Queen Victoria Monument, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, UK, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Queen Victoria Monument is a statue of the Queen sitting in Piccadilly Gardens, the large public green space in the middle of Manchester. It was put up after her death in 1901 and now looks out over a busy part of the city, close to the Northern Quarter and its street art.

The story behind it

Victoria was a keen artist. She began painting and sketching as a child and often drew her pets, including her favourite King Charles Spaniel, Dash. She also understood early how a monarch's image could carry political weight, which makes a statue of her a fitting neighbour for the street art of the Northern Quarter, where walls make statements just by being there.

The ground beneath the monument has a long history of its own. Before it was a garden, the site was home to the city's infirmary, and the area had a reputation as a rough and unlovely corner of town. In the early twentieth century the buildings were cleared and the site was turned into a park, which creators of local routes date to 1914. Today it is a meeting place for people of every kind, with fountains, a children's play area and plenty of places to sit.

What to look for

• The seated figure of Queen Victoria, which is the focal point of the monument and a good place to start looking at the gardens.
• The fountains and open lawns around it, which show how a former infirmary site became the city's central green space.
• The view from the gardens towards the Northern Quarter, where the lanes and alleys are covered in street art.
• The mix of people crossing and gathering in the square, which says as much about modern Manchester as any plaque.

Tips for your visit

• Piccadilly Gardens is an open public space, so you can walk through it at any time and see the monument without going inside anything.
• Ten to fifteen minutes is enough for the statue itself, but allow longer if you want to sit by the fountains.
• Daytime is best for photographs, and the gardens are busiest around lunchtime and on sunny afternoons.
• The Northern Quarter is a short walk away, so it is easy to combine the gardens with a wander through its streets, cafes and street art.

See it on a quest

Northern Quarter Manchester: Street Art & Highlights Walking Tour & Escape Game passes the monument as one stop on a longer route on foot. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you, which suits a statue that looks out over street art. One ticket covers the whole group.

Highlights of Manchester: Walking Tour & Escape Game also takes you past Piccadilly Gardens as part of a wider tour of the city centre. You walk from stop to stop at your own pace, hear the story of each place and solve a puzzle on the spot, with no guide and no group to join. One ticket covers the whole group.