Royal Leamington Spa

Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa or Leamington usually [ lɛmɪŋtən ] abbreviated, is a spa town in central Warwickshire in England. Leamington Spa has 42 304 inhabitants ( 2001) and is named after the River Leam which flows through the city. Leamington Spa is the administrative headquarters of the District of Warwick.

Leamington is the most popular place in the southern half of Warwickshire ( which is almost divided into two parts of Coventry, part of the new West Midlands county, ) and has better shopping than other cities of the same size. The city is growing rapidly, especially towards the south. Many inhabitants commute from Leamington to Coventry (16 km north) and Birmingham ( 40 km northwest ).

Many students and employees of the University of Warwick in Coventry, live in Leamington; the city therefore has a strong nightlife with a large number of restaurants and bars, from cheap to extravagant.

Leamington is a thriving city with Georgian and early Victorian architecture. Especially the numerous Georgian townhouses give Leamington a significant appearance. As a result of the growing population of the town is bordered by now to the neighboring town of Warwick. From some inhabitants, the city is colloquially called Leam.

History

Leamington is a relatively young city, which virtually did not exist before the 19th century. Until the early 1800s the town was little more than a village. At the turn of the century the healing power of the healing water was rediscovered ( which had already been known to the Romans ) and Leamington boasted such a source.

1814, the Royal Pump Rooms and Baths were opened close to the River Leam which flows through the city. This wonderful location attracted many visitors, who hoped by a dip in the saltwater pool filled with relief from their various aches and pains. Leamington quickly became a popular spa resort which attracted the rich and famous; as a result, numerous town houses were built in the Georgian style, to accommodate the visitors.

The reputation Leamingtons spread rapidly. After a visit by Queen Victoria, whose statue still stands in Leamington, the city received in 1838 the words " Royal".

The use of the pump rooms changed over the years. From about the end of World War II until 1996, she served as a medical center. In 1996, the city administration the facility and converted the building into a cultural center. Here is an art gallery ( Leamington Art Gallery ), a museum, a library and the tourist information and a café.

In the middle of the 19th century spa towns went out of fashion. Nevertheless, Leamington remained a popular place to retirees and wealthy residents who moved here from Coventry and Birmingham. Because of its wealthy population Leamington became a popular place for shopping.

In 1901 the population of Leamington had grown from almost nothing to nearly 27,000. During the 20th century, the population continued to grow over 42,000.

In 1983, the city was awarded the European Prize for their outstanding efforts to the European idea of ​​integration.

Neighboring towns

  • Warwick - 1.5 km west
  • Whitnash - 1.5 km south
  • Cubbington - 1.5 km northeast
  • Stratford- upon- Avon - 16 km southwest
  • Kenilworth - 10 km north
  • Rugby - 23 km northeast
  • Birmingham - 40 km northwest.

Twinning

  • Sceaux, France (since 1969)
  • Brühl, Germany ( since 1973)
  • Heemstede, Netherlands (since 1987)

Also made ​​friends with:

  • Leamington, Ontario, Canada
  • Bo, Sierra Leone

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Ernest Belfort Bax, socialist journalist and philosopher
  • Aleister Crowley, occultist, mystic, poet, artist, artists, managers and social critic
  • Benjamin Anthony Foster, Football Player
  • Terry Frost, Artist
  • John Richard Hicks, economist
  • David Hobbs, race car driver
  • William Lyons, car manufacturer and founder of Jaguar Cars
  • Jack Payne, orchestra director and TV presenter
  • Ernest Renshaw, tennis players
  • William Renshaw, tennis players
  • Robert Simpson, Composer
  • Sir Bernard Spilsbury, pathologist and forensic pathologist
  • Henry Tandey, recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decorated British private of the First World War
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