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An Introduction to Tyne & Wear

Tyne & Wear is set in the North East of England and borders with Co Durham and Northumberland. It is a county with four distinct regions all with their own character: Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead and Tyneside (North & South)

Newcastle, the capital of the North East and a great city - once in the forefront of 19th century industrial innovation, now, the forefront of technical innovation, leisure and culture.

The visitor ca wander down to the transformed waterfront, the Quayside, now lined with stylish hotels, designer bars, restaurants and public art. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, a work of art in itself, arches across the Tyne to link the City to Gateshead Quays and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

The city is home to a number of leading attractions such as Life Science Centre, Aldermans Fenwicks House and the Holy Jesus Hoispital and outsdie attraction with the nature reserves of Benwell and Big Waters. The city is also famous for its extensive night life.

Sunderland is a city with a difference - a modern, bustling centre that is balanced with a relaxing green environment, stunning coastal scenery and a refreshing attitude to life. The rapidly improving city centre has an enviable location, set right on the mouth of the River Wear next to an award-winning coastline and surrounded by easily accessible countryside and a range of outstanding heritage, cultural and sporting attractions. From its earliest foundations in Anglo-Saxon times, Sunderland has grown and prospered on the banks of the River Wear. The city's history and culture were formed by its connection to the sea and by the industry and endeavour of its people.

The city's emergence as a focus for learning and industry began in Anglo-Saxon times, when the nobleman Benedict Biscop - recently named as Sunderland's patron saint - established a European centre of learning at the twin monastic settlement of St Peter's and St Paul's. It was here that the Venerable Bede wrote the first history of England, the art of glass-making was introduced to the UK, and where the renowned Saxon Bible, the Codex Amiatinus, was produced. By the year 1500, Sunderland was one of the wealthiest towns in England and to this day it is still the largest city by population between Leeds and Edinburgh.

Sunderland's importance as a centre of industry stretches back to medieval times but it was the 18th and 19th Centuries that saw its population grow from 15,000 to 150,000. The wealth of Wearside coal and the need for ships to transport it turned Sunderland into the world's biggest shipbuilding town.

On the banks of the Wear, where once coal was loaded and ships were built, you can now take a stroll along the Riverside Sculpture Trail, catch the latest exhibition at the National Glass Centre and enjoy contemporary dining at Throwing Stones restaurant.

The legacy of this Victorian wealth is still evident in the city today. The grandeur of the city's parks can be seen at Roker and Mowbray, the latter now restored to its former glory. In the heart of the city, the elegant rows of terraces in Sunniside are now being renovated for a new generation of use as Sunderland's creative quarter.

Stunning coastal scenery, acres of green space, award-winning parks and nature reserves - it's out and about in the great outdoors where Sunderland really comes into its own with its range of varied and accessible landscapes. A stroll along one of the UK's longest stretches of city-side beaches at Roker and Seaburn will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. You can fill your lungs with fresh air at one of Sunderland's two country parks, Herrington and Hetton Lyons, and there's a wealth of interesting wildlife habitats to visit, including the wetland nature reserve at Joe's Pond and the Washington Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, where unusual and beautiful birds overwinter and breed.

Gateshead, which covers a total area of 55 square miles and extends 12.6 miles along the south bank of the River Tyne, is the largest in area of the five Tyne and Wear districts. It comprises the mainly urban areas of Central Gateshead, Felling, Dunston and Blaydon and the more rural districts of Ryton, Whickham and parts of the Derwent Valley.

The changing face of life in the late 20th Century is reflected in Gateshead as in the rest of the North East. Traditional, heavy industries have given way to high tech companies and the increase in leisure time has resulted in investment in more and better facilities in the borough.

The borough is home to Gateshead International Stadium, one of Europe's premier athletics venues and the MetroCentre, Europe's largest retail and leisure complex attracting millions of visitors each year.

Art has played a major role in changing the physical environment of Gateshead, with the borough winning many awards for its innovative public art programme. Sculptures and artworks by nationally and internationally renowned artists are sited across the borough - particularly in the award-winning Riverside Sculpture Park.

The borough's latest major commission, the Angel of the North, is Britain's largest and most impressive sculpture, towering 65ft over the A1.

The foundations have now been laid for the revival of the Gateshead Quays area, signalling the regeneration of East Gateshead:

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge was swung into postion in November 2000 by the world's largest floating crane and opened to the public at 3pm on Monday, 17 September 2001.
BALTIC, the major new international centre for contemporary art, opened on Saturday 13 July 2002. The Sage Gateshead opened in December 2004, a new centre for music performance and education.

The borough enjoys excellent communications by road, rail and air, Newcastle Airport is nine miles from Gateshead and there is direct access to the A1.