Bristol is situated in south-west England, bordering Somerset on one hand and Glocester on the other. IT has a population of 449,300 as of now. Bristol had an earlier name as Brycgstow meaning “the place at the bridge” somewhere in the 11th Century. Many great explorations of the world are said to have started from Bristol.
Bristol's econony relies on the creative media, electronics and aerospace industries. Bristol’s city-centre docks have been redeveloped. The city has the largest circulating community currency in the U.K.- the Bristol pound. The city is home to two universities. Some artistic and sporting organisations and venues are also located in Bristol.
History
Bristol is said to have been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age as a number of archaeological findings have revealed this fact. Bristol started off as a trade centre in 1020 AD that produced silver pennies. By the 11th Century, it developed as a port. The stone bridge built in 1247 AD from where Bristol gets its name was replaced in 1760’s. Black Death, a plague in the 14th Century, reduced the population of Bristol to almost half.
Between the 15th and the 16th Century, Bristol became the second most important port with links to Ireland, Iceland, and Gascony. The Diocese of Bristol came into being in 1542. In the 20th Century, the population of Bristol went up to 428,089 by 1971. Before this Bristol went through a time during the Second World War when it saw massive damages from the German and Nazi armies. Bristol, after the Second World War, emerged as a modern city of the 1960’s and 70’s. It had a number of skyscrapers, modern architecture and road improvements. In the 1980s the Georgian-era Queen Square and Portland Square were restored. The Broadmead shopping area was regenerated. The city centre's tallest mid-century towers saw demolition and some roads were closed as well. Also saw the M4 and M5 motorways being developed during this time. These highways link Bristol with London , Swansea , Exeter and Birmingham .
Sports
A number of teams that represent Bristol in different games including cricket and football are based in Bristol. The football clubs of Bristol are Bristol City and Bristol Rovers. The other clubs based in Bristol are Bristol Rugby (Rugby Union) and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is based at and plays the majority of its home games at the Bristol County Ground. The BCG is only major international sports venue in the south west of England. The Gloucestershire County Club was founded by the family of W. G. Grace and it is Bristol's most successful club. It has won nine trophies and became the most formidable one-day outfit in England. The club also won in 1999 and 2000 both the Benson and Hedges Cup and the C&G Trophy. In 2000 it went on to win the Sunday League and in 2015 the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Since 2014, The Bristol Flyers basketball team have competed in the British Basketball League. Bristol Aztecs play American Football in the BAFA National Leagues. After an absence of 17 years, Bristol started playing ice hockey once again in 2009 with the Bristol Pitbulls who played at the Bristol Ice Rink. Bristol hosted the 2001 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships also. The athletic clubs in Bristol are Bitton Road Runners, Bristol and West AC, and Westbury Harriers. Bristol has hosted the starting and finishing stages of the Tour of Britain cycle race. In the 2012 London Olympics, various facilities were used as training camps. The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, a major UK hot-air ballooning event, is held each summer at Ashton Court.
