Manchester was once mainly known as an industrial city and as home of one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world. But now Manchester is definitely England's second city with a cultural life to rival that of Londres. Manchester is also home to the world famous Beegees and Oasis.

The City of Manchester is a major city and metropolitan borough in the North of England, historically notable for its central role in the Industrial Revolution. Today it is a centre of the arts, the media, higher education and commerce. The metropolitan borough has a population of 437,000, whilst the Greater Manchester Urban Area is home to 2,240,230 people.

The city centre, concentrated around Piccadilly, has had a new impulse with the establishment of several famous brand stores, including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. And every Christmas there are European Christmas Markets in Albert and St Ann's squares - a little taste of Viena in England. While you're in Albert Square you can take a tour of the fantastically gothic Town Hall - often used in movies and television.

Chinatown, near Piccadilly Gardens, offers, besides several shops, charming eating houses where excellent food is served. A few miles south of the city centre, in Rusholme, fans of Indian food will find plenty of restaurants along the famous "curry mile".

Manchester is home to two of the largest universities in the UK, The University of Manchester (formerly Victoria University and UMIST) [3] and Manchester Metropolitan University (aka 'Man Met') as well as the Royal Northern College of Music.Together they create a body of over 65 thousand students living full-time in the city.

Manchester is famous all over Europe thanks to its two world-class football clubs, Manchester United (Old Trafford) and Manchester City (City of Manchester Stadium, Sportcity). Old Trafford is also home to the Lancashire Country Cricket Club.

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