Great Britain, Brighton – A Walk on Amazing Shoreline

The historic Brighton Bandstand is currently used for various social events such as weddings and ceremonies. During the season there are regular musical performances. On the upper floor you can enjoy panoramic views of the English Channel while you can enjoy coffee in the lower floor.

But we headed in the opposite direction, to the iconic Palace Pier. Along the way we passed the slowly disappearing West Pier, which was inaugurated in 1866. The pier, 240 meters long and 94 meters wide, was supposed to attract many tourists for curative stays, later for various concerts, play corners, attractions or refreshment stalls . There were also popular tea rooms.

At the time of the greatest boom over 2 million people came here. The popularity of the pier began to decline after World War II, when the maintenance costs and the lack of interest of investors gradually caused its closure. Since 1975, West Pier began to deteriorate, and in the early 21st century, much of it broke into the sea. Destruction continued in the following years, when the pier burned twice. Despite several efforts to save the devastated monument, this masterpiece was declared irreparable. Therefore, you should hurry to visit this site, the naked torso will not resist natural forces for a long time.

In a few minutes we reach the fully functional Palace Pier. Before visiting this attraction we stop at the 2.5-meter Afloat artwork. A bronze donut-shaped globe allows you to see the world through a statue.

Soon we are standing in front of Brighton Palace, as Palace Pier is commonly called. An extraordinary colossus was built as a replacement for the former main Pier Pier, which was destroyed during a storm in 1896. You can still see its remains at high tide.

The current recreational pier has been a place of social entertainment since 1899. Even today, there are theater and music performances, after 1986 added an amusement park with attractions (including a large roller coaster, wild river rafting or horror hotel at the end of the pier), which attracts up to 4 million tourists annually. Palace Pier once also offered health spa and relaxation services (reading rooms). Even the legendary Stan Laurel, Charlie Chaplin and the modern band Spice Girls performed. In 1994, a bomb set up by the terrorist organization IRA was destroyed in close proximity to the pier.

The entrance to the pier is from Old Steine, town's main road. More than a half-kilometer pier, which illuminates over 67,000 bulbs, ranks among the fourth most popular “free” attractions in Britain. So if you want to experience a day full of great fast food and adrenaline attractions in a seaside atmosphere, Palace Pier is the right place to be at.

In a week we'll move to the Royal Pavilion in the city center.

GPS: 50°49'08.2"N 0°08'11.4"W

Text: Oskár Mažgút

Photos: Beata Firicová, Pixabay.com