Top Ten Things To Do In Leicester

There are many exciting and fascinating places to visit in Leicester as well as a variety of interesting things to do such as the Arch of Remembrance, ruins of the Leicester Castle, Leicester Cathedral and Curve Theatre and much more.

 

1. Learn The History of Leicester Cathedral

Leicester Cathedral also known as The Church of Saint Martin was built on dedication to a Roman officer who became a Bishop. This Cathedral was built on the ruins of the Roman era and it is estimated that it was built during 1086-1867. King Richard’s III remains were buried in this Cathedral after they were discovered and thus houses King Richard’s tomb. The interior of the church is antique with a hint of Gothic style. From Vaughan Porch statues to beautiful windows, this Cathedral is certainly a famous landmark of Leicester.

 

2. Enjoy A Play Or Two At Curve Theatre

Curve Theatre is a place where amazing plays brew. It is a huge theatre of performing arts! It is located in the centre of the cultural quarter. Curve Theatre hosts a variety of up and coming works such as musicale and is constantly in search of new talent. It is a beautiful theatre as well as a hub for artists.

 

3. Make New Friends At The Twycross Zoo

The Twycross Zoo is an exciting place for all animal lovers! From dogs to the exotic and rare animal, The Twycross Zoo has a variety of species, such as giraffes, leopards and cats, and it is the only Zoo in the UK to house all species of great ape. This Zoo now also houses some of the many endangered and nearly extinct animals in the world and their new residents are the endangered Sumatran tigers and their names are Jahly and Sialang.

 

4. Explore The Foxton Locks

Foxton Locks is another landmark of the city of Leicester. It was built in 1814 and is an extraordinary feat of engineering. The Foxton Locks has the biggest staircases locks and was originally referred to as the Grand Union Canal.

 

5. Take A Stroll Through Bradgate Park

If you’re a fan of spooky things then Bradgate Park is certainly the right place for you. Situated at the south east side of Charnwood forest is this old York like setting where you’ll find the Bradgate Park and a two story gothic like tower which is called Old John Tower. This tower is where Queen Lady Jane was born and the legend has it that her ghost can be seen on New Year’s Eve when a spooky coach leaves the gothic tower and Lady Jane visits the Saint churches.

 

6. The Instagrammable Stoneywell Cottage

The Stoneywell Cottage is one picturesque place in the city of Leicester. Located deep in the Charnwood Forest, making the cottage accessible on my foot. It is surrounded by wildlife and greenery. It was designed by a British architect, Ernest Gimson. Only local materials were used in the construction of this majestic cottage and it is Leicester’s first National Trust House. One can only imagine how many trees surround this place!

 

7. National Space Centre

The National Space Centre, as its name suggests is a space research program that is affiliated with the University of Leicester. The National Space Centre is also a museum and an educational Centre of space science and astronomy. It has one of three Soyuz spacecraft and has six galleries. The National Space Centre is located near the River Soar on the North side of the city. You can enjoy many activities here such as space flight and cosmology! 

 

8. The Jewry Wall And Its Ancient Origins

Jewry Wall is a ruined and ancient wall of the Roman century (2-century) in Leicester. As Leicester is an old city which has seen many civilizations it is bound to have historical landmarks. It lies to the west of St Nicholas Church and on the left of the Wall, you can see the Jewry Wall Museum as well.  Interestingly, The Jewry Wall was also featured in the famous game ‘Assassin’s Creed’ as an ‘Old Bath House’.

The Jewry Wall is an important artefact of Roman rule and dates back to as far as 30 AD, it is also one of the oldest and most tremendous pieces of the Roman civilization. There’s much contradiction on why the Jewry Wall was built. Some say it was dedicated to the god of Janus and some claim that this Wall is just a part of the famous public Roman baths and the ruins of these baths lie nearby the Wall.

 

9. Ruins of The Leicester Castle

Built around 1070, Leicester Castle is a Medieval Castle where John of Gaunt and his wife stayed and passed away. This Castle was used for many centuries. Leicester Castle has the same name as the city and is situated in the west of the city. Many kings and royalty stayed at this Castle and it became an official Royal residence later on. However, in the 15th century, it was no longer a place of residence but instead, it became a courthouse where sessions of Parliament of England were held. Now the ruins of this Castle are a famous landmark of the city of Leicester.

 

10. Pay Tribute At The Arch of Remembrance

Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a well known and leading designer of his time, Arch of Remembrance is a memorial dedicated to the World War 1 servicemen. It is located in Victoria Park, Leicester, in the Midlands of England. It is a beautiful stone arch with four legs. The arches are designed in such a way that the sun shines through them majestically at the sunrise of 11th November, Armistice Day. The Arch is located at the highest visible point of Victoria Park and can be seen from all the way from far away from roads such as Lancaster and London road. 

The arches have various inscriptions on them from the Hymn “O Valiant Heart” remembering the lost ones of World War 1. This melancholic poem is still recited to this day when paying tribute to the fallen soldiers and the lost lives of World War 1.

 

Top Ten Facts About Leicester

 

1. Other Than India The Biggest Diwali Festival Is held In The City of Leicester

Leicester is a very diverse place and is home to many people. 28% of Leicester’s population is Indian or of an Indian origin. Diwali is an important cultural event for Hindus and they readily celebrate it throughout the world. Many people attend this majestic celebration so you don’t need to be Indian to celebrate Diwali. This Diwali festival in Leicester goes on all day and has a bunch of exciting activities from dancing to musicals and food stalls.

 

2. It Is Believed That The English Language We Speak Today Everywhere In the world originated from Leicester

Many scholars claim that the English language was first used in the city of Leicester 1000 years ago. It is believed that when Saxons and Vikings decided to seize their fighting and set aside their differences, they started sharing resources and merging their trades and thus their languages were also eventually shared amongst them and that is how the English language was born.

 

3. The Radio Was First Broadcasted In Leicester Although Without A Valid License

The birthplace of radio was Leicester and the first broadcast happened in 1967 from BBC radio in Leicester and they launched the broadcast with a jingle followed by a speech by the Post master General, the Right Hon Edward Short and a special guest, the Lord Mayor of Leicester.

Interestingly, this broadcast was carried out from ships off the coast because they wanted to avoid acquiring a UK license for broadcast.

 

4. The Traffic Lights of Leicester - The Most Cautious City In The UK

According to many people, Leicester has the most traffic light in the entirety of the UK cities. It was also the first UK city to install traffic lights around.

 

5. Pink River Soar

The famous River Soar used to have a hint of pink in its water and this was due to Leicester’s industrial era where many textile manufacturing would take place. Water used to be an important element for the manufacturing of textile products so the mills were constructed on the riverside or near it and thus the waste would float down to the river which ultimately stained the river with pink colour. 

Now the River is fortunately clean and thriving with fish and plants. Although, many people would love to see a pink River in today’s world.

 

6. Largest Covered Market in Europe And The Oldest (Oldest Functioning)

The Covered Market of Leicester is around 700 years old and it’s been based in the same place for centuries! It is also the biggest covered market in all of Europe. This market is a haven for people who are looking to shop for fruits and veggies on s budget. It is also an extremely diverse market that has a variety of ingredients to accommodate the diverse population of Leicester and has over 300 stalls.

There’s also an indoor food stall area where you can enjoy many famous things such as Melton Mowbray pork pies. Gary Lineker used to work at Lineker fruits and veg stall which is a family owned stall with his dad in this market.

 

7. The Roman Baths From The Iron Age

Leicester is certainly one historical place where the Romans used to live and the structures they built can still be seen today such as the Romans Public Baths near the Jewry Wall they built. The Romans built these when they came to settle down in Leicester during the Iron Age. Unfortunately, now you can not take a dip in these baths although it is understandable if you want to.

 

8. The Most Diverse Street Is In Leicester

Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in the UK and it is no surprise that it also has the most diverse street in England. According to the researchers at the London School of Economics, Narborough Road is the most diverse street in England. It has 222 shop units and it was found that the owners of these units come from 22 countries around the world.

 

9. Leicester Is One Of The Oldest Cities In The World

The city of Leicester is centuries old. It dates back to approximately 2,000 years where Romans settled down in Leicester. The Romans were from an Iron Age from around 1-2 BC. This city is so old that the English language we speak today originated from here. There are many places to explore the Iron Age of Leicester such as the Roman baths and the Burrough on the Hill which dates back to 100 BC and has an astounding view of the countryside.
10. The Most Heaviest Man In the World Was From Leicester

Daniel Lambert, a jail keeper, started gaining weight in his adulthood and eventually he weighed 52 stones 11 pounds which is 739 lb and 335 kg. He became famous for his unusually large size and appearance. Daniel Lambert came up with a brilliant plan when he started gaining a tremendous fan following of that time which in turn led to his fame. He moved to London to make money off of his size and put himself on the show and many people would come to visit him at his apartment just to get a glimpse of the world’s largest man, he was so popular that it was a normal occurrence to see a queue of people outside of his apartment every day! He suddenly died in Stamford and in his coffin, 112 square feet of wood was used as well as a wheel to accommodate his large size. Due to his large physic, his coffin was buried with a lot of difficulties using a crane like a machine to pull it down. Now Daniel Lambert’s armchair, clothes and walking stick are on display at the Newarke Houses Museum.