Lichfield lies in the English West Midlands, nestled between gentle hills to the south and east near the River Trent. About 160 kilometres northwest of London and 25 kilometres north of Birmingham, the city serves as the administrative seat of a district of the same name. With its roughly 27,900 inhabitants, it forms a cultural and ecclesiastical centre in the region.
The city’s history goes back a long way, but its role as an Anglican bishopric has been particularly formative. A notable episode is the vision of the Quaker George Fox in the winter of 1651/52, when he described the city as “bloody” and walked barefoot through its streets to proclaim his message. Nearby, the famous Staffordshire Hoard from the 7th century was also discovered.
Lichfield is distinguished by its medieval cathedral with three striking towers, including a central tower 80 metres high, which stands on even older foundations. Alongside the cathedral, historic buildings such as Milley’s Hospital for Women and the Bishop’s Palace shape the cityscape. Famous figures like the writer Samuel Johnson and the naturalist Charles Darwin came from Lichfield, which is also well connected by transport with two railway stations and the M6 Toll motorway. Town twinning with Limburg an der Lahn and Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon underscores its international links.
