Norwich Dragon Hall, The Guildhall and Strangers' Hall, the Art Nouveau of the 1899 Royal Arcade, many medieval lanes and the winding River Wensum that flows through the city centre towards Norwich Castle. The city has two universities, the University of East Anglia and the Norwich University of the Arts, and two cathedrals, Norwich Cathedral and St John the Baptist Cathedral. Norwich is the only city within a National Park, the Norfolk Broads, and it also holds the largest permanent undercover market in Europe. The urban area of Norwich had a population of 213,166 according to the 2011 Census. The parliamentary
City Hall, Norwich Atkinson had prepared a layout for the whole Civic Centre site at the request of Norwich Corporation (now the City Council). A competition took place in 1931 which attracted 143 entries, with Atkinson as the sole judge. After the winning design was chosen the Depression and a protracted planning process delayed the start of the building, and the foundation stone was not laid until 1936. Norwich City Hall was officially opened by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. on 29th October 1938 and a huge crowd turned out to celebrate. Less than a year later the Second World War broke