Chester, In England, Takes You Back To The Middle Ages

The population of Chester, in England, is one of those cities that should not be missed by anyone who travels early in Great Britain.  Practically bordering the territory of Wales, it is a city that can simply be defined as beautiful and with the enormous capacity to immediately transfer us to the times of the Middle Ages.

How to get to Chester

At the beginning we said that Chester is a must for all those who travel early in England. Well, that can be done both by car and by public transport.

If you do it this way, you can reach this beautiful town by train or bus from two of the great English cities: Manchester and, above all, from Liverpool, which is just 40 kilometers away.

Brushstrokes of Chester’s history

To understand the current aspect of Chester you have to be clear about a few notes about its historical development. A story that dates back to Roman times, since it was the Latin troops who created a camp in this area on the banks of the River Dee, and its valuable walled enclosure is preserved from those times.

That was the origin of the city, but the splendor would come between the 12th and 14th centuries, when the city was a busy seaport. A situation that, however, Mother Nature caused to vary.

Little by little that port was filled with sediment, at the same time that the sea receded. Thus, over the years, what was a busy port was finally rendered useless for commercial navigation, which meant a halt in the development of the city, and that it remained anchored in better times.

Landmarks in Chester

1. The Norman Cathedral of Chester

Surely, next to the Roman walled enclosure, the Norman Cathedral is the great monument of Chester. A work that began in 1250 and that not only keeps architectural elements from that distant thirteenth century, since the construction lasted for three hundred years.

It also preserves its Gothic choir with an incredible stalls, which was already carved in the following century and which is a national jewel.

2. Eastgate Street

This road is the quintessential tourist walk in the city, since it is home to peculiar half-timbered houses.

Also in it are some unique commercial galleries called The Rows. Some galleries originated in the thirteenth century that supposed the presence of shops on high floors already covered from the inclement weather. To access them we recommend that you go to The Cross square.

At that point where Eastgate and Bridge streets meet, a large cross rises. The view from here is amazing, since just by squinting our eyes it can seem that we have traveled back in time to the Middle Ages. Give it a try!

3. Chester’s clock

As a curiosity, we will tell you that the most photographed clock in the world is London’s Big Ben. And the second (or so they say) is here: a wrought iron clock on Eastgate itself, the “east gate. ” I’m sure you take a photo too.

The clock is on a raised arch in the place that one of the medieval gates of the city occupied. However, the watch was assembled in 1872 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee.

4. Chester Neo-Gothic City Hall

This magnificent building was erected in the second half of the 19th century. Inaugurated in 1862, this beautiful building replaced the old town hall, a building built in the 17th century that suffered a fire.

You’ve already seen it, Chester is a city not only with an interesting history, but also with charming places and corners that are worth visiting. If you have time on your trip to England, write it down as one of the essential excursions. You will not regret it!