Exploring Leeds Corn Exchange

I am slooooowly getting all my photos edited from my (short but busy) visit to Leeds this spring!

Today I've got some pics of the city's Corn Exchange to are with you. The Corn Exchange is yet another of Leeds' lovely Victorian buildings... but one with a slightly unusual shape:

Not often you see a round building, is it?

Completed in 1864, the Corn Exchange was a busy trading centre for over a hundred years. Farmers and merchants gathered in the large open space to trade grains and flour, and the building also hosted farmers markets and fairs.

You can still see a trace of the building's history up on the roof.

In recent years the Corn Exchange has been restored, with sweeping staircases added to allow access to the balcony and basement levels.

Isn't this a fabulous space? Gorgeous but functional and with wonderful attention to detail (like so many Victorian buildings).

Nowadays the Corn Exchange is home to cafes and lots of little independent shops. I really enjoyed exploring them all and was very tempted by some vintage clothing but (alas!) knew there was no room in my suitcase. I shall have to remember to leave space next time I visit.

Planning a trip to Leeds? Check out my posts about the Leeds Central Library, the waterside and Royal Armouries Museum, and the city's gorgeous Victorian shopping arcades.