England
Things you probably didn't know about Liverpool
A port city that gave the world the Beatles and the world’s first wet dock.
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1715 — fact 1 of 5
The world’s first wet dock opened here
Built in 1715, Liverpool’s Old Dock let ships load and unload in any tide — the start of the modern port city.
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1957 — fact 2 of 5
The Beatles played the Cavern nearly 300 times
The club opened in 1957 as a jazz venue; between 1961 and 1963, four local lads made it legendary.
See what 1957 was like → -
1846 — fact 3 of 5
The Albert Dock was the largest of its kind
When it opened in 1846, Jesse Hartley’s dock and its brick warehouses were the biggest in the world — and fireproof, revolutionary at the time.
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1207 — fact 4 of 5
The city is older than you think
King John founded Liverpool as a borough in 1207, and the Mersey Ferry has crossed the river for over 800 years.
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1978 — fact 5 of 5
Two cathedrals, one street
Liverpool’s Anglican and Catholic cathedrals face each other along Hope Street — one at each end, both 20th-century giants.
See what 1978 was like →
Our Liverpool collection is part of a growing local-history library — more cities and facts are being added.