St Stephen Walbrook, an architectural masterpiece designed by Sir Christopher Wren, stands proudly as one of the finest examples of Wren's churches. Built between 1672 and 1679, this church showcases remarkable design elements that continue to captivate visitors.
The church features a stunning 63-foot-high dome, reminiscent of Wren's original design for St Paul's Cathedral. This architectural marvel draws the eye upward, inviting admiration for its grandeur and elegance.
Inside, the circular altar, crafted by renowned British sculptor Henry Moore, serves as a focal point of artistic beauty. Adding to the vibrant interior, the kneelers are uniquely designed by artist Patrick Heron, enhancing the visual charm of the church.
St Stephen Walbrook is not only a place of worship but also a hub for cultural events. Every Tuesday at 1 PM, except in August, the church hosts free lunchtime concerts, offering a melodic escape for attendees. Additionally, free organ recitals take place at 12:30 PM on Fridays, filling the space with rich, resonant music.
Occasional art exhibitions, often themed around Christianity, provide further cultural enrichment. These exhibitions, along with various other events, make St Stephen Walbrook a vibrant and dynamic space for both reflection and community engagement.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Stephen_Walbrook
The London residence of the Dukes of Wellington, which now acts as a museum for the inaugural and most famous holder of the title. It boasts an impressive collection of paintings, sculptures, medals and swords. Perhaps the most bizarre item in Wellington's collection is a nude statue of Napoleon Bonaparte, commissioned by the emperor himself and bought by the British government following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo as a gift for the duke.
A memorial made out of 52 stainless steel columns representing each of the 52 victims who died in a series of terrorist attacks in the London bombings on July 7th, 2005.
Fine stone bridge linking Twickenham/St Margarets with Richmond. It is the oldest surviving Thames bridge in London, dating from 1777.
A small realm of serenity in the midst of the typical turmoil. It used to be the court of the Knights Templar. You can still visit the beautiful Romanesque church, which is one of the oldest ones in London (opened in 1185) and has connections to the order of Templars. The chancel of the church was built by Henry III. The church still serves the members of Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn and has frequent services open to the public. Fans of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code will recognise the church from both the novel and the film.
Built of Portland stone and dedicated to the aircrews of Allied nations under Bomber Command during World War II.
The headquarters of world's most famous insurance market, housed in a revolutionary (at the time) bizarre, Matrix-like glass-and-steel building designed by Richard Rogers, with all support services (lifts, ventilation, etc.) suspended outside. Recognised as a masterpiece of exoskeleton architecture.
A medieval church that was rebuilt in the late 18th century, noted for its well-preserved interior. The former churchyard was converted into a public space in 1880, called Postman's Park as it was frequented by workers from the nearby Post Office headquarters.
A royal residence which is still used by Prince William, Kate and their young family. Much of it is however open to the public and it is a very popular tourist attraction perhaps due as much to its association with Princess Diana as anything else. The King's Gallery here is a magnificent Regency period court drawing room and contains some impressive paintings including a Van Dyke. Also a nice restaurant on site called The Orangery.
St. Margaret's is the church of the British Parliament, more specifically, the parish church of the House of Commons.
A branch of the Imperial War Museum, the Cabinet War Rooms preserves the underground corridors and rooms from which Churchill and the cabinet directed the war against Hitler and the Nazis, maintained almost exactly as they were left in 1945. In 1984, IWM opened the rooms to the public for the first time. In 2005, the attached Churchill Museum was opened as the world's first permanent museum dedicated to the life and wartime achievements of Sir Winston Churchill. Audio guides are included in your admission. No cloakroom, no rucksacks, no suitcases. Café is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Hot food is served until 3pm.
A retirement home for soldiers created by King Charles II. Tours around the listed building and grounds are regular and include the museum (which can be visited separately) whose exhibits contain military memorabilia donated by Chelsea Pensioners over the years.
A vast shopping, eating, entertainment and (primarily) business complex, home to Britain's second tallest skyscraper, One Canada Square. Now increasingly lively at weekends as well, but still at its most impressive during the week. Spectacular main exit from the Jubilee line Tube station. There is a substantial amount of information about the history and the architecture of the development on the website of Canary Wharf Group, the company that owns the development.
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).
Su Catholic Church of England with bells and smells (incense). There is an impressive model of the old London Bridge.
Probably the most popular of all the museums here and a must see for many visitors to London. Home to at least 70 million specimens from across all the life sciences. It's difficult to say what the most popular exhibit here is; the blue whale which towers over the entrance hall, the (now slightly tacky-looking) animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex in the dinosaur gallery, or the life-size model blue whale in the mammals gallery. Also well worth a check are the Darwin Centre (book on a free tour to see some of the most interesting, and sometimes gruesome, specimens not on public display); and the studio dedicated to BBC wildlife personality extraordinaire, David Attenborough. The NHM's "Earth Galleries" were once the adjacent Geological Museum, an independent institution until the 1980s, and still located in a separate building with a separate entrance.
Old train station with an enormous office and shopping complex in glass and pale stone. A lavish hotel is also on the site. The name comes from the Queen Eleanor (13th century) gothic pillar outside the station, which is actually a Victorian-era replica. Charing Cross Road was once famous for its vintage book shops, but these have now largely disappeared due to high rents and online competition; however, the road is still home to one of London's largest bookshops, Foyle's.