Exchange Square, Public square in central Manchester, England
Exchange Square is an open public space in the heart of Manchester, flanked by major shopping centres and the Royal Exchange building. It acts as a pedestrian link between the Arndale Centre to the east and the Deansgate area to the west.
The square was created after the 1996 IRA bomb that destroyed a large part of Manchester city centre. The rebuilding gave the city a chance to redesign the area from scratch and open up more public space.
The square sits beside the Arndale Centre and the former Royal Exchange building, which now houses a theatre. This mix draws shoppers and theatre-goers into the same open space throughout the day.
The square is directly next to Exchange Square tram stop, served by several Metrolink lines. Since it sits in the middle of the shopping zone, visiting outside of weekend peak hours makes it easier to move around.
The square contains a bronze sculpture by artist Colin Spofforth that was commissioned as part of the post-1996 rebuilding. It stands in a central position but many people pass it without stopping, focused on the shops nearby.
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