Bristol is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 105 miles (169 km) west of London. With an approximate population of 400,000, and metropolitan area of 550,000, it is England's sixth, and the United Kingdom's eighth most populous city, one of England's core cities and the most populous city in South West England.
During the Industrial Revolution, the city benefited from major infrastructural schemes such as the Bristol Docks, railways and large scale masterplanning. It benefited from the slave trade and general ship-based trading. This led to rich architecture built from the local sandstone, giving the city a distinctive image. World War II brought about large scale destruction to the city which was followed by further destruction by city planners. A ring road was constructed around the city centre and much of the land within was cleared for new developments. The historic heart of Bristol was largely demolished for the construction of the Broadmead shopping area, a large retail complex faced in stone and concrete. Elsewhere in the city, housing estates were constructed and tower blocks among them, although not on the scale of London, Glasgow or Birmingham.
Clifton largely remained untouched and actually features some of the best postwar architecture in the country. It remains a highly affluent suburb of Bristol, contrasting the modern architectural styles of the adjacent city centre. In recent decades, the city centre has been regenerated through the restoration of historic street layouts and buildings, as well as the construction of new ones. Cabot Circus, a major new shopping centre, was constructed adjacent to Broadmead and the tallest tower blocks in the city have been demolished.