Friday, December 11, 2009

Newcastle Upon Tyne - A Vibrant Cultural City

By Frederick Hoymer

Located in the county of Tyne and Wear, Newcastle upon Tyne has often been hailed as the most exciting city in the north east of England. Now it is developing a reputation as being one of the most exciting cultural centres that exists outside of London.

No matter how old you are you will find that Newcastle has something it can offer to you. For those visitors that enjoy history you will find more listed and protected building within Newcastle's boundaries than any other city in the UK, at least this is what the locals are fond of telling you. Even today you can stroll down 19th century streets that follow the course of the River Tyne, but it must be stated that the new developments are far more in number than the old.

Newcastle is different from a lot of cities in that it is still easy to find your way around by foot. Conveniently the main sights and attractions are within walking distance of each other. Even if you do happen to get lost, any local person would be willing to get you back on track - the only problem you will have is digesting the strong local accent.

If you spend a few hours exploring the city's streets you are likely to come across public sculptures, open air concerts, street theatre, and poetry readings. Newcastle's importance is also reflected by the wealth of treasures on display in the museums and galleries.

For a lot of people when you mention Newcastle an image of the bridges over the River Tyne is conjured up. Now the horizon has been forever altered with the construction of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. This uses a very clever double parabola design which can move to allow taller ships to pass.

Newcastle has been associated with sea trade for centuries. This is partly why today you will find such a mixed culture within the city's boundaries. The openness with which the locals tolerate others is welcome as is the wealth of architectural styles and buildings that are on offer. You can find Medieval, Roman, Georgian, Victorian, and Jacobean building styles along side structures created by world famous architects such as Sir Norman Foster.

It is easy to travel to Newcastle. There are excellent road and rail links to the rest of England. For international travellers there is an airport within an hours reach. When it comes to having a break from the city you can easily spend any number of days exploring the beautiful coastline of this part of the UK.

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