Top 10 Tourist Places In Leeds
1. Civic Quarter
The pedestrian area is known as City Square, famous for its numerous statues, and serves as the heart of Leeds’ Civic Quarter. Figures of the Black Prince and inventor James Watt are among them. Nearby is Joseph Priestley Church, as well as the magnificent Town Hall, which Queen Victoria dedicated in 1858. Its front is adorned with a lovely Corinthian colonnade, dominated by a 200-foot-tall clock tower, and its ornate Victoria Hall is frequently used for concerts. Leeds Art Gallery, located in Victoria Square, is a must-see for art enthusiasts. Its superb collection of British artists includes 750 paintings by J.S. Cotman (1782-1842), works by Constable and Gainsborough, and Italian and French masters such as Courbet, Renoir, and Signac. The Henry Moore Sculpture Galleries feature works by the artist as well as contemporary artists Jacob Epstein and Barbara HepworthLeeds Art Gallery, located in Victoria Square, is a must-see for art lovers. Its superb collection of works by British artists includes 750 paintings by J.S. Cotman (1782-1842), as well as works by Constable and Gainsborough, as well as Italian and French masters such as Courbet, Renoir, and Signac. The Henry Moore Sculpture Galleries feature works by the artist as well as his contemporaries Jacob Epstein and Barbara Hepworth.
2. The Headrow
The Headrow is a pedestrian-friendly half-mile that contains many of the city’s best shopping, civic, and cultural attractions. Leeds Town Hall is perhaps the most notable structure here. It was completed in 1858 and served as a model for countless civic structures throughout the United Kingdom and its empire (occasional tours are given).
Headrow connects to Westgate, Eastgate, and Quarry Hill, all of which have important cultural attractions. The West Yorkshire Playhouse, the largest producing theatre outside of London, and the Grade II-listed Leeds City Varieties, the world’s oldest music hall, are among them.
The Grand Theatre, an opera house that houses Opera North, is another theatrical landmark.
3. Briggate
The Briggate district is well-known for its historic shopping arcades, many of which are architecturally significant. Grand Arcade, completed in 1897 and home to a number of small boutique shops, and Thorntons Arcade, completed in 1878 and notable for its clock with four life-size figures, are two to visit.
Queens Arcade, which opened in 1889, is home to high-end designer and novelty shops, whereas County Arcade, which opened in 1903, features marble floors, intricate stonework, and elegant iron domes. The crown jewel is undoubtedly Queen Victoria Street, which, despite being only arcaded in 1990, has the largest expanse of stained glass in Europe.
4. The Royal Armouries Museum
The Royal Armouries Museum, located in the city’s dock area, houses Britain’s national collection of arms and armor. The museum covers 3,000 years of armor and weaponry from around the world, with over 8,500 objects on display in six impressive galleries
The Tournament Gallery showcases the splendor (and brutality) of medieval jousting tournaments (it’s also where you’ll find Henry VIII’s full-body armor), and the impressive Oriental Gallery, with many fine examples of arms and armor from Africa and Asia, are highlighted. There’s even a collection of weapons and swords from the blockbuster film The Lord of the Rings.
5. St. John the Evangelist’s Church
St. John’s in New Briggate is the most beautiful of Leeds’ many lovely churches, as well as the city’s oldest. Its interior, which was built in 1634, is notable for having two naves as well as an original Renaissance rood screen, pulpit, and stalls.
St. Anne’s Cathedral, the Roman Catholic cathedral in Cookridge Street (built-in 1904), and the Georgian Church of Holy Trinity on the riverbank in Boar Lane are two other religious sites worth visiting in Leeds (1727).
Check out the Parish Church of Saint Peter-at-Leeds as well. This medieval church, also known as Leeds Minster, was rebuilt in 1841 and is the city’s oldest parish church.
6. Leeds Corn Exchange
Leeds Corn Exchange, one of only three such structures remaining in the UK, is regarded as one of England’s finest Victorian-era structures. Cuthbert Brodrick designed the building, which was completed in 1864, and it now houses an eclectic mix of independent boutique shops, galleries, and cafés.
7. Harewood House
Harewood House, the Earl of Harewood’s seat, is a magnificent Georgian country house that took 30 years to complete and was finished in 1771. This spectacular home, located eight miles north of Leeds, features interiors designed by Robert Adam, fine wall and ceiling paintings by Angelika Kauffmann, and furniture by renowned English furniture maker Thomas Chippendale.
It has a large number of valuable works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and El Greco, in addition to an outstanding porcelain collection. Outside, the grounds include a Capability Brown-designed landscape with a 32-acre lake, a bird garden, and the ruins of a 12th-century castle.
8. Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills
The former Armley Mills is located on Canal Road, two miles west of Leeds city center. This massive structure, once home to the world’s largest woolen mills, now houses the excellent Leeds Industrial Museum. The museum tells the fascinating story of wool production in Yorkshire since the 18th century, as well as exhibits on textile and clothing manufacturing, printing, engineering, and locomotives. Spend some time exploring the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which connects these two major industrial cities. This remarkable feat of engineering, which stretches 127 miles and even crosses the Pennines, includes 91 locks on its main line. Thwaite Mill, a meticulously restored watermill in nearby Stourton, is also worth a visit.
9. Temple Newsam House
Temple Newsam House, a magnificent 40-room Tudor-Jacobean mansion in Leeds, is a must-see. It is famous for being the birthplace of Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary Queen of Scots, and is set in a sprawling 900-acre park on the city’s outskirts.
A variety of Old Master paintings, furniture by Thomas Chippendale, and collections of Leeds creamware and silver are among the interior highlights. The beautifully manicured grounds with their magnificent rose bushes and rhododendrons, as well as one of Europe’s largest working rare breeds farms, are exterior highlights. On-site is a café that serves afternoon tea and other refreshments.
10. Thackray Medical Museum
The fascinating and recently renovated Thackray Medical Museum is a must-see. This fascinating museum, located next to St. James’s University Hospital, houses a collection of 20,000 medical artifacts and depicts the evolution of medicine throughout the ages.
Displays include an authentic recreation of a Victorian-era slum area in Leeds, complete with the sights, sounds, and even smells that would have permeated such neighborhoods. Other exhibits cover topics such as healthcare and surgery, as well as childbirth. On the premises, there is a café and a shop.
