Exchange Square, Manchester facts for kids
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| Maintained by | City of Manchester |
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| Location | Manchester, England, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 53°29′04″N 2°14′35″W / 53.48444°N 2.24306°W |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1996 |
Exchange Square is a lively public space in Manchester, England. It was created after a major event in Manchester in 1996. This big project involved moving two pubs to make space for a new Marks & Spencer store.
Today, Exchange Square is a very popular spot for shopping. You can find famous department stores like Selfridges and Harvey Nichols here. It's also home to New Cathedral Street, the historic Corn Exchange, and an entrance to the Manchester Arndale. The Arndale is one of the busiest shopping centres in the whole United Kingdom.
Near the square, to the north, you'll find The Printworks and Urbis. Urbis is now the home of the National Football Museum. To the west, there's Shambles Square with the old The Old Wellington Inn and the beautiful Manchester Cathedral. To the south, you'll see New Cathedral Street and the Royal Exchange.
Getting Around: Tram Travel
The square has its own tram stop called Exchange Square tram stop. This stop is part of the Manchester Metrolink network. It opened in December 2015.
The tram station connects you directly to places like Oldham, Shaw & Crompton, and Rochdale. Work on this tram line started in 2014. The entire tram route, known as the Second City Crossing, opened on 26 February 2017.
The Giant Wheel of Manchester
A large Ferris wheel was first set up at Exchange Square in 2004. It was known as the Wheel of Manchester. This first wheel was later taken down. A second wheel was then put up in May 2007.
The most recent wheel was run by Great City Attractions. It had 42 passenger cabins and stood 60 metres (about 197 feet) tall. There were plans for an even taller 91.4-metre (300-foot) wheel in 2008, but it was never built. In 2010, Manchester City Council suggested a huge 120-metre (394-foot) wheel. This new wheel was meant to replace the existing one. It was later moved to Piccadilly Gardens until 2015.
