Across the road from the hotel where I stay in Manchester is the biggest shopping centre in the UK. It opened in September 1998 and is called The Trafford Centre. It cost over £600 million to build and contains all the usual shops you would expect to find. What I find different is its opulence. £40,000 worth of gold leaf was used to decorate its columns and statues.
When you step inside the entrance hall it is more like a 5 star hotel than a shopping mall.
Beyond the marble staircase there is a gigantic dining area themed as an ocean liner with swimming pool and a stage.
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It's so beautiful! The outside statues remind me of some I saw in Rome. You Europeans sure know how to fancy things up. It's really beautiful inside, too. Thanks for bringing me along. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is an awesome mall!! Terrific captures for the day! I would enjoy spending time there, but of course, I'd just get in trouble -- I'd have to check my purse at the front door!! Enjoy your week!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots of shopping complex.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a fancy place! I'd have fun just walking around taking in the sights.
ReplyDeleteWow is all I can say. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteA unicorn and gold leaf! What a shopping center!
ReplyDeleteIt looks very, VERY fancy! Gold leaf does seem a tad over the top. :)
ReplyDeleteWow what a place..Thanks for the tour
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful mall, the statues are lovely! Thanks for sharing, have a lovely week!
ReplyDeleteThat DEFINITELY doesn't look like a mall! Gorgeous place! I hope the luxurious settings aren't an indication of luxurious prices though... :p
ReplyDeleteYou'd never have to go on a cruise - just to the mall!
ReplyDeleteHow very impressive a sight. Must feel a bit surreal though stepping out again. Please have a good Tuesday.
ReplyDeletedaily athens photo
wow, who have time to go in shops when there is so much to look at. And point your camera at. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing place and seems alone like a reason to visit Manchester . Of course the whole world knows the name of Trafford from Old Trafford. Perhaps I should qualify that to the whole cricket world.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a place ~ Wonderful photography ~ brings one right there ~
ReplyDelete(A Creative Harbor)
I hate to shop but that mall looks so interesting I might enjoy going there. I definitely enjoyed your shots.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely place!
ReplyDeleteGold leaf for a shopping mall? What a wonderful world we live in. Must cost a pretty penny to shop there, but I'd love to go! Thanks for sharing a part of your world with us. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful shots.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely virtual visit!
ReplyDelete£40,000 worth of gold leaf was used to decorate its columns and statues. It is beautiful. It is unique! But I would feel unhappy in such a place, when I see those poor, homeless people in the world, who depend on charity.
ReplyDeleteYou have shown a magnificent world, almost unreal. Please forgive me that I wished that world to be more sober and without so much gold.I am with EG CameraGirl: it is a tad over the top.
But thank you for showing us these beautiful photos. Thank you for your comment on Queen Beatrix's abdication. I hope that the coronation of King W-A will be a sober affair in this time of economizing. Have a great day!
Wow! What a grand place! Truly a visual delight!
ReplyDeletewow!!
ReplyDeletethe outside is almost like a cathedral
and inside is a city
amazing
You've well captured the opulence of the marble statuary &c and neatly ignored the altogther soulless shopping units - thousands of a shopaholics love the place though so commercially it is a success story - me I avoid it like the plague although I've been there maybe half a dozen times since it opened.
ReplyDeleteThose are some very beautiful statues. I enjoyed your photos!
ReplyDeleteWow! What an amazing place to visit. I've just been reading some of your other posts that I had missed and I especially like the snowy walk!
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable... Don't think I've ever seen a shopping mall quite this fancy... It does look like a fancy hotel for sure... Wow!!! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Wow ! that's unbelievable looks like out of "Thousand and one night" stories ! Never seen such a "old" new shopping center ! I am not a big fan of boutiques and stores, but this is really worthwhile to walk around ! No wonder that it was so expensive. Harrod's looks like a little shed besides this !
ReplyDeleteWhat a place! All that opulence. Harrods pales.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable, what a luxury in that place. I looks almost like a cruise ship.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't look like a shopping centre at all. I like the way you give importance with details of the statues.
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