The 12th largest city in the UK, and the second largest city in the West Midlands (after Birmingham) Coventry is home to 345,000 people.

Throughout its history, the city has always been a commercial hub - being an important part of the cloth trade in the Middle Ages, a centre for clock and watch making in the 18th and 19th centuries, known for bicycle manufacturing in the 1800s, and home to important parts of the British car industry in the 20th century.

Coventry is known for its iconic Cathedral, built after the previous 14th Century cathedral was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.

The Coventry Blitz that destroyed the cathedral on 14th November 1940, also damaged or destroyed 4,000 houses and much of the city centre.  This is why there are fewer old and historic buildings in Coventry than in other cities of a similar age.

The city was re-built in the post-war years, and continues to be a thriving part of the West Midlands economy, with two universities, many arts venues, and of course the popular Coventry City football club known as the Sky Blues.