LONDON (AFP).- Liverpool's historic Royal Liver Building, a symbol of the city famous for The Beatles and its football club, is on sale for the first time, a property firm said Monday.

The structure -- adorned with two statues of mythical Liver Birds that watch over the port city and its River Mersey and which feature on the Liverpool team's badge -- is expected to fetch about £40 million ($49 million, 44 million euros), sources said.

Modelled on the Hellenistic temple at Baalbek in Lebanon, the century-old edifice is up for sale for the first time since its construction in 1911.

"The Royal Liver Building is known worldwide and we expect the sale to attract strong interest from investors in the UK and around the globe," said Colin Thomasson at CBRE, the property group tasked with finding a buyer. 

Describing it as a "truly iconic symbol of Liverpool", he added that the sale "presents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire a unique part of Liverpool’s heritage".

The building, which is owned by Royal London Mutual Insurance Society, has protected status and houses companies including bank giant HSBC and broadcaster ITV.



© 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse