Liverpool. Liverpool is another of Britain's largest cities

Liverpool is another of Britain's largest cities. Its population with the Mersyside connotation is more than one and a quarter million. Its most famous inhabitants are probably John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Liverpool has a wonderful Beatles museum which is visited daily by hundreds of Beatles's fans. Liverpool's fame in the world of football is as wide­spread as its fame in pop-music. Liverpool Football Club was the most successful European Team of the late 70s and early 80s. it won the European Cup three times and was the Champion of Britain many times.

However there is a lot more in Liverpool than just music and football. It developed very quickly in the 18th and 19th centuries as one of Britain's major Atlantic ports. It was a centre for the cotton trade and manufacturing industry, as well as the centre for ships taking part in the infamous slave trade. At one time there were seven miles of continuos docks along the River Mersey. The river itself is crossed by two tunnels: a railway tunnel built in 1886, and a road tunnel, the famous Mersey Tunnel, built in 1934. For many years ferries were the main way across the-river which has no bridges at this point. The main industries in Liverpool are shipbuilding, engineering, food process­ing and sugar refining.

Two main sights of Liverpool are its two 20th century cathedrals. One of them belongs to the Church of England and has startling modernistic paintings decorating its interior. The other which belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, is unique, in its architecture, which makes it look like a huge Indian wigwam. Liverpool is an important cultural and educational centre with two universities, many famous schools and numerous wonderful museums and picture galleries.

Though Liverpool is situated in England, to the anger of both Irish and Welsh, it is often called the real capital of Ireland and the real capital of Wales because of the large number of Liverpuddlians of Irish and Welsh descent. Today the city is well-known for the wits and humour of its people. The stereotype of a person from Liverpool is someone who is working class, has socialist political beliefs, and is good at telling jokes and making people laugh. Informally Liverpuddliand are called Scousers. The Liverpool accent is very easy to recognize and it is often called a Spouse accent.

Recently the Mersyside docklands were converted into a leisure area of parks and museums which attract thousands of tourists to the city.