Brighton Pier

Brighton Palace Pier is a Grade II*-listed Victorian pleasure pier stretching roughly 524 metres into the English Channel on an ornate cast-iron and timber frame, opened in 1899. It superseded the older West Pier as the heart of Brighton's seaside entertainment — that rival structure now stands as a skeletal rust-iron ruin offshore, clearly visible from the Palace Pier and adding an eerie counterpoint to the otherwise festive scene. Today the pier packs in fairground rides, amusement arcades, fish-and-chip stands, and a pub at the far end, making it one of the busiest seaside attractions on the south coast. Looking back toward the chalk cliffs and Brighton's Regency roofline at sunset, the pier offers one of the most photographed views on the English coast.