the people who walk there are visitors. In this place you can buy a variety of guidebooks, detailed map, booklets, phrasebooks and tickets for excursions.

Many people make the mistake of forgetting to visit London while in Leicester. Only an hour and a half drive to the capital! Even faster you can get to Birmingham. Sightseeing tours in this metropolis are very popular.

If you want to explore the whole of Leicester, then it is better to buy a travel card - it will be cheaper. They are sold in tobacco and newsstands. But in the central region, by the way, it is better to walk on foot. Attractions and interesting places there at every step.

And the best time to travel to Leicester is summer or late spring. The weather here is amazing. Winter is also quite mild, but some places to visit may be closed.

And last but not least, payment. Most shops, malls and restaurants accept not only cash, but also card payments. Almost anyone. In any case, all international standards are accepted in England. It is worth remembering this and carrying less cash with you.

Leicester from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Leicester.

  • Tours for May to the UK
  • Hot tours to the UK

The largest city in the East Midlands and the most cosmopolitan in the UK, it is located on the banks of the River Soar. Leicester is the city of the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, King Richard III (1452-1485), whose death in the battle of Bosworth in the vicinity of Leicester marks not so much the end of the War of the Scarlet and White Roses as the end of the Middle Ages in England. Richard III was the last English king to die on the battlefield. The remains of Richard III, thought lost for five centuries, were found in the summer of 2012 in the city center and reburied at Leicester Cathedral in 2015. Opposite the cathedral is a thematic museum of Richard III.

The City Visitor Center (Visit Leicester) is located at 51 Gallowtree Gate, Leicester LE1 5AD.

How to get there

The nearest airport is East Midlands located in Leicestershire between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham. Skylink Airport Buses depart from St Margaret's Bus Station every 20 minutes. The fare will be 10 GBP, travel time 1 hour.

National Express operates regular bus services between Leicester and Nottingham (journey time 1 hour) and Coventry (45 minutes). Buses depart from St Margaret's, located on Gravel St, north of the city centre.

From London St Pancras (journey time 1 hour 30 minutes) and from Birmingham (1 hour), trains arrive every half hour. Railway the canvas connects Leicester with Nottingham, Derby and Cambridge. And as an entertainment, you can go on a short trip on a real steam locomotive, which departs from Leicester North station and follows to the town of Loughborough. Along the route of this eight-mile double track railway in 1841 Thomas Cook launched his original tour.

Prices on the page are for April 2019.

Search for flights to Leicestershire (nearest airport to Leicester)

Transport

The central part of the city is best explored on foot. National carriers First Leicester and Arriva provide services public transport around the city and its environs. Stagecoach arranges transportation to Hinckley and Coventry.

Weather in Leicester

The climate is moderate and mild. During the winter months, the weather in Leicester is usually humid, especially in December and January, and sunny during the summer. The average temperature in July is 22°C.

In Leicester, it is worth visiting the National Space Center with six exhibition halls on the topics of space flight, astronomy and cosmology, with a 3-D cinema and a planetarium, souvenir shops and restaurants.

shopping

"Highcross" is the largest shopping center in Leicester, which presents well-known brands of clothing, footwear, home goods, chain stores, cafes, restaurants. Private shops and local businesses are located in The Lanes. Leicester enjoys a reputation as a popular vintage shopping destination due to its wide range of thrift stores as well as vintage clothing specialty stores. The city is famous for the market (Leicester Market), which has repeatedly ranked first in the ranking of British preferences as the best market in the country, in addition to being the largest covered-open market in Europe. The market is open from Monday to Saturday from 7:00 to 18:00. The market also has a Food Hall offering local meat and fish products. The Beaumont Leys Market is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Kitchen

Leicester is a great place to taste real Indian food! Taj Mahal, the oldest Indian restaurant in the city, is located on Highfields Street. A couple more Indian restaurants - Laguna and The Rise of the Raj - are located on Narborough Road and Evington Road. Indian vegetarian restaurants Sharmilee, Sayonara and Phulnath are also popular. And you can try national British cuisine at the Opera House restaurant at 10 Guildhall Lane Town Centre.

Leicester Attractions and Attractions

Leicester Castle, supposedly built in 1070, is located in the central part of the city. In its modern form, the castle complex includes the castle itself, the courtyard and garden surrounding it, the church of St Mary de Castro (the oldest building of which dates back to the 12th century) and the Great Hall of 1150.

In Leicester, many of the oldest architectural monuments have been preserved - these are medieval bridges of the 15th-17th centuries. - Packhorse Bridge in Ayleston, a suburb of Leicester, Belgrave Bridge in Belgrave and King William's Bridge in Ansteigh. Beaumont Leys earthen fortification, which includes the ruins of a Templar monastery, two embankments, a dam and a pond. The building of the Leicester Guildhall (now a museum), the earliest buildings of which date back to 1390, is open to visitors from February to November. The ruins of Saint Mary's Abbey of Leicester, founded in 1143 by Robert de Beaumont as an Augustinian community and located in the Abbey Park.

Of historical interest are the walls, which are believed to be preserved from ancient Roman public baths, and are one of the objects of the Jewry Wall Museum. The estimated age of the walls is 2000 years. The museum is located at St Nicholas Circle and is open to visitors daily from 9:00 to 16:30 from February to October.

And how many interesting museums in Leicester! What is one space center National Space worth with six exhibition halls on the subject of space flight, astronomy and cosmology, with a 3-D cinema and a planetarium, souvenir shops and restaurants. But the National Gas Museum has the largest collection related to gas and gas artifacts. The Abbey Pumping Station Museum, opened in 1891, acquaints visitors with the history of science and technology over a 200-year period. And the rooms of the Belgrave Hall Museum, built in the early 18th century. and being an example of the Victorian era, will provide a glimpse into the lifestyle of the upper middle class. Of the religious monuments of interest are Leicester Cathedral and Hindu temple Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal.

At the site of the Battle of the War of the Scarlet and White Roses on Bosworth Field, the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Center & Country Park is worth a visit. Among the museums of Leicestershire, we also note the second largest after London Gallery fashion at Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville. The exhibition is divided into seven thematic areas and includes 150 mannequins that show the history of fashion from the 18th century to the present.

Leicester is the birthplace of the famous artist Marie Ann Sloan (1867-1961). An exhibition dedicated to her was held in 2016 at the New Walk Museum & Art Gallery in Leicester.

Events

Leicester captivates with its cultural and ethnic diversity, because a large Asian community lives here, and Holi, Diwali and Eid al-Fitr are celebrated as part of religious holidays. Leicester annually celebrates the day of St. George the Victorious (Leicester St. George’s Festival). It hosts the Let's Dance International Dance Festival. The celebration of the religious Hindu holiday "Diwali" (or "festival of lights"), considered the largest outside of India, marks the victory of good over evil. And every August, Leicester meets the Leicester Caribbean Carnival.

Central England - Midland

  • Where to stay: In a variety of hotels in Birmingham - it is always noisy and fun here, or in the "Queen of the Midland" and the fiefdom of Robin Hood, an old