Travel Guide Newcastle-Gateshead

280 000 inhabitants, 800 000 in the agglomeration. Newcastle is the capital of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria and the largest metropolis in the north-East of England. Originally, it was just one bastion among many, built along Hadrian's wall. But the city grew considerably in the Middle Ages, to become a fearsome military port and a thriving commercial city. The shipyards have long made the region prosper until the post-industrial crisis hits the whole country. The population then stood up to find a new, attractive and dynamic cultural identity. The 1998 Angel of the North's erection of a monumental sculpture on a former working suburb is the first strong symbol of this conversion. Two years later, the Millennium Bridge was opened on the Tyne River to connect the Berges banks to the historic centre and make it the new heart of the city. Today Newcastle has become a destination with a vibrant nightlife and several famous museums. There is a real turned atmosphere, and the change is assured, if only by the accent of the premises, that we call the Geordies.