The Headrow, Leeds

The Headrow - one of Leeds' principal streets - stretches for roughly half a mile through the city center. Its history goes back to at least 1560, when it marked the northern boundary of medieval Leeds. The name comes from its position at the "head" of the old town. Today, the street forms part of a continuous east-west route, connecting Westgate and Eastgate.

At the western end, the most recognizable landmark is Leeds Town Hall, a grand Victorian building with a tall clock tower, completed in 1858. Across Calverley Street, on the same side of The Headrow, Leeds Central Library stands in an ornate 19th-century building. Immediately beside it is Leeds Art Gallery, known for its British art collection. Next to the gallery, the Henry Moore Institute is easy to identify by its modern, polished black granite exterior. Named after the Yorkshire-born sculptor, it specializes in sculpture exhibitions.

In front of these cultural buildings, facing The Headrow, is Victoria Gardens, a broad paved public square. Its main feature is the Leeds City War Memorial, dedicated to those who lost their lives in wartime. The square also serves as Leeds' traditional Speakers' Corner, where public gatherings and demonstrations take place.

Now, face east, toward the shopping district. Across The Headrow, on the northern side, is The Light, a large entertainment and leisure complex, occupying a collection of historic buildings. Its entrances lead into a covered interior with restaurants, a cinema, and the Radisson Blu Hotel. Continue east along The Headrow to see its busier commercial side, lined with large stores and former department store buildings.

Farther east, watch for Dortmund Square, a small pedestrian square just off The Headrow, with an entrance to St John's Shopping Centre. Its most recognizable feature is a bronze statue of a man carrying a beer barrel, known as the Dortmund Drayman, or simply the "Barrel Man." Created by German sculptor Arthur Schulze-Engels, it was presented to Leeds by its twin city, Dortmund. The square received its present name in 1980, celebrating friendship between the two cities since 1949.