Brighton

Brighton  is the major part of the city and unitary authority of Brighton and Hove (formed from the previous towns of Brighton, Hove, Portslade and several other villages) on the south coast of Great Britain. Formerly part of the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex, it remains part of the ceremonial county of East Sussex, within the historic county of Sussex.

The ancient settlement of Brighthelmstone dates from before Domesday Book (1086), but it emerged as a health resort featuring sea bathing during the 18th century and became a destination for day-trippers from London after the arrival of the railway in 1841.

Interesting places

The Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion is a former royal residence located in Brighton, England. It was built in three campaigns, beginning in 1787, as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales, from 1811 Prince Regent. It is often referred to as the Brighton Pavilion. It is built in the Indo-Saracenic style prevalent in India for most of the 19th century, with the most extravagant chinoiserie interiors ever executed in the British Isles.

Grand Hotel

The hotel was designed by architect John Whichcord Jr., and built in 1864 on the site occupied previously by a battery house. It was originally built for members of the upper classes visiting Brighton and remains one of the most expensive hotels in the town. Among its advanced engineering features at the time was the "Vertical Omnibus", ahydraulically powered lift powered by cisterns in the roof. This was the first lift built in the United Kingdom outside London, where only two others had been installed. The building itself is an example of Italian influence in Victorian architecture.

There are 201 rooms in the hotel, including 8 singles, 115 standard twin and standard double rooms, 31 sea-view twin and sea-view double rooms, 42 "sea-view deluxe" rooms and 4 sea-view suites, including the "Presidential Suite". It offers bespoke conferencing facilities for up to 800 guests. The largest room is the Empress Suite, which has a capacity of 800 guests. It is commonly used as a matrimonial venue for weddings. The hotel's 43ft yacht, the AnnabelOlivia, can be used for corporate functions. It was awarded 5 star status in 1988.

Brighton Wheel

 The Brighton Wheel, also known during its planning and construction phase as theBrighton O and the Wheel of Excellence, is a transportable Ferris wheel installation erected in October 2011 on the seafront in Brighton, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. It has planning permission to remain in place until 2016. Situated below the East Cliff near Brighton Pier and built with private funding, its promoters anticipate that several hundred thousand visitors per year will experience the 12-minute ride. The wheel's location in a conservation area with many residential buildings has proved controversial.

St Nicholas' Church

The Church of Saint Nicholas of Myra, usually known as St. Nicholas Church, is an Anglican church in Brighton. It is both the original parish church of Brighton and the oldest surviving building in Brighton. It is located on high ground at the junction of Church Street and Dyke Road in the city centre, very close to the main shopping areas. Due to its architectural significance the church is a Grade II* listed building.

The ancient Southover Priory in Lewes was responsible for the church from the end of the 11th century until 1537, when the last prior surrendered it to the Crown. In 1540, it passed to Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex; in 1541, following his death by execution in July 1540, the advowson was granted to Anne of Cleves; and finally, in 1558, the Bishop of Chichester gained it. The holder of that title has been the patron of the church ever since.

The Brighton Beach

The seafront has bars, restaurants, nightclubs and amusement arcades, principally between the piers. Being less than an hour from London by train has made the city a popular destination, especially with big party groups. Brighton beach has a nudist area.

Brighton's beach, which is a shingle beach up to the mean low tide mark, has been awarded a blue flag. The Monarch's Waylong-distance footpath heads west along the seafront above the beach.