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- Based in the county of Cheshire, the cathedral city of Chester attracts millions of visitors each year, with many drawn by its unique past. The history and heritage of Chester dates right back to 79AD, when it was founded as Roman fort, during which time its world-famous walls were built.
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Jan 17, 2010 · Chester is a magnet for tourists and, from amphitheatre to zoo, has plenty to offer visitors. Here are the top 20 reasons why you should visit this great city. Clock The historic clock on Eastgate Street is Chester 's best-known landmark and the second most photographed clock in Britain.
Based in the county of Cheshire, the cathedral city of Chester attracts millions of visitors each year, with many drawn by its unique past. The history and heritage of Chester dates right back to 79AD, when it was founded as Roman fort, during which time its world-famous walls were built.
Chester was originally settled by the Romans in the first century AD and called Fortress Diva, after the River Dee upon which it stands. With its imposing city walls – you can still see some of the original Roman structure – and its massive harbour, Deva rapidly became one of the most important Roman settlements in Britain.
Chester is home to some of the UK’s finest attractions, luring visitors to the city and its surrounds. The Ice Cream Farm in Tattenhall, Chester claims a Guinness World Record for having the largest ice cream parlour on the planet, where you can enjoy over 50 different flavours of the frozen treat.
- Take A Tour Through Chester’s Past
- The Grosvenor Museum
- Sick to Death
- The Roodee Racecourse
- The City Walls
- The Roman Amphitheatre
- The Roman Gardens
- St John The Baptist Church
- The Rows
- Chester Cathedral
A popular way to both explore the city and learn about its fascinating past is to take a guided tour. There are a number of options that leave from the Visitor Information Centre which is found within the magnificent Victorian Town Hall. For an extra historical titbit, you can find the Penny Post – a Victorian post box just outside the Visitor Info...
The Grosvenor Museumis full of surprises which tell the stories of Chester and Cheshire from pre-history to the 20th century. Located within a grand Grade II listed Victorian building, there are a wide range of intriguing exhibits, displays and artefacts. These include the Roman Galleries, featuring the largest group of Roman memorial stones from a...
Sick to Death is a history of medicine attraction in Chester city centre, on the historic rows and within the 16th Century St Michael’s Church. It offers a playground of plague with a smatter of splatter and a chance to poke into the medical past in a fun, interactive & unique learning experience. Visitors can explore the evolution of medicine and ...
For racing fans and historians alike, Chester’s Roodee racecourse shouldn’t be missed. Established in 1539, it’s the oldest functioning racecourse in the world and holds many fascinating stories. On the original site of the port on the River Dee – once a key port on trading routes – silt produced an island in the river, and a stone cross was built ...
Chester’s walls are the most complete in Britain and are a must for anyone interested in history. Step outside of the North Gate and you can see the original Roman foundations of the walls. The city walls really tell the story of Chester and its many occupants over the years, from the Romans and then subsequent refortifications through the Saxon, N...
Aside from the walls, the largest evidence of Chester’s Roman past is the amphitheatre, located on Pepper Street, just outside the New Gate. The site of one of the largest archaeological excavations in the UK, the amphitheatre is a remarkable and interactive display of Deva Victrix, where the local populace of up to 10,000 spectators would enjoy en...
Next to the amphitheatre, visitors will find the Roman Gardens. Established in 1949 by the then-curator of the Grosvenor Museum, the gardens display a number of artefacts from the archaeological excavation of Chester. Alongside the serene botanicals and pathways, visitors can see the remains of military buildings, the main baths including the hypoc...
A stone’s throw away from the amphitheatre and Roman gardens is St John the Baptist Church. This ancient gem was founded as the great Saxon Minster of Mercia in AD 689 by Ethelred King of Mercia, probably on the site of a Roman Christian Church or Shrine, it was enhanced in AD 907 by the daughter of Alfred the Great. St John the Baptist stands as a...
One of the most unique historical aspects of Chester are the famous Rows. These two-tiered walkways spread throughout the city from the main thoroughfares of Eastgate Street, Watergate Street, Bridge Street and Northgate Street. Constructed in many parts during the Medieval period, there is some speculation as to why they were built in this two-tie...
One of the historic and architectural standouts of the city, Chester Cathedral was founded as a Benedictine Abbey in 1092. A staple of religious and social life in the city, the Cathedral has seen a number of modifications to its architecture since its founding and the 16th Century. Inside visitors can see the fascinating development of the site th...
Chester has the most complete city walls, the oldest racecourse and the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain, plus a 1000 year old Cathedral with Europe's finest example of medieval carvings - and of course the one and only 700 year old Rows galleries where shopping is a double delight.
May 17, 2019 · Chester's Roman beginnings can best be understood by walking around the astonishingly well-preserved Roman walls and standing in the awe-inspiring Roman amphitheatre. Its importance as a medieval city can be appreciated with a visit to the flowing River Dee, a wander through the remains of its motte-and-bailey castle or a stroll along the Rows.
