Bangor, Gwynedd, a cathedral city located in North-West Wales is the oldest city in Wales. Located in the area that’s famous for its slate landscape and industry, Bangor and its surroundings have joined Egyptian Pyramids, India’s Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon by becoming a Unesco World Heritage Site back in July, 2021.
This part of North-West Wales made the list of the prestigious sites, becoming the 33rd UK’s site on the list.
The World Heritage Committee approved the UK bid and awarded Bangor, as well as some of the Gwynedd quarry areas and parts of Anglesey this prestigious title.
What’s more, the city of Bangor is also among the most cultural cities in the UK, vying to be named UK City of Culture 2025.
Aside from being recognized as a Unesco World Heritage Site, Bangor was already famous for its Garth Pier, the ninth longest pier in the British Isles and the second longest pier in Wales.
The city of Bangor is also famous for being the first-ever city to impose a dispersal order – brought in by Gwynedd Council and North Wales police – that stated that any person under the age of 16 needs to comply with a night-time curfew between 9pm and 6am. The only exception allowed is if the minor is under an effective control of a parent or responsible person over the age of 18. Those that are caught breaking this curfew could potentially be fined up to £2,500 or even face a custodial sentence.
Another interesting piece of information is that Bangor is the first city in the UK that unanimously elected Owen Hurcum for mayor in 2021. What’s especially interesting about this is that Hurcum is only 22 years old, and is the first-ever non-binary mayor of any UK city.
The question that’s regularly being posed nowadays is why should Bangor receive the title of UK City of Culture 2025 when it’s already on the map thanks to its new World Heritage status.
Well, the simple answer is that Bangor is such a multicultural city, with a plethora of amazing architecture, stunning landscape and colourful history.
So, the real question to ask would be “Why not?”. The win would bring this area more sustainable jobs and widen its tourism opportunities, which would only make Bangor even more appealing than it already is.
