We begin in present-day Manchester, among the glass towers and changing skyline that continue to spark debate about growth, identity and who the city is being built for. From here, we look at how recent development reflects long-standing tensions between progress, heritage and place.
Although this is a great introduction for visitors, the tour is just as much for Mancunians and people who live or work in the city centre. Local people often tell me they are surprised by how much they didn’t know about familiar streets, buildings and places they pass every day.
As we move away from the modern core, we gradually step back through earlier layers of the city. We explore how industrial expansion, wartime damage and large-scale redevelopment reshaped the streets, often erasing parts of Manchester’s past while creating the city centre we know today.
We finish by reaching the oldest surviving buildings, where Manchester first began to take shape. Here, we trace how a small settlement grew into an ambitious town, grounding the city’s modern story in its earliest foundations.
Further details about the tour can be found here.
A 2-hour walking tour meandering through the backbone of the city.