The bronze equestrian statue of Lady Godiva in Broadgate, the city's main square, is Coventry's most recognisable landmark and the obvious place to orient yourself when you arrive. The statue was cast in 1949 by Sir William Reid Dick and shows Godiva as the Victorian imagination preferred her — dignified, hair loose, astride her horse. The square around it has been repeatedly pedestrianised and repaved over the decades, and is now flanked by a modest but passable collection of shops and cafes.
Broadgate is where the city's market used to be held and still functions as the civic centre, with the Council House on one end. Largely unremarkable in itself, but the starting point for walking to the cathedral, the guildhall, and the Herbert — all within five minutes on foot.