The city of Bristol has been one of England’s economically and culturally leading cities over the last many centuries and it hosts a number of interesting sights. Not least, the trade along the river has made its mark since industrialization, and the artificially created river port now forms an environment for many cultural activities, promenades and simply boasts a nice atmosphere.
There are several museums in the city. Among them is the great ship SS Great Britain, which was the world’s largest when constructed in 1843. You can also get the story of the English colonial history in the city, which also offers art, entertainment and really good shopping.
Bristol’s location on the River Avon is stunningly beautiful. Immediately west of the city core, the rocks rise majestically at the banks of the river in Avon Gorge, which is one of the area’s unforgettable scenic places. Here you can enjoy the view or start a tour through the western part of Bristol, which offers Victorian architecture and other things worth seeing.
The city is also the gateway to wonderful trips into south west England. You can easily reach the towns of Bath and Wells. Bath’s hot springs attract many tourists and it can be a stop on the way to Stonehenge. And in less than an hour you can reach the Welsh capital of Cardiff in the other direction.
The City
Founded Bristol originated as a town in the 11th century, then by the name of Brycgstow, which means the place by the bridge. As the name suggests, it was a transitional site and after the actual settlement was established, the castle of Bristol Castle was erected in defense of the area. Already in the 12th century the river Avon was used as a port, and not least the English trade with Ireland went this way.
The first growth
The city flourished, and production and shipbuilding were some of the things that attracted more and more people to the city. By the middle of the 1300s, Bristol with up to 20,000 inhabitants had become the third largest in the country; only surpassed by London and York.
However, the population decreased, not least with the plague’s intake in 1348-1349. This gave a setback to the development, but the population remained above the 10,000, which was a larger city by the scale of the time.
In 1373, King Edward III announced that the city of Bristol should now and forever be the city of its own region, Bristol County, and it was the first recognition of the city’s status as the center of the South West Anglia.
Navigation and voyages of discovery
In 1497, Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto sailed from Bristol to America. Caboto was hired by England and is called here by John Cabot. The journey was to be the first since the Viking era when Europeans set foot on the American mainland. Bristol had England’s second largest port and lay to the west, so it was a natural place to start the trip on the ship Matthew. Cabot is believed to have landed at Cape Bonavista on the island of Newfoundland.
In 1542, Bristol received commercial property rights, and on the same occasion the Abbey Church of St. Augustine exalted to the status of the city’s cathedral. Bristol again saw a growth that lasted for the following centuries, interrupted only by the English Civil War in the mid-17th century, where both fighting and disease broke out.
It was not least the colonial trade that brought growth to England and to Bristol from the 17th and 18th centuries. There was a lot of money in the slave trade, and by the 18th century about 2,000 slave ships were getting ready in Bristol to sail from Africa to North America.
Industrialization
Stopped for slave trade in 1807, war with France and English industrialization, which started in the new industrial cities of central and northern England, gave competition to traditional economic centers such as Bristol, and plans were made for the expansion of the city’s port, so the tide in The Avon River was not an obstacle to constant shipping.
The harbor was built, but in Bristol some industry also grew, and through the 19th century the population exploded from 66,000 in 1801 to more than 300,000 at the turn of the century.
One of the industries that emerged in the 1900s was aircraft production, and because of that, Bristol became a bomb target during World War II.
The industries were of course the specific targets, but also central Bristol around Broadmead and Bristol Castle was heavily bombed, and you can still see preserved ruins from that time.
Post-war Bristol
In the post-World War II era, Bristol has been marked by two things; partly the reconstruction of the city core and partly the relocation of the primary port to the town of Avonmouth at the mouth of the Avon River. The reconstruction of the city center has, among other things, created the Broadmead shopping center, and then preserved the central park where Bristol Castle used to be.
A major change in the city was created with the relocation of the industrial port from the old Floating Harbor in the middle of the city to Avonmouth, located eleven miles along the River Avon to the northwest. The old port areas are now increasingly giving the city a new spirit hole with newly constructed walks and good experiences along the water.
Overview of Bristol
The city of Bristol has been one of England’s economically and culturally leading cities over the last many centuries and it hosts a number of interesting sights. Not least, the trade along the river has made its mark since industrialization, and the artificially created river port now forms an environment for many cultural activities, promenades and simply boasts a nice atmosphere.
There are several museums in the city. Among them is the great ship SS Great Britain, which was the world’s largest when constructed in 1843. You can also get the story of the English colonial history in the city, which also offers art, entertainment and really good shopping.
About the upcoming Bristol travel guide
About the travel guide
The Bristol travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the English city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.
Bristol is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.
Read more about Bristol and England
Buy the travel guide
Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.
Use the travel guide
When you buy the travel guide to Bristol you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.
Bristol Cathedral • Avon Gorge • Floating Harbour • SS Great Britain
Overview of Bristol
The city of Bristol has been one of England’s economically and culturally leading cities over the last many centuries and it hosts a number of interesting sights. Not least, the trade along the river has made its mark since industrialization, and the artificially created river port now forms an environment for many cultural activities, promenades and simply boasts a nice atmosphere.
There are several museums in the city. Among them is the great ship SS Great Britain, which was the world’s largest when constructed in 1843. You can also get the story of the English colonial history in the city, which also offers art, entertainment and really good shopping.
About the upcoming Bristol travel guide
About the travel guide
The Bristol travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the English city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.
Bristol is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.
Read more about Bristol and England
Buy the travel guide
Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.
Use the travel guide
When you buy the travel guide to Bristol you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.
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