Southampton’s numerous and varied cultural features

Posted by admin on April 11, 2012, filed in: Health

When it comes to culture, Southampton has plenty to keep even the most active heritage enthusiast entertained.

The city is generally quite a youthful place thanks to all the students who live there, but there is more to the destination than student bars and academia. The south coast city is popular with tourists of all ages and provides a great deal of interesting outings for people staying at the nursing homes Southampton has available.

While it has only had city status for close to 50 years, Southampton has a rich history stretching back for centuries that people can still see today in certain places – for instance, the Bargate was originally built in the 12th century, although it has been amended over the years.

For more examples of interesting architecture, check out the remains of the city walls or walk up to the Guildhall. The latter is a popular performance venue and hosts some of the biggest shows in the region, while the Mayflower stages theatrical fare.

If people are keen to see organised collections of cultural artefacts, then they can head to the City Art Gallery, John Hansard Gallery or Sea City Museum – which was created to showcase Southampton’s connection to the sea. The new building for this museum is also an unusual piece of architecture.

The city’s location by the sea has meant its cultural history is often marine related, whether it is the destination’s past as a spa town or its role as the departure point for the ill-fated Titanic’s journey. A stroll along the seafront will show visitors that Southampton is still an important ferry and cruise liner terminal.

For a potted history of the city, people can follow the QE2 Mile, which runs from the Cenotaph Great War memorial past a number of notable sights – such as the QE2 Anchor – and finishing by the Red Funnel ferry terminal. Along the way, several plaques have been put up to highlight parts of the area’s past.