Bradford is a city.
Bradford [ ˈbrædfərd ] is in the Metropolitan Borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire , England , in the foothills of the Pennines 8.6 mi west of Leeds , and 16 mi northwest of Wakefield . Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847 , and received its charter as a city in 1897 . Following local government reform in 1974 , city status was bestowed upon the wider metropolitan borough . Since this time , Bradford has emerged as a tourist destination , becoming the first UNESCO City of Film with attractions such as the National Science and Media Museum , Bradford City Park , the Alhambra theatre and Cartwright Hall .