Marble Hill House

A stone howitzer by World War I veteran Charles Sargeant Jagger

The main headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers and a Grade II* listed building.

See also: Bank of England Museum.

Not as popular with tourists as St Paul's north of the river, Southwark Cathedral has been the site of worship since the year 852. Literally in the shadow of London Bridge, the Cathedral is a shelter from the noise of the city. Next to the Cathedral is the Borough Market open Th-Sa with a wide range of speciality food to buy, a good area for lunch.

Probably the most colourful event in the UK's legislative calendar, this takes place in May or June every year, or after a general election, when the King travels to the Houses of Parliament to open the new parliamentary session. During this event, the Lords, Speaker of the House of Commons, and other office holders can be seen dressed in their ceremonial robes, and there is always an elaborate procession when the King makes his way to the Houses of Parliament from Buckingham Palace. This is one of the few occasions where all branches of the British government are gathered in the same place. Many traditions of the State Opening can trace their origins to a more turbulent past, when the relationship between the monarch and Parliament was sometimes antagonistic. In particular, since the English Civil War, the monarch has been banned from entering the House of Commons chamber, and instead must send a representative (the Black Rod) to summon the MPs to the Lords chamber, where he delivers his speech. Another notable tradition is the holding of a Hostage MP in Buckingham Palace, ostensibly to guarantee the safe return of the monarch, who is released once the King has returned to the palace safely after delivering his speech. While attendance at Parliament itself is limited to special guests that have been invited by the Prime Minister, it is broadcast live on the BBC, and you can also view the King's procession from Buckingham Palace to Parliament from the roadside for free.

The TfL-backed Hidden London offers tours around the disused Aldwych tube station which had its own branch on the Piccadilly line. The tour explains the station's unusual history including its use for protection (for both people and historical artefacts held by the British Museum) from the Blitz during WWII. More recently, it was used as a filming location and for testing station equipment and decor. Of note, it was used for filming James Bond: Die Another Day, V for Vendetta and the Prodigy music video for Firestarter. Tours are roughly an 1 hour and 15 minutes long, wear sturdy shoes (not sandals).

A neoclassical church that stands opposite the National Gallery. Since World War I, the homeless have sought shelter at this church, a tradition that continues to this day.

This small tower across the road from the Houses of Parliament is the only part of the original Palace of Westminster still standing. While it is overshadowed in splendour by the surrounding buildings, it's well worth a visit, and has good displays about the early history of Westminster.

The great domed cathedral of St Paul's, designed by Sir Christopher Wren to replace the Gothic medieval cathedral destroyed in 1666 in the Great Fire of London, was built between 1675–1710. Of the most famous London sights, St Paul's is the one most conveniently located for the Barbican. It's a significant building in British history, having been the site of the funerals of several British military leaders (Nelson, Wellington, Churchill), and significantly held peace services marking the end of the two world wars. The cathedral is also famous for its Whispering Wall, as well as its stunning view over the city. The crypt is also open to the public, holding the tombs of Nelson, Wellington and Christopher Wren. It is possible to sidestep the admission charge by entering for one of the midday services, even if you don't take part, or for the daily choral evensong in the late afternoon. However, you'd still need a ticket to get to the top. Photography is not allowed.

Remains of the wall that surrounded the City of London for almost two thousand years. The parts around the Barbican are mostly Tudor due to maintenance (Roman remains can be seen in and around the Tower of London). Other local remains are the 51.5169-0.095833 Noble St wall fragment and the 51.5177-0.092234 St Alphage Gdns wall fragment.

Art deco headquarters of University of London featured in the film Nineteen Eighty-Four.