You are here: Brighton .org.uk > Brighton Landmarks

Brighton Landmarks

Built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, in stages between 1787 and 1823, and designed by the architect John Nash, The Royal Pavilion has an exotic oriental appearance both inside and out.

This magnificent royal pleasure palace was revered by fashionable Regency society and remains the most distinctive landmark and iconic building in Brighton. The Pavilion took over 30 years to complete and cost over £500,000, an enormous sum of money at the time. Today it attracts over 400,000 visitors annually. Brighton Marine Palace and Pier (long known as the Palace Pier) opened in 1899. It features a funfair, restaurants and arcade halls.

The West Pier was built in 1866 but has been closed since 1975. The West Pier is one of only two Grade I listed piers in the United Kingdom, but suffered two devastating fires in 2003. Plans for a new landmark in its place – the i360, a 183 metre observation tower were announced in June 2006 with plans approved by the council in October 2006. Construction has yet to begin, however.

Created in 1883, Volk's Electric Railway runs along the inland edge of the beach from Brighton Pier to Black Rock and Brighton Marina. It is the world's oldest operating electric railway. The Grand Hotel was built in 1864 and was the scene of the 1984 Brighton Hotel Bombing. Its night time blue lighting makes it a particularly prominent landmark.