I was in Liverpool yesterday to meet up for a coffee with some friends, followed by a spot of shopping (groan).

Before I headed for home on the Wirral Line, I walked down James Street to the Pier Head with the planned intention of taking some photos of the Mersey and the Pier Head. Unfortunately for me, the batteries on my camera were flat and I was unable to take a single photo!

There’s a lot of construction work still going on of course, including:

• the Mann Island development
• the new ferry terminal
• the new Museum of Liverpool 

You may not realise that the Liverpool waterfront is in fact a World Heritage site?

Such is the historical importance of the port of Liverpool that it is listed here on the UNESCO site.

The reasons cited for the inclusion of Liverpool the Mercantile City include:

• one of the world’s major trading centres in the 18th and 19th centuries
• Liverpool played an important role in the growth of the British Empire
• major port for the mass movement of people, e.g. slaves and emigrants from northern Europe to America
• a pioneer in the development of modern dock technology, transport systems and port management

Liverpool is an outstanding example of a world mercantile port city, which represents the early development of global trading and cultural connections throughout the British Empire

Note that the magnificent St George’s Plateau is part of Liverpool’s World Heritage sites entry. You’ll find some photos of the Liverpool sites here.