A historic English city with a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire still manages to impress modern-day visitors, having recently been crowned as the most beautiful city in the world.
Coming in at first place with an 83.7 percent ‘beauty score’ based on the ‘golden ratio’, Chester has beaten other cities including Edinburgh, Bristol, Prague, Venice and even Rome to take the top spot.
The research, conducted by Online Mortgage Advisor, used Google Street View to estimate the architectural splendour of thousands of houses, landmarks and streets from around the world.
The study may have ranked cities based on bricks and mortar, but its roots lie very much in the art world.
Explaining the significance of the golden ratio in the art world, it noted: “Artists over the last few centuries have incorporated the golden ratio into their work, believing it to be a gold standard in natural aesthetic perfection.”
The city’s famous Roman walls provide a scenic two-mile walk. From their elevated position, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Chester’s streets on one side and the distant Welsh mountains on the other.
Chester is also renowned for its iconic black-and-white architecture and is home to The Rows – a unique structure of medieval two-tier buildings featuring elevated walkways. These historic structures now house many of Chester’s popular shopping galleries.
It is these iconic streets that draw visitors from all over the world, with many leaving five-star reviews on Tripadvisor.
John J was very impressed during a visit in November, saying: “Chester really is a beautiful town.” He added: “The Chester Rows are just what makes Chester. Beautiful old buildings kept in remarkable condition. Walking around and seeing the history and beauty is so enjoyable. Sampled some nice food and pubs.”
The city is also home to the Eastgate Clock which was erected back in 1897, and is widely considered to be the second most photographed clock in England after Big Ben.
Another must-see for visitors to the city is Chester Cathedral – a fully functional church with an incredible history. Home to the most complete set of monastic buildings in the country, the cathedral grounds include a Georgian square and series of streets and the remains of a Roman barracks.
When Sue.W paid a visit, she left a review calling it “magnificient inside and out”.
She continued: “This cathedral is magnificent. It is large so takes some time to get round it and do it justice. The craftsmanship inside is superb from the stone masonry to the tiled floors and the wooden carving to the stained glass.”
What is the ‘golden ratio’
Over the past few centuries, many artists have incorporated the ‘golden ratio’ into their work, believing it to be a gold standard in natural aesthetic perfection.
By using the ratio to measure buildings and iconic landmarks, the experts have been able to discover which cities in the UK and around the world can lay claim to having the most beautiful buildings.
Other British cities that passed the beauty test include London and Belfast, with respective scores of 83 percent and 82.9 percent.
Globally, Chester was followed closely by Venice, with a score of 83.3 percent; Rome, with 82 percent; and the Spanish city of Barcelona coming in with 81.9 percent on the scale.