| Sea Liverpool facts | Liverpool was granted its charter in 1207 by King John, who recognised its natural potential as a port. The first commercial wet dock in the world was Canning Dock, built in Liverpool in 1715. The city's evolution has been so tightly bound to the water that surrounds it that in September of 1928 city officials organised an official wedding ceremony that would actually marry the two together, and thereby solemnise their everlasting partnership. In a perhaps not wholly un-eccentric ceremony the then Lord Mayor of Liverpool dropped a four foot high laurel wreath into the River Mersey, followed by a gold covered bronze ring which measured 20cm in diameter. The bells of St Nicholas Church rang out a wedding peel, and the wedding party made its way back to the Town Hall to celebrate. Like all good marriages the city and the sea have had their dark and stormy moments as well as periods of relative calm and prosperity. From ranking amongst the richest ports of Europe in the 19th century, mass unemployment blighted the city towards the end of the 20th century. Much of it was due to the decline of the docks and ship-building industry. By 1990 unemployment rates were as high as 30% in some parts of Merseyside. Liverpool's famous waterfront was awarded World Heritage status by the United Nations in July 2004. World Heritage Sites are selected by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. The area covered includes the waterfront, the commercial district - an area of warehouses and merchants' houses around Duke Street -and the cultural quarter around William Brown Street. The award means that Liverpool's waterfront now ranks alongside other world-famous monuments like the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Grand Canyon.
Work on the new £10 million Cruise Liner Terminal close to Liverpool's Pier Head starts in April 2005. The terminal should be ready to welcome its first cruise liners in 2006, when Liverpool is expected to become a regular port of call for major cruise holiday companies. Liverpool Sea 2005 is part of the Sea Britain 2005 festival; a special, memorable year celebrating Britain as a seafaring nation and highlighting its enviable maritime heritage. The year marks the bi-centenial celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar, the decisive battle of the Napoleonic wars, and one which saw victory in death for Admiral Lord Nelson.
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The city鈥檚 third Capital of Culture themed year is packed full of suitably watery events. Highlights of the year long festival include the 25th annual Mersey River Festival, the start of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and the bi-centennial celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar.
 | | The Grand Turk, man-o-war |
The maritime themed year is part of the 鈥楽eaBritain 2005鈥 festival 鈥 a year which will celebrate Britain as a seafaring nation and highlight its enviable maritime heritage. The year also marks the bi-centennial celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar 鈥 the decisive battle of the Napoleonic wars, and one which saw victory in death for Admiral Lord Nelson. As part of the festival the River Mersey and stunning Pier Head, which recently received World Heritage Status from UNESCO, is set to become the focal point of Liverpool life. Sir Bob Scott, chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: | "The river is a central hub for life in Liverpool in the 21st century." | | Sir Bob Scott, chairman of the Liverpool Culture Company |
鈥淵ear Of The Sea is fundamental to our preparations as European Capital of Culture. The Mersey and its stunning waterfront is a major asset to the city and will host many of the celebrations in 2008. 鈥淥ne of the major successes of 2008 should be the repositioning of the river as a central hub for life in Liverpool in the 21st century.鈥
 | | Ferry 'cross the Mersey |
But Liverpool鈥檚 evolution has always been defined by its relationship with the sea. The city takes its name from the 鈥榩ool鈥 or inlet around which the port was initially established. The 鈥榣iver鈥 part of the name is thought to refer to the muddy or reddish colour of the water. King John granted Liverpool its charter in 1207, and the Mersey initially served as a despatch point for troops sent to Ireland.听 For several centuries the port saw a slow but steady growth. The 18th Century saw a massive expansion. London was suffering from post-plague and Great Fire fallout, and the country desperately needed a new port of discharge for cargoes.听 Liverpool was the obvious choice. Its proximity to the Atlantic meant it was seen as the gateway to the New World.
 | | A river boat gets a surprise passenger |
Trade passing through the Port of Liverpool was varied, and strong trade ties linked the city with the West Indies, North America, Africa, Europe, India and China. These trade routes were reflected by the city鈥檚 diverse collection of religions and cultures, and Liverpool became one of Britain鈥檚 first multi-cultural cities. By the middle of the 18th century Liverpool was the biggest slave port in the whole of Europe. Ships were loaded with cotton, woollens, guns iron and alcohol and set sail for Africa where the goods were exchanged for slaves, ivory and gold. The slaves were then sold in the Caribbean and the USA, or traded in return for sugar and cocoa.
 | | The Clippers leaving Liverpool |
Although Liverpool was essential to the slave trade, the slave trade was not essential to Liverpool. Even at its height less than 10% of outbound shipping was bound for Africa. Nonetheless it affected the lives and fortunes of millions of people. The nature of the port changed again when the slave trade was abolished in 1807. People-moving of a different kind became the city鈥檚 major industry. Between 1830 and 1930 millions of hopefuls 鈥 English, Scottish, Irish, Swedes, Norwegians and Russian Jews - set sail from the Mersey docks. Many of them chose to stay in the city 鈥 notably the Irish, thousands of whom had left Ireland during the potato famine.听听听 During the Second World War Liverpool鈥檚 proximity to the Atlantic came into play again, and it served as the gateway for transatlantic supplies. This is one of the reasons that it was heavily bombed during the war. Liverpool was also home to the Combined Headquarters of the Western Approaches, which coordinated the transatlantic convoys and battle against German U-boats.
 | | The Albert Dock |
Post World War 2 the city went into serious decline 鈥 mainly because its life blood, work at the port and in the docks, dried up. Recent years have seen serious injections of cash however, and the city鈥檚 urban renaissance, which includes success stories like the regeneration of the Albert and Stanley Docks, is visible all around us. The city鈥檚 relationship with the sea is the key ingredient in terms of its regeneration, and the new 拢10 million Cruise Liner Berth at the Pier Head 鈥 due to open in spring 2006 鈥 is just the start. Check out our Sea Liverpool 2005 Events page (link at the top of the page) for a guide to some of the major events taking place throughout the year, and follow the other links听 for more on them as well as more about Liverpool鈥檚 maritime history. | 
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