Chichester Lands on the Monopoly Board

Chichester has joined an exclusive club — cities with their own edition of the world's most famous board game. First published in 1935 and originally based on Atlantic City, Monopoly has sold more than 275 million copies worldwide and is played in over 100 countries

Now the city has its own board, featuring local landmarks and attractions.  Chichester Festival Theatre won the local battle to take the coveted Mayfair spot — the most valuable square in the game, with the Cathedral in hot pursuit in Park Lane.

From The Landlord's Game to Monopoly

Monopoly actually evolved from The Landlord's Game, created by  Elizabeth Magie to illustrate the pitfalls of monopolies and unfair land ownership — ideas inspired by economist Henry George.The goal was to show how wealth could accumulate unfairly when property was controlled by a few individuals.

 Ironically, when the game was commercialised in the 1930s, the goal shifted: now players aim to create a monopoly and bankrupt their opponents.

Thousands of Editions Worldwide

Monopoly has grown far beyond Atlantic City. Collectors have catalogued more than 3,400 official editions produced under licence from Hasbro. When you include promotional, special, and limited local editions, there are over 4,000 different versions worldwide — including city editions, films, football clubs, and even national parks.

Did you know?  The game mascot is officially called Mr. Monopoly, though many remember him as Rich Uncle Pennybags.

With the Festival Theatre in Mayfair and other local landmarks featured, Chichester's Monopoly is more than a game — it's a playful celebration of the city itself. Whether you're buying streets, building houses, or dreaming of hotels, the board turns familiar places into strategic property decisions.

The real question is the same as ever: who will manage to buy the best properties, build hotels — and bankrupt everyone else first?