We asked our Fans on Facebook to ask us their burning questions about London. We’ve chosen the best questions and over the next few weeks, we’ll answer them. Have your own burning questions about London? Contact us and ask!
Kathy Culwell asks: What are the oldest and newest buildings in London?
This was a fun question to explore. The oldest surviving building still standing in London is the White Tower located within the grounds of the Tower of London. The White Tower was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 on the banks of the Thames to keep the residents of his newly conquered kingdom in line.
The White Tower is definitely a highlight of any visit to the Tower of London.
Now, as for the newest building in London. There are new buildings in London going up everyday but by the far coolest and most significant building to be finished in London this year is The Shard.
The Shard, so named because of its striking conical shape, is Europe’s tallest (and Britain’s) building. Made of glass and steel, it’s become a unmissable sight on the London Skyline since it was complete.
The View From the Shard will open in February 2013 and will feature what’s probably the best views of London from above.
There are older bits of buildings throughout London – most notably the remains of the City of London’s original Roman Wall, which you can see in the grounds of the Tower of London as well as at the Museum of London.
Author: Jonathan Thomas
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.