Iconic in style; immense in ambition. Liverpool’s docks dominated global trade in the 19th century, with the Albert Dock at their heart.
To this day the Mersey continues to play a central role in the city’s cultural life, with the Dock an integral part of our World Heritage waterfront.
Iconic in style; immense in ambition.
Liverpool’s docks dominated global trade by the early 19th century. When it opened in 1846, Albert Dock changed the way the docks worked here forever. Its warehouses were fireproof and secure; traders could do deals before their import taxes were due; hydraulic cranes hauled heavy cargoes across the flagstones. The speed with which ships unloaded and turned around was cut in half.
Its serene waters stretched the size of three football pitches, and construction cost the equivalent of £41 million today. From maritime to the arts, the Mersey has always played a central role in the city’s cultural life, and the Dock’s vast size stamped its imprint on the waterfront we know and love.