Penzance, Administrative division in Cornwall, United Kingdom
Penzance sits at the southwestern tip of England and stretches along Mount's Bay, facing the English Channel and the surrounding fishing villages. The old town clusters around Market Jew Street, while the harbor quarter with its quays and boat moorings extends down to the water.
The settlement received its first royal charter in 1512 and gained formal status as a town on May 9, 1614. During the Spanish–English war, a raid in 1595 burned large parts of the settlement, which later led to rebuilding in stone.
The name comes from the Cornish Pennseins, meaning holy headland, pointing to an ancient place of worship. Many residents still speak fragments of the Cornish language and maintain local traditions such as the Mazey Day festival, when streets fill with music and dance.
The town center offers a range of lodgings, shops and restaurants, while the railway station provides connections to the rest of the country. Those wishing to explore the area will find starting points for walks along the coast or inland.
The Jubilee Pool on the promenade is an outdoor swimming pool in Art Deco style from the early years of the 20th century, whose seawater-filled basins refresh at high tide. In recent years, geothermal installations have been added here that heat the water with energy from the earth.
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