Blackpool Tower

Blackpool Tower stands on the Central Promenade in Blackpool, Lancashire. It is a red-brick entertainment complex that includes a 158-metre tower, the Tower Circus, the Tower Ballroom and roof gardens. The buildings were designed by architects James Maxwell and Charles Tuke and completed in 1894. Five million Accrington bricks and more than three thousand tonnes of steel went into its construction. The tower’s base is hidden by the circus building, which covers over five thousand square metres. The tower was once the tallest man-made structure in the British Empire. John Bickerstaffe, a former mayor, took control when the company ran short of money and saved the project. Nearly £300,000 was spent to build it, and by 1896 the company had made a £30,000 profit. In 1920 the corroded steelwork was replaced, and in 1998 a half-tonne glass floor panel was installed at the top. Visitors ride lifts to the observation deck 120 metres above the ground. The Tower Top offers views across the coast and the surrounding area. The Tower Circus still presents daily performances in its domed building. The Tower Ballroom hosts events in a grand setting with a sprung maple floor. Roof gardens provide a quiet space above the busy promenade.