The metropolitan county of West Yorkshire lies to the north of England within Yorkshire and the Humber region. It has a population of over 2 million and borders Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. West Yorkshire consists of five metropolitan boroughs (City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, City of Leeds and City of Wakefield). There are 3 cities in West Yorkshire, namely Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield and this article aims to provide a brief overview of each.

Bradford
Bradford was one of the many English towns which became prosperous during the Industrial Revolution. Its multiculturalism gives the city a real edge, with exciting restaurants and nightlife but there is also a historic depth to Bradford that is often unappreciated. Bradford's oldest building is the cathedral, which for most of its life was a parish church. Bradford also boasts some fine Victorian buildings. there is the City Hall (with statues of rulers of England unusually including Oliver Cromwell), the Wool Exchange (now used as a bookshop), and a large Victorian cemetery at Undercliffe. There are also a number of architecturally historic hotels that date back to the establishment of the two railway lines into the city centre, back in Victorian times. Bradford's main art gallery is housed in the grand Edwardian Cartwright Hall in Lister Park and Bradford Industrial Museum celebrates and explains the significant achievements in Bradford's industrial past, from textiles to the manufacture of motor cars.

Leeds
Leeds is one of the largest cities in England and the foremost industrial city of the West Yorkshire conurbation with Leeds City station being one of the busiest in the UK outside central London, with over 900 trains and 50,000 passengers per day. Leeds has two railway lines offering direct services to London and a large modern bus station served by National Express and local bus services. There are good connections by road, rail and coach to Hull, from where it is possible to travel to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge by ferry. Leeds also has excellent transport links with the rest of Yorkshire and the UK.

Leeds has a fabulous reputation for great shopping, a lively nightlife and an energetic, cosmopolitan buzz. It has gained a reputation as one of the UK's favourite clubbing destinations and is often described as the UK's 'clubbing capital', being a popular 'Stag' and 'Hen Weekend' destination and also the original home of the pioneering club nights Back to Basics, Speedqueen and SubDub.
There is also has a well established gay nightlife scene. With its large student population Leeds also boasts a multitude of venues for live bands such as The Cockpit, New Roscoe, Joseph's Well, The Brudenell Social Club and The Wardrobe which combine to generate a vibrant and nationally renowned nightlife.

Wakefield
Wakefield was the capital of Yorkshire's woollen industry for more than 700 years and was an important weaving and dying centre. It is an excellent base from which to explore ancient castles in the area, including Pontefract Castle and Sandal Castle. Wakefield is a city by the River Calder, in the City of Wakefield metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Wakefield was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1848 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. Wakefield Cathedral is a 14th century parish church, which was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. Wakefield is less celebrated, but nevertheless well known, for its prisons. Wakefield Prison is a maximum security prison, one of the most secure in Britain, and has included many notorious inmates including Ian Huntley, Harold Shipman and Charles Bronson. Wakefield city-centre is also host to a small art gallery and a museum.

So, there you have it, a whistle stop tour of the cities of West Yorkshire. This brief article barely does them justice. The only way to truly appreciate how wonderful they are is to visit them and see for yourself. The truth is they have way more to offer than what is written here, so you may find that once there you wouldn't want to leave.

By: Andy Bowen

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Andy Bowen is webmaster of ukreccy.net, your guide to Cities, Towns and Villages in the UK. Why not visit now to discover even more places to see in West Yorkshire.