Manchester Landmarks and Memorials

Most of Manchester’s landmarks are free to see, and several have limited opening days. Prices are in pounds sterling (GBP).

Buildings

John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate. Free. Wednesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 17:00. A neo-Gothic reading room built in the 1890s. The research room is by appointment.

Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street. Free, with a suggested GBP 5 donation. Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 16:00, Sunday 12:00 to 16:00.

Central Library, St Peter’s Square. A domed rotunda that opened in 1934. Check its hours on the library site.

Town Hall, Albert Square. Closed to visitors for restoration since 2018, with completion targeted for spring 2027. Look at it from the square.

Castlefield and the Quays

Castlefield has the Roman fort gateway at Mamucium, the canal basin and Castlefield Viaduct, a National Trust sky park that is free and open Wednesday to Sunday. Salford Quays, in the separate city of Salford, has the Lowry and the Imperial War Museum North. Get there on the Metrolink.

Memorials

These are places of remembrance, so visit quietly and do not treat them as photo backdrops.

  • Glade of Light, between the cathedral and Chetham’s: opened in January 2022 for the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack of 22 May 2017.
  • Peterloo Memorial, Peter Street: marks the massacre of 16 August 1819.
  • Alan Turing Memorial and Beacon of Hope, Sackville Gardens: the statue of the codebreaker, and a memorial to people lost to HIV and AIDS.

Music landmarks

The Haçienda closed in 1997 and was demolished in 2002. The site on Whitworth Street West is now apartments with a plaque.

Planning the order

Group the sights by area. The library, Central Library and cathedral are within a short walk of each other, Castlefield is a separate pocket south of Deansgate, and the Quays need a tram ride. Because the John Rylands Library opens only from Wednesday to Saturday, plan around that day first and fit the other stops in around it.

Seasonal note

The Christmas Markets open on 6 November in ten city centre locations, most until 22 December. Albert Square is one of them, so the Town Hall frontage fills with stalls through December.

Tip

Allow about 90 minutes for a hop-on loop on the Sightseeing Manchester bus, which leaves from the Bridgewater Hall. Adults pay GBP 15 and tickets last two days. Browse city tours on Viator .

Read more: Manchester walking tours and Manchester bus tours .

Check hours and prices with the Rylands Library page , the cathedral’s visit page and the hop-on bus operator .