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Derby Cathedral boasts the second-highest cathedral tower in the country. The tower, which offers fantastic views across the city rooftops, is open to visitors on a handful of days each year.

Perhaps Derby's finest landmarks are in fact its parks. The city has not been good at protecting many of its buildings, but it has a number of beautiful and well-maintained parks, ranging from The Arboretum to Darley Park, and from Markeaton Park to Bass' Rec. The people of Derby have been vociferous in their protection of the parks - most recently in the late 1990s when there was uproar after the city council announced plans to build a road across part of Bass' Rec. The council eventually backed down, but not before several people had set up camp on the park and begun living in some of the trees threatened by the plan.

Derby Industrial Museum is situated in Derby Silk Mill and shows the industrial heritage and technological achievement of Derby, including Rolls-Royce aero engines, railways, mining, quarrying and foundries. The museum is close to the Silk Mill pub, the side of which is completely covered in a mural depicting the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution.

Pickford's House Museum was built by architect Joseph Pickford in 1770. It was his home and business headquarters. Derby Museum and Art Gallery shows paintings by Joseph Wright, as well as fine Royal Crown Derby porcelain, local regiments and archaeology. Pickford also designed St Helen's House in King Street.

Derby Heritage Centre, formerly the Tudor Grammar School, told the story of Derby from Roman times till today. Unfortunately the owner, Richard Felix, has closed it so that he can focus on his Television career. The Heritage Centre has now been converted into a hairdresser's salon. However the new owner has a great interest in local history and has preserved all of the building's original features.

Derby Gaol on Ashbourne Road is a visitor attraction based in the dungeons of the Derbyshire County Gaol which dates back to 1756.

The Eagle Centre is the city's main indoor shopping centre and is currently being extended, with work due to finish in 2007, with a change of name to Westfield Derby.

Much of the skyline of the inner city changed radically in 1968 when the inner ring road with its two new crossings of the River Derwent was built. The route of the ring road went through the magnificent St. Alkmund's church and its wonderful Georgian church yard, the only Georgian square in Derby. Both were demolished to make way for the road, a move still criticised today. Thus the editor (Elizabeth Williamson) of the 2nd edition of Pevsner for Derbyshire wrote:- '...the character and cohesion of the centre has been completely altered by the replacement of a large number of C18 houses in the centre by a multi-lane road. As a traffic scheme this road is said to be a triumph; as townscape it is a disaster.'

The destruction of the city's older buildings has continued right through to today with demolition of bus station taking place in 2007 - despite long and loud complaints from many residents - to make way for a new Riverlights leisure project. In the 1980s the original station buildings in Derby were demolished to allow for modernisation - a condition of the project was that the facade of the building should be preserved, but it was mysteriously knocked down 'by accident' and all that remains is now sited at the far end of the car park outside the main entrance.

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County:  Derbyshire

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