The Pier Head is the World Heritage site in Liverpool, that features three striking buildings known as the Three Graces:

The Royal Liver Building;
The Cunard Building; and
The Port of Liverpool Building.

The buildings form a row along the north bank of the River Mersey, flanked by several miles of docks.

In July 2004, plans to build a Fourth Grace designed by architect Will Alsop were abandoned owing to escallating costs. The construction of a fouth grace has been discussed many times over the last few years, but no firm plans or funding has yet been established.

On the river is a floating landing stage that serves the Mersey Ferries. In the past, the much larger Prince's Landing Stage was situated at the Pier Head to serve the trans-Atlantic liner service.

The Pier Head also served as a major tram and then bus interchange.

There are several memorials at the Pier Head including those to Captain J. F. Walker and to the engineers who heroically remained at their posts during the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

The Pierhead stands between the North and South docks (Albert Dock) and is an important Liverpool landmark, being the home to the most recognizable Liverpool buildings in the World,, known locally as the "Three Graces", the Royal Liver building, Cunard building and the Port of Liverpool building. The river wall, fronting the Pierhead, was first built to enclose the George's Dock (opened 1771, closed 1900) this consequently being filled in to enable the construction of the Royal Liver Building. Right up to present day the Pierhead is constantly changing with a proposal currently being considered to link the Leeds & Liverpool canal to the Albert Dock. This would see the construction of the access canal directly spanning the front of the "Three Graces"

The Liver Building was built completed in 1911. The Cunard Building in 1916 and The Port of Liverpool building in 1907.

Royal Liver Building - 1908-11.

The Royal Liver Building, overlooking the River Mersey, is probably the most famous building in Liverpool. It can be found on Water Street. The this impressive building is best viewed from the Mersey Ferry.

Built as the head offices of the Royal Liver Friendly Society, which had its origins as a mid-19th century burial club was designed by Aubrey Thomas. It is notable as one of Britain's first multi-story reinforced concrete framed buildings. The two winged creatures, which were made by George Cowper and the Bromsgrove Guild, are visible above the cupolas are known as "liver" birds for which Local legend says that if they fly away, Liverpool will cease to exist.

This impressive architectural masterpiece features a pair of clock towers from which shipping could tell the time as they passed en route along the river. The clock faces are actually larger than the clock face of Big Ben in London and are each twenty five feet in diameter, the largest clock dials in Britain. In 1953 electronic chimes were installed to serve as a memorial to the members of the Royal Liver Friendly Society who died during the two World Wars.

A statue of a Liver Bird spreading its wings from the top of each clock tower enhances the glory of the building and its impressive features. The Liver Bird, the official mascot of Liverpool is a cormorant (seaweed bird) which in bygone times could often be seen flying alongside the Mersey River with seaweed in their beaks.

The Royal Liver Building is still the Head Office for the Royal Liver Friendly Society.

Cunard Building - 1913 - 1916.

Liverpool was the centre of Britain’s cruise ship industry for many years and The Cunard Building owned by American Samuel Cunard of the Cunard Shipping Line who later merged with White Star owners of the Titanic. Some of the company’s famous ships included the Mauretania, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary.

The building was designed by Willink and Thicknesse, its proportions and architectural design give it the form of an Italian palazzo and reflects the Greek neo-classical revival. But in fact many of it's feature are derived from American beaux-arts buildings such as those of McKim Mead and White in New York.

The Cunard Building has six storeys plus a basement, nine bays to the two principal elevations and seventeen bays to the marginally secondary elevations.

Inside, the building is extremely ornately decorated with a principal corridor linking Brunswick Street and Water Street

During World War I more than 13,000 Liverpudlians died, and 1921 a memorial was erected outside the Cunard building to all the Cunard employees who died in the war.

Port of Liverpool Building - 1904 - 1907

The third of the three great buildings at the Pier Head is the Port of Liverpool building built for Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. Designed by Briggs, Wolstenholme and Thorneley, it is a monumental structure in the Edwardian Baroque style with pediments and tall lantern towers.

It has five storeys plus a basement and the principal elevation has thirteen bays with canted corners in the form of full height octagonal towers. The central entrance facing the Pier Head is flanked by free-standing three metre high statues on plinths by Charles John Allen.

On either side of the door of this building you can see a steam ship and a sailing ship representing the ocean. There is also a figure of King Neptune riding on waves and dolphins holding globes. This building is where all Liverpool ships had to register.

The Pier Head is one of the few public open spaces in the city centre and serves as a communal focal point for the people of Liverpool, providing a link between the river and the city. It provides a venue for major public gatherings, such as the commemoration of The Battle of the Atlantic and the Mormon celebration of emigration from Europe. The cultural significance of the Pier Head partly explains why it is such a popular location for the erection of a diverse collection of monuments and statuary