The most captivating Unesco World Heritage sites in the world has been named, with beauty spots like the Rocky Mountains, the Galápagos Islands, and the Taj Mahal on the list.
With such big landmarks on the list, you probably think the UK didn’t even get a look-in – but weirdly, we came out in the number one spot?
That’s right. One of the UK’s 33 UNESCO World Heritage Sites managed to nudge ahead of all the others to be named the ‘most captivating’ in the entire world.
The crown has gone to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal in Wales, a former feat of Industrial Revolution engineering from which is now a tourist attraction where you can kayak across its top, 38 metres in the air.
The most captivating UNESCO World Heritage Site is also, handily, just an hour’s drive from Manchester.
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The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct placed first, ahead of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks in Canada, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and the Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia.
It was also the only UK site to make it in the top 20.
This list of winners has been drawn up by Explore Worldwide, who used eye-tracking technology to see which site held people’s attention for the longest.
And apparently we just couldn’t look away from the big aqueduct in Wales.
They said of the aqueduct, easily reachable in a day trip from Manchester: “Leading the pack of most eye-catching UNESCO sites, that promise to leave you spellbound, is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal in the United Kingdom.
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“This extraordinary feat of civil engineering, which floats over the River Dee, claimed the top spot. The Welsh landmark is the highest and longest navigable aqueduct in the world, attracting visitors thanks to its stunning views and historical significance.”
The most captivating UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct an hour from Manchester has been named the most captivating UNESCO World Heritage site in the world
1) Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, United Kingdom
2) Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Canada
3) Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea, Brazil
4) = Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
4) = Maloti-Drakensberg Park, South Africa
5) Island of Mozambique, Mozambique
6) Ancient City of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
7) = Angkor Wat, Cambodia
7) = Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán, Mexico
8) Sceilg Mhichíl, Ireland
9) Petra, Jordan
10) Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities), Japan
11) Yellowstone National Park, United States
12) Taj Mahal, India
13) Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
14) Rapa Nui National Park (Easter Island), Chile
15) Piazza del Duomo, Pisa, Italy
16) Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration (Mount Fuji), Japan
17) Historic Centre of Lima, Peru
18) Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa, China
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”