Gateway to the YORKSHIRE DALES NATIONAL PARK
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire and is a popular tourist destination. Its spa waters and the RHS Harlow Carr gardens are among the main visitor attractions. The town originated in the 17th century, with High Harrogate and Low Harrogate as two separate settlements. It lies close to Knaresborough and is in the Nidd valley.
Harrogate spa water contains iron, sulphur and common salt. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, these 'chalybeate' waters were a popular health treatment and the influx of wealthy but poorly visitors contributed significantly to the wealth of the town.
Harrogate railway station and Harrogate Bus Station provide transport connections. Leeds Bradford International Airport is only 10 miles from Harrogate.
The first mineral spring in Harrogate was discovered in 1571 by William Slingsby, who found that water from the Tewitt Well possessed similar properties to that from the springs of the Belgian town of Spa, which gave its name to spa towns.
During the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, Harrogate became extremely popular among the English élite and was frequented by nobility from around Europe.
The town hosted the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest in the conference centre.
In 2007, two metal detectorists found the Harrogate hoard, a 10th century Viking treasure hoard near Harrogate. The hoard contains almost 700 coins and other items from as far away as Afghanistan. The hoard was described by the British Museum as the most important find of its type in Britain for 150 years.
There are many fine examples of building and architecture about the town, including the Royal Hall theatre, a Grade II listed building. As the only surviving Kursaal in Britain, the Royal Hall is an important national heritage building. Restoration work was completed in 2007. The Hall was formally re-opened on January 22, 2008, by The Prince of Wales.
Harrogate is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, with the Vale of York to the East and the upland Yorkshire Dales to the West and Northwest. It has a dry and mild climate. Harrogate is not only a popular visitor attraction for tourists, but also Harrogate is now one of Europe's largest exhibition and conference centres including the Harrogate International Centre and has many guest houses, hotels and restaurants catering for the regular influx of visitors.
Each year Harrogate plays host to the Great Yorkshire Show.