The Albert Dock is one of Liverpool’s most enduring city landmarks. Anyone planning a trip to this historic northern city will find it easy to reach, and well connected by both road and rail. Domestic flights to Liverpool from other UK cities are both frequent and affordable, and there is a great selection of hotels at Liverpool Airport.
The first proposals for the Albert Dock were submitted in 1839, by the engineer Jesse Hartley. This radical new dock was to be constructed on the western side of the existing Salthouse Dock, and was the city’s first dock to feature extensive warehouse space as well as hydraulic machinery to ease the loading and unloading of ships.
One of the most striking aspects of the Albert Dock, is the wide variety of building materials which were used in its construction. Red sandstone was shipped in from Runcorn, while the clay bricks were dug from the shores of the Mersey. Much of the strength was lent to the construction by Scottish granite from the quarry at Kirkmabreck, and was combined with iron girders, and Hartley’s own secret mortar recipe.
Work was completed on the dock in 1845, after a total expenditure of £721,756 – in modern terms, this figure equates to somewhere in the region of £41 million! The finished Albert Dock was unlike any other dock that then existed, and covered a total area equivalent to three football pitches. The dock could house ships up to a capacity of 1000 tons, and Prince Albert himself was the guest of honour at the elaborate opening ceremony.
Nowadays, Liverpool’s Albert Dock is a popular attraction for anyone on a sightseeing trip to the city. You’ll easily be able to check in to a cheap hotel Liverpool centre, and visit the dock on foot. As well as marking a revolution in the shipping trade, the Albert Dock stands as a tribute to the pioneering engineers and architects of the Victorian age.
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