• The Clifton Suspension Bridge is Bristol's most famous landmark.bristol bridge image by Svetlana Miko from Fotolia.com
  
  Bristol, the United Kingdom's eighth most populated city, is 13 miles northwest of Bath. The city is known primarily for its maritime history and the landmarks that attract tourists from all over the world. Bristol is England's fourth most-visited city.
  
  

Clifton Suspension Bridge

• The Clifton Suspension Bridge is the most famous landmark in Bristol and is used as the city's icon. It has its roots in a competition held in 1830 for the design of a bridge to be erected over the city's gorge. The contest was won by a 24-year-old engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and was his first major commission. The construction of the bridge was dogged by numerous political and financial difficulties over the years, and Brunel died prematurely before he got a chance to see the project completed. The Clifton Suspension Bridge finally opened to the world in 1864. Guided tours of the bridge and its two towers can be booked in advance.
  
  Clifton Suspension Bridge
  Bridgemaster's Office
  Leigh Woods
  Bristol BS8 3PA
  UK
  (+44) 117 974 4664
  clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk
  
  

Bristol Zoo Gardens

• Situated over 12 acres in Clifton, the Bristol Zoo Gardens is home to over 450 species of animals. It has the distinction of being the world's fifth oldest zoo, and is the oldest zoo outside of any capital city in the world. In 2004, the Bristol Zoo Gardens was awarded Zoo of the Year by the Good Britain Guide. Bristol Zoo Gardens is open every day except Christmas Day. For those who feel that zoos are morally dubious places, note that ten percent of your admission fee goes towards a wildlife conservation fund.
  
  Bristol Zoo Gardens
  Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA
  UK
  (+44) 117 974 7399
  bristolzoo.org.uk
  
  

Brunel's SS Great Britain

• Now dry-docked in Bristol's Great Western Dockyard near the floating harbor, Brunel's SS Great Britain was the world's first iron-hulled, steam-powered, screw propeller-driven passenger liner. Brunel constructed it in 1843. A visit to this Bristol landmark takes you back in time to the 19th century, exploring the experiences of Victorian-era passengers and crewmembers. In 2006, Brunel's SS Great Britain was awarded the UK's biggest arts prize, the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year.
  
  Brunel's SS Great Britain
  Bristol, City of Bristol BS1 6
  UK
  (+44) 117 926 0680
  ssgreatbritain.org/Home.aspx
  
  

Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery

• Situated next to the Wills University building, Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery is housed in an impressive Edwardian structure that contains an array of archeological objects as well as permanent and temporary art exhibitions. Like all museums in the UK, entrance to Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery is free. The Museum has an on-site café and shop. For families with young children, "family friendly" areas are dedicated to dinosaurs and wildlife.
  
  Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery
  Queen's Road
  Bristol
  BS8 1RL
  UK
  (+44) 117 922 3571
  bristol.gov.uk