Manchester: Sculpture Walk, 2016

Manchester is a city of wonders. Every where you look, the buildings are beautifully constructed. From colonial architecture to gothic spirals and domes, you would find them on all houses. Even the contemporary apartment buildings have been made on the grounds of erstwhile important commercial markets or have unique designed which need to be noted. I am not an architecture student, but definitely am interested in the atistic architecture of the houses of Manchester. In fact, each architecture and sculpture has its own story. While some are symbols of power, some have been gifted and others are lone remains of flourishing trade. This post is on the Sculpture Walk of Manchester where,  I travelled to some of the known and unknown alleys of the city and captured the sculptures and its histories. I have done it only for Manchester, but every city has something to say through its sculptures and it can be conducted anywhere on Earth. 

Manchester pubs are really cool places to be in. You can sit inside on cold and windy days and enjoy the view over a glass of wine and a delicious platter. You can sit outside on the chairs provided in the pavement on sunny days and enjoy the rare natural warmth of the weather. The third thing that you can enjoy, is the architecture of the pubs. Some of these pubs have been built in the original infrastructure of the buildings. Thus, even if the interiors are modern, the outside architecture has sculptures and artworks all over it. The one taken above is from a restaurant in the Northern Quarters (It serves awesome pizzas BTW 😛 ).  This beautiful sculpture appears at the entrance to this eatery. 

This has been shot from the wall of an under-renovation building off Rochdale Street. The walls of this building is adorned by beautiful graffiti’s  and artworks.  The vents (as the one  above) has semi circular sculpted patterns. 

Travelling back to 1872, the Smithfield area, now known as the Northern Quarters housed the wholesale markets dealing in fish , vegetables and fruits. There was not a moments peace in the area . The whole street got busy since the wee hours of morning in loading and unloading items. The hustle and bustle of those markets only added to the vibrant and lively atmosphere of the place. These markets were relocated in 1973 to the Openshaw area and what remains today are the sculptures and gates of the erstwhile market. This photograph (above) is from one of the gate. Today, large modern apartments have been built to accommodate the growing population of the city beyond those gates. 

When in Manchester, do not forget to scan the buildings around you quickly. You never know which building has beautiful sculptures engraved into its walls. These sculptures were found on the walls of an office building just off the Picadilly Gardens. In fact, it is not unusual to have sculptures of the buildings’ founder’s engraved on the walls . For instance, the University of Manchester as a sculpture of its founder and so does the Town Hall of Manchester. 

This floral pattern has occupied most of the walls of another office building near Picadilly Gardens. This long column joins the ground floor with the top floor balcony. Columns are important parts of the architecture here and why waste the space by leaving it blank when you can fill it with beautiful artwork? 

Queen Victoria needs no introduction. Known as one of the longest reigning monarch of the UK, many sculptures and statues have been built to honour her. One such statue is the one sitting at the Picadilly Gardens, Manchester. The erstwhile Queen herself sat for the artist Edward Onslow Ford so that he could build her a beautiful sculpture. Unfortunately, the Queen’s statue was unveiled only ten months after her death in 1901. Today, there are other sculptures besides The Late Queen in the Gardens  but she stands tall as an overarching sculpture in a raised platform. 

This sculpture has been shot from the gates of the Hidden Gem or the St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. This is called the Hidden Gem because it is situated in a narrow alleyway away from the hustle and bustle of the daily life. In fact, it did take me quite a few rounds to find it, the first time I went there. 

Taken outside another eatery in St Anne’s Square, this sculpture deserves a place here because of its neat details and intricate carvings. I especially, liked the two cupid styled sculptures ‘up in the air’. 

These four sculptures and work of arts are scattered around the city. I found them very unusual and thought that they deserve a place in this post. The first photo (from the left) is of The Big Horn on Tib Street and Church Street junction. It symbolizes the introduction of development and newness in the city. It is built by David Kemp. The second photo is unusual as it is a sculpture made of cardboard box cartons. The third is a beautiful artistic impression constructed on the walls of a building. The fourth, is a lovely walkway in Exchange Square. It feels really nice to walk on those disorderly pavements but care must be taken with children lest they fall down and get hurt.  

I hope you like this new endeavor of mine and would support me the same way in which you like my travel posts. Do let me know  which is your favorite among these sculptures.   I would be back soon with another adventure of mine in no time.