Throwback Thursday: The Royal Liver Building, Liverpool

The Royal Liver Building is a Grade I listed building at Liverpool’s Pier Head. In 1907 the Royal Liver Group decided it needed a new headquarters and the Pier Head was chosen with building beginning in 1908 and the official opening taking place in 1911.

The building remained the company’s HQ until it merged with the Royal London Group in 2011. The building was sold in 2016 and now houses lots of different companies.

One of the first buildings in the world to be built from reinforced concrete it is perfectly symmetrical and has entrances on all four sides. The clocks on the towers are large enough that mariners on ships could tell the time from them – they’re the largest electronically driven clocks in the UK.

At the top of each tower is a statue of the mythical Liver Bird designed by Carl Bernard Bartels – apparently the birds are often called Bella and Bertie.

You can find some more photos here.