The city of Manchester is one of England’s most notable destinations. It is famous both among tourists and students. Known as one of the UK’s most diverse cities, Manchester boasts inclusivity and celebrates an array of different cultures. The city has the best of both modern and ancient entertainment venues. It has a great selection of restaurants, museums, art galleries, shops, and so much more, making life in the city full of excitement. As a student, you’ll enjoy a high-quality education at Manchester’s universities, including the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University. But, what else makes Manchester stand out as a city? Here are 10 fun facts about Manchester we think you’ll love!

1. A Degree in Mummy Studies? Sign Me up!

As a student, you might find yourself seeking degrees in unusual majors. If you’re a history buff or enjoy mythology tales and fables, especially those of the ancient Egyptians, then you’ll be pleased to know that you can get a degree in Mummy Studies. Unique only to the University of Manchester, you can major in and get a certified degree in Mummy Studies. Mummy Tissue Bank, housing a substantial collection of samples, histological slides, and wax-mounted blocks of human tissue from a variety of ancient civilisations that practised the art of mummification, can also be found there.

2. Notable Manchester Native: Vegetarianism

Of the numerous things that originated in Manchester, Vegetarianism definitely makes the top of the list. The story of how Vegetarianism was born is one bathed in irony. The story goes that Reverend William Cowherd preached the moral virtues of a vegetarian diet, and thus Cowherd’s followers, the Cowherdites, went on to form the Vegetarian Society. To add to the irony, the church to which they belonged, which then went on to be the first ever vegetarian church, was called The Beefsteak Chapel.

3. Stay Educated: The First Free Public Library

The first free public library in the nation was opened in Manchester back in 1653. Chetham’s Library has since been a notable Manchester attraction and a great asset to students, researchers, and avid readers. The library holds vast collections of around 100,000 books including 60,000 that were published before 1851.

4. Ironically a Manchester Native: Captain America

His name might be Captain America, but the character came to the screen from Manchester. The first solo movie for the character, Captain America: The First Avenger, was mostly filmed in the UK around Dale Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The city, and specifically this district, was chosen as the buildings closely resembled 1940s New York City. Captain America was not the only film shot in Manchester, the city served as the filming location for other projects like Peaky Blinders, Life on Mars, Sherlock Holmes, and The Crown.

5. A Curry for Every Occasion

Manchester is known for housing the largest concentration of Indian restaurants outside of the continent of Asia. In Manchester’s famous Curry Mile, you’ll find a huge variety of Indian restaurants where you can get a tasty curry at any time during the night and day. Contrary to its name, the Curry Mile is not a mile long, it is, however, barely half a mile long. 

6. A Manchester Wonder: 60-Year Old Soap Opera

This Manchester-born TV show is old enough to be your parent! Having been on the air for over 60 years, Coronation Street is a landmark of British television; it follows the regular daily lives of people in the fictional town of Weatherfield and is set in Manchester.

7. ManCity or ManUnited? The Million Dollar Question

Back in 1888, specifically at Manchester’s Royal Hotel in Piccadilly, the world’s first professional football league was born. Ever since then, Manchester has been a renowned city for football fans everywhere. The city birthed two of the world’s most famous Premier Football teams, Manchester City and Manchester United. Football fans would enjoy their time in Manchester, especially at the National Football Museum, which houses decades-worth of football memorabilia. 

8. Fancy Yourself a Detective? Manchester is Your Playground!

The streets of Manchester host a unique outdoor experience that is organised by Cluedupp Games every year. This one-of-a-kind experience allows you to be a real-life detective for the day! Anyone can take part in this game, often dubbed CSI Manchester; the whole city is considered the playing ground and over a million people participate in it, it is the epitome of fun and adventure! 

9. A City Bathed in Tunes

Music is an important part of Manchester’s culture, and the music scene there is thriving. Manchester is home to a number of big names in the music industry, bands like Oasis, The Smiths, The Chemical Brothers, Take That, and The Blossoms are among the several musicians Manchester birthed. Manchester is also known as the official birthplace of Indie Music, being home to iconic bands such as Simply Red, The Hollies, Joy Division, New Order, and The Stone Roses among many of the other big names in Indie Music.

10. Vroom Vroom at The Midland Hotel

Being one of Manchester’s most famous hotels, The Midland Hotel has been an attraction and a destination for visitors for years. The hotel is famous for several reasons, the most important of which is being the birthplace of the Rolls Royce. The story goes as follows: back in 1904, a car salesman by the name of Mr Rolls bumped into an engineer by the name of Mr Royce, and together they decided to found the automotive company that we know today by the name of Rolls Royce. So, besides Indie Music, the Football League, and Captain America, we also owe Manchester for the Rolls Royce!

Manchester is a city with a lot of hidden gems under its sleeves waiting to be discovered. From culture, history, and architecture to music, media, and education, Manchester thrives on its diversity and the variety of attractions and destinations it has to offer. So, if you’re headed to Manchester to pursue an education, it doesn’t hurt to know those 10 fun facts about the city so you can enjoy your time there even more!