Princess Street is one of the main streets in the

city centre A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the Commerce, commercial, Culture, cultural and often the historical, Politics, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely e ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

, England. It begins at Cross Street and runs approximately eastwards across

Mosley Street Mosley Street is a street in Manchester, England. It runs between its junction with Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street to St Peter's Square. Beyond St Peter's Square it becomes Lower Mosley Street. It is the location of several Grade II and ...

, Portland Street and Whitworth Street until the point where it continues as Brook Street and eventually joins the A34.

History

It is not clear whether the street was actually named after a princess and the second part of it once bore the name of David Street. Originally a residential street it became the site of many textile warehouses and large office buildings during the 19th century. Some of these have since been demolished but most have been converted to other uses.

Route

The road is two-way as it passes Albert Square, St Peter's Square and its tram stop. It then becomes one-way southbound but with a contraflow lane for buses, cycles and taxis, and for access. After Portland Street, it becomes fully one-way southbound until Major Street, and resumes fully two-way. It then crosses the

Rochdale Canal The Rochdale Canal is in Northern England, between Manchester and Sowerby Bridge, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. Its name refers to the town of Rochdale through which it passes. The Rochdale is a broad canal be ...

, Whitworth Street, Charles Street and the

River Medlock The River Medlock in Greater Manchester, England rises in east Oldham and flows south and west for to join the River Irwell in Manchester city centre. Sources Rising in the hills that surround Strinesdale just to the eastern side of Oldham M ...

where it becomes Brook Street and then immediately Upper Brook Street.

Notable buildings

* Northern Assurance Buildings on the north side *

Manchester Town Hall Manchester Town Hall is a Victorian era, Victorian, Gothic Revival architecture, Neo-gothic City and town halls, municipal building in Manchester, England. It is the ceremonial headquarters of Manchester City Council and houses a number of local ...

on the south side * The Athenaeum, on the north side, 1837, Grade II*, architect Sir Charles Barry * Princess Buildings, on the south side * The Pickles Building on the north side, Portland Street corner * Former Mechanics' Institute 103 Princess Street, 1854, Grade II*, architect John Edgar Gregan (the location of the founding meeting of the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union center, national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions that collectively represent most unionised workers in England and Wales. There are 48 affiliated unions with a total of ...

and in the 20th century the College of Commerce and later the National Museum of Labour History). * Central House, on the south side * Asia House on the south side, Whitworth Street corner, 1910, architect Harry Fairhurst *

Lancaster House Lancaster House (originally known as York House and then Stafford House) is a mansion on The Mall, London, The Mall in the St James's district in the West End of London. Adjacent to The Green Park, it is next to Clarence House and St James ...

on the south side, Whitworth Street corner

History

Route

Notable buildings

See also

References

Further reading