Monuments in Manchester

Walking through the streets of Manchester you will come across a number of statues and monuments. In this post, we have rounded up some of the weird and wonderful monuments on display in Greater Manchester. How many have you seen?

Abraham Lincoln Monument Manchester

Abraham Lincoln, Brazennose Street. The statue of Abraham Lincoln is one of two statues that were given to Manchester by the people of America as a memorial following the assassination in 1865. It was originally displayed at Albert Square but moved for several years before being re-sited next to the main entrance on South Parade (now renamed ‘Albert Square’).

Alan Turing Memorial Manchester

A bust of Alan Turing is situated in Sackville Park and commemorates his achievements in science and mathematics with particular reference to computing machinery. Created from bronze, it stands upon an octagonal pedestal surrounded by tiles bearing excerpts from letters written by Turing during World War II when he led efforts at Bletchley Park decoding German military machine messages: ”

The Vimto Monument – Granby Row

The Vimto Monument – Granby Row is a site in Manchester, England, which memorializes the inventor and his soft drink. The monument consists of a giant bottle made out of pink marble that stands at twelve meters high. It was unveiled on May 19th 1992 to commemorate 100 years since the first batch was created by Noel Nichols.”

LS Lowry – Sam’s Chop House Manchester

“In 1937 LS Lowry sketched this portrait from inside Samuel’s Chop House restaurant located on Cross Street. He drew people eating lunch next to him through an open window. The drawing captures some typical features; for example two low-life customers seated below and sporting flat caps are caricatures drawn with thick lines and heavy shading while their less colourful companions.

It’s not uncommon for people to be drawn into educational opportunities when they are visiting monuments or historical sites. I found this especially true when we visited Alan Turing memorial earlier today as I learned more about one of Manchester’s most influential sons from reading some excerpts from letters he authored during World War II while leading efforts working with Bletchley Park decoding German military machine messages.

Next Post: Beetham Tower Manchester