Piccadilly Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens is the big open square on the edge of Manchester's Northern Quarter, and the city's main meeting point and bus and tram hub. It's not a quiet garden, but it's useful to know: most visitors pass through, and its statues and history are worth a pause.
Photos
Choco P
From infirmary to open space
The ground was once water-filled clay pits. The Manchester Royal Infirmary stood here from 1755 until the hospital moved out and the building was demolished after 1908. In the 1930s the site became a sunken garden with rose beds and cherry trees, which many older Mancunians still remember. A public esplanade with a fountain and statues came first, in the 1850s.
The 2000s redesign
Between 2001 and 2003 the sunken garden was filled in to create a flat lawn, with a water feature and a concrete pavilion and curved wall by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The design has had its critics: part of Ando's wall was taken down in 2020, and further redevelopment with more greenery has since been proposed, so expect change.
Using the gardens
Look out for the statues of Queen Victoria, Sir Robert Peel, James Watt and the Duke of Wellington. The Piccadilly Gardens tram stop and bus station make this the easiest place to get around from, and Piccadilly station is about half a kilometre away. The Northern Quarter's cafés and bars start just across the road. It's a lively, sometimes chaotic space, so keep an eye on your belongings at busy times.
Highlights
- Former site of the Manchester Royal Infirmary
- Pavilion by architect Tadao Ando
- Statues of Queen Victoria, Peel, Watt and Wellington
- Main bus station and tram stop
Good to know
- Piccadilly Gardens tram stop and bus station are on site.
- Manchester Piccadilly rail station is about 0.5 km away.
- Redevelopment has been proposed, so parts may change or be fenced off.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: en.wikipedia.org