Find out more about the world Famous Blackpool Landmarks. If you are visiting Blackpool, you don't want to miss any of these fantastic local landmarks that make Blackpool special.
The great seaside resort of Blackpool is certain to have a little bit of something for absolutely everyone! There are landmarks and attractions for fans of history, theatre, adventure, and good old-fashioned entertainment. There is no way you can possibly be bored in Blackpool!
From Blackpool's very own and special Grand Theatre, over 125 years old, to the town's stunning scenic piers, to the much-loved and famed Pleasure Beach, Blackpool's landmarks are some of the United Kingdom's most celebrated.
Blackpool Landmarks & Monuments
The Blackpool Tower
This is one you are certain to know already. Famously based on Paris' Eiffel Tower, The Blackpool Tower has become an icon of its own.
Known all over the globe, The Blackpool Tower was constructed in the 19th century, with the completion of the project in 1894. You can find the tower just off the Promenade, at the northern end of Central Drive.
Underneath the magnificent tower is a large Victorian-style building with many different attractions, including the Tower Ballroom and its traditional Wurlitzer Organ.
The final episodes of BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing are filmed here. You can explore the ballroom yourself by booking in to have afternoon tea in the space.
Blackpool Illuminations
The history of the Blackpool Illuminations dates back all the way to 1879. The first set of illuminations was just a simple row of eight small lamps positioned up on sixty-foot poles along Blackpool's seafront. Even at this point, the lights were nicknamed "artificial sunshine", and many were travelling to the town just to see them. Keep in mind; this is a year before the electric lightbulb was even introduced!
These days the Blackpool Illuminations are well over six miles long. All along the Promenade, you can discover the dazzling spectacle of the greatest light show on Earth. Every year the lights are switched on during an exciting ceremony. Each ceremony has a different celebrity switching on the lights. In the past, it has been Gary Barlow, Tim Burton, Alan Carr, and even Kermit the Frog.
Comedy Carpet
The Comedy Carpet is a relatively new landmark in Blackpool. Constructed in 2011, The Comedy Carpet is an ode to British comedy on a large scale. The art piece is a celebration of over one thousand different comedians. The carpet is packed with catchphrases, jokes, and stories from comedians dating all the way back to when Blackpool first became a famous seaside resort.
The British sense of humour is one of the nation's most admirable qualities. This is exactly why the piece was commissioned for creation by artist Gordon Young. In fact, it is one of the largest pieces of public art ever commissioned in the history of the UK. The Comedy Carpet can be found just underneath Blackpool Tower. You can't miss it.
Winter Gardens & The Opera House
This is another one of Blackpool's important and prominent landmarks that have gone down in history. Blackpool's Winter Gardens is now a Grade II listed property, meaning it isn't going anywhere.
The majority of Winter Gardens was built in the 1930s, although theatres have always been a major draw to Blackpool in this part of town since the 1870s.
The Winter Gardens are one of the most highly respected theatre venues in the entirety of Europe. The venue is regularly used for world-renowned bands and musicians, big-budget musicals, conferences, and more.
Within The Winter Gardens, there are twelve individual smaller venues. These include the Arena, Olympia, Pavilion Theatre, Spanish Hall and Opera House.
North Pier
Originally opened in 1863, North Pier is the oldest of Blackpool's three piers. Even now, all these years later, the Pier still retains its classic Victorian charm. The arcade is the first thing you will see when walking onto the Pier. Within are dozens of classic gaming machines, and you will discover even more the further that you wander down.
North Pier is also home to The Joe Longthorne Theatre, previously named the North Pier Theatre. A range of shows has been performed here over the years, including The Sooty Show, The Wizard of Oz, and comedians such as Lee Mack and Roy Chubby Brown.
At the end of the Pier sits Bloom Bar. A classy and luxurious lounge bar with excellent views of the Irish Sea and the Blackpool Tower. No bookings are required to get a seat here, and the venue is open from 11 am onwards, so you can always stop for refreshments during your day out.
South Pier
Once known long ago as Victoria Pier, South Pier first opened in 1893. This is certainly the Pier to visit if you want fun for all ages. South Pier is packed with activities for young children and adrenaline junkies alike. The Pier is home to the UK's fastest spinning wild mouse ride, named the Crazy Coaster, and the hair-raising SkyCoaster that lifts you over 100ft into the air above the South Pier.
After all these exciting thrills, you might want to give yourself some time to rest. Why not take yourself for a drink in The Gin House? Throughout the summer, they host performances by DJs and talented musicians. The bar itself is very modern, with a great menu of delicious cocktails. There is also an outdoor seating area so you can people-watch and soak in the atmosphere - weather permitting, of course.
Central Pier
The Central Pier can be found in the heart of Blackpool's stunning coastline. Here you can find a selection of attractions, including Blackpool's iconic Big Wheel. Central Pier is the ideal place for entertaining the whole family with rides, games, amusements, and even drinks for the adults.
f you need refreshments, then Central Pier's Terrace Bar overlooks the Irish Sea, so you can have a beverage with a beautiful view. In the summertime, you can enjoy DJs and live musicians performing here.
At the front of Central Pier is the amusement arcade. This place is packed from wall to wall with a great selection of classic gaming machines, with everything from hi-tech simulators to roller derby.
Pirates Bay offers even more amusements and is just a little further down the Pier. Win tickets in the various games and then trade them in for wonderful prizes.
The Wave Project
Another of Blackpool's most iconic modern landmarks is The Wave sculpture. The piece was created by m-tec as a project coordinated between the sculptor Lucy Glendinning and Blackpool Borough Council. You can find the sculpture in the centre of St. Johns Square. The art piece weighs over seventeen tonnes and stands at a height of ten and a half metres tall.
As you can imagine, just by looking at the sculpture, the piece's complex shape created a real challenge for the fabrication team at m-tec. The Wave is constructed out of stainless steel and has a curved silhouette to represent the shape of a wave breaking. The design has studded resin inserted into the steel; they are lit internally by LEDs that change lights in order to make the structure look like it is constantly changing.
Blackpool High Tide Organ
If you find yourself wandering down the Blackpool promenade a couple of hours before or after high tide, you might hear the most unusual and ethereal music floating through the air.
The Blackpool High Tide Organ was built in 2002 and was designed by two artists named Liam Curtin and John Gooding. It stands on the coast, over forty-nine feet tall, and much like other sea organs around the globe, it uses the ocean's movement to control the sound it creates.
Eight pipes are connected to the ocean through the sea wall, which is then linked to eighteen pipes contained within the body of the High Tide Organ. When the tide rolls either in or out, the air is blown up the pipes, leading to the organ producing truly otherworldly sounds.
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