Culture and recreation
Sports
The city has a strong sporting heritage, with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Football Club and Leeds Carnegie Rugby Union Football Club playing at Headingley (cricket and rugby grounds are adjacent), Hunslet Hawks Rugby League Footbal Club, based at the South Leeds Stadium, and Leeds United Football Club playing at Elland Road.
Historic houses and parks
The ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, a Cistercian abbey dating from the 12th century, are in an open park alongside the river Aire in Kirkstall, to the west of the city centre. The abbey gatehouse houses the Abbey House Museum. To the east of the city centre, Temple Newsam house dates from the early 16th century and has an extensive estate including gardens and a rare breed’s farm.
The house was left to Leeds City Council following the occupier’s death in 1922. The house is notable Jacobean architecture. Lotherton Hall, with art collections and a bird garden, lies to the east of the city, Bramham Park to the north-east (this now hosts the Leeds Carling Weekend (Leeds Festival), and Harewood House to the north. Kirkstall Abbey, Temple Newsam, and Lotherton Hall are owned and administered by Leeds City Council.
Shopping
Leeds has a massive and diverse range of shops and department stores, one of the largest in the UK and has become known as the Knightsbridge of the North. The diverse range of shopping, from individual one-off boutiques to large department stores, including Harvey Nichols and Louis Vuitton, has greatly expanded the Leeds retail base.
The Victoria Quarter, several existing arcades connected by roofing the entirety of Queen Victoria Street with stained glass, is the jewel in Leeds' shopping crown, (citation needed) located off Briggate, Leeds' main shopping street.
Other popular shopping attractions include the Corn Exchange, Leeds Kirkgate Market, Granary Wharf, Leeds Shopping Plaza, Headrow Shopping Centre, The Light, The St John's Centre, The Merrion Centre Leeds, Crown Point, Birstall Retail Park and the White Rose Centre. In addition, there are 2 proposed shopping centers, namely the Harewood/Eastgate Quarter and Trinity Quarter.