Liverpool is a beautiful, vibrant city in England, celebrated for its stunning architecture, charming streets, and fantastic tourist spots. Like many English cities, Liverpool has its own unique symbols. Today, we’re going to explore the most famous symbol of this great city and the legends surrounding it. Find out more on iliverpool.info.
The Liver Bird: The City’s Most Famous Symbol
Liverpool boasts a rich history, having been founded back in 1207 by King John, who established the borough of ‘Leverpul’. Every city has its emblem or coat of arms, and Liverpool’s most recognisable symbol is the Liver bird, which holds a sprig in its beak. Initially, this was thought to be a sprig of broom, but it was later suggested to be laver seaweed. There is also some debate about the bird itself. Some sources claim it was originally an eagle that was later mistaken for a cormorant. However, another theory suggests the bird is entirely mythical and exists only in legend.
So, how did the bird become Liverpool’s symbol? In 1229, the town was granted the right to form a guild and use a common seal. This seal depicted a bird with a plant sprig in its beak and a scroll inscribed with “JOHIS”. Historians suggest the bird was intended to be an eagle—the symbol of St. John the Evangelist, King John’s patron saint. The sprig was the Planta Genista, a badge of the Plantagenet dynasty. The seal also featured a star and crescent moon, which were personal symbols of King John.
How the Bird Became an Official Symbol
Over the years, the bird on the seal came to be identified as a cormorant, most likely because these birds were a common sight in the area. The sprig of Genista was also gradually reinterpreted as laver seaweed. The bird finally gained official status in 1797. A year earlier, Mayor Clayton Tarleton had petitioned the College of Arms for an official grant of arms for Liverpool. As a result, the city received a coat of arms featuring the bird, which was officially described not as a Liver bird, but as a cormorant.
Legends of the Liver Bird
Many legends surround this mysterious bird. The first, rooted in history, is that the Liver bird simply evolved from the eagle on King John’s seal. A second story suggests the Liver bird is a hybrid creature, a cross between an eagle and a cormorant. Yet another version claims that real Liver birds lived in the pools and inlets near the city hundreds of years ago.
In 1911, the iconic Liver Building was completed, topped with two magnificent statues of the mythical birds, which have inspired their own fascinating legends. A popular tale claims the statues are a male and female pair. The female looks out to sea, watching over the sailors to ensure their safe return home. Meanwhile, the male looks over the city, protecting the sailors’ families. Tourists are also told another enchanting story: if a truly virtuous person walks between the two towers, the bronze birds will spring to life and flap their wings.
It’s also worth noting that the Liver bird features prominently on the crest of Liverpool Football Club. The emblem first appeared on club correspondence and winners’ medals in 1901. Later, the image was used on the club flag and the covers of matchday programmes. Finally, in 1959, the emblem made its way onto the players’ shirts.
While no one has ever seen a real Liver bird, this mythical creature remains an incredibly popular and cherished symbol throughout the city of Liverpool.
The city has plenty of other unofficial symbols for tourists to discover, as Liverpool’s architecture is both impressive and surprising. Furthermore, in 2008, the city was designated a ‘European Capital of Culture’.
We hope you found this article informative and learned something new about the history of this great city.
What legends about the Liver bird have you heard? Share your stories in the comments on social media. We’d love to hear from you.