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Great London Buildings

Exploring the fascinating history of St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street – The Journalists’ Church

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St Bride's Church on Fleet Street is a Christopher Wren church built after the Great Fire of London. It's the journalists' church, and the spire is the original inspiration for tiered wedding cakes. It is a City of London working parish church and welcomes visitors as a heritage attraction too. While open most days, it took Open House London to remind me that this would be a … [Read more...] about Exploring the fascinating history of St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street – The Journalists’ Church

Open House London: Exploring Temple Church in the City of London – Built by the Knights Templar

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I have meant to visit the Temple Church for years, so I was grateful for the encouragement when it was included in the annual Open House London. Regularly cited as a 'hidden gem,' this City of London church actually does fit the bill. It's certainly challenging to find and is a delight once discovered. The church sits between Fleet Street and the River Thames, within the … [Read more...] about Open House London: Exploring Temple Church in the City of London – Built by the Knights Templar

Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Report: Queen Victoria’s Palace at the annual opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms

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While the Queen takes a summer break in Scotland, we can tour the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace for the annual ten-week summer opening. This year the rooms are available to us from 20 July to 29 September 2019, and the special exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria. 'Queen Victoria's Palace' tells the story of how the young monarch turned an … [Read more...] about Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Report: Queen Victoria’s Palace at the annual opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms

Top Ten London: 10 Fascinating and Beautiful London Housing Estates

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Since the Victorian period, the British government and local councils have taken it upon themselves to ensure that housing was provided to the working classes.  Part of this was out of concern for the health of lower-income persons who were often packed into slums as well as being a progressive step toward municipal planning.  In the wake of destruction caused by the London … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: 10 Fascinating and Beautiful London Housing Estates

Great London Buildings – Banqueting House

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Once part of the Palace of Whitehall, today Banqueting House is all the remains of this once-great royal palace.  Today it is a museum while the rest of Whitehall has been rebuilt as government offices.  Banqueting House is important to London for several reasons, including its architectural notoriety and the kings and queens that once called it home.  We’ll explore the history … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Banqueting House

Great London Buildings – The Old BBC Television Centre

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Now a symbol of London’s ever-changing nature as new development takes over; Television Centre was once home to the UK’s most beloved dramas, comedies, and cultural programs.  It was constructed specifically to be the BBC’s first dedicated television broadcasting studios and would oversee the news and such memorable shows as Blue Peter, Doctor Who, Top of the Pops, Monty … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Old BBC Television Centre

Great London Buildings – Heron Tower

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Bishopsgate certainly has its own contributions to London's skyline including the Gherkin and the Leadenhall Building.  Rounding out the trio is 110 Bishopsgate, better known as Heron Tower (and also known as Salesforce Tower).  Finished in 2010, the tower has gained a number of claims to fame including being the tallest building in the financial district and the third tallest … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Heron Tower

Great London Buildings – Tower 42

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One of the jewels of post-war skyscrapers in London, Tower 42 (once known as NatWest Tower) remains the third highest building in the City of London and the eighth highest in the Greater London area.  Interestingly enough, it was actually the very first skyscraper in the City of London.  While taller buildings such as Centrepoint, Millbank Tower, and BT Tower were constructed … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Tower 42

Great London Buildings – King’s Cross Railway Station

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Known to most people outside London as the home of Harry Potter's Platform 9 3/4, King's Cross Station is a historic railway station in the heart of the city.  The southern terminus of the East Coast Main Line that runs up to North East England and terminates in Scotland.  Long before being known as the hub for railway transport, the King's Cross area was known for a different … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – King’s Cross Railway Station

Great London Buildings – 20 Fenchurch Street – Home of the Public Sky Garden

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20 Fenchurch Street is one of London’s office buildings that certainly makes a statement.  Whether you appreciate its design or decry it as yet another skyscraper built without concern for the city’s skyline, it remains a very visually striking place.  Its unique curves have earned it the nickname “Walkie Talkie” from fans and critics alike.  In addition to its businesses, 20 … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – 20 Fenchurch Street – Home of the Public Sky Garden

Great London Buildings – BBC Broadcasting House

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Headquarters of the BBC, Broadcasting House represents the totality of the BBC’s media offerings across radio and television.  Originally a building for radio programmes, the expansion in the early 2000s transformed the building into the new centre of the BBC’s activities.  The BBC moved its news divisions out of Television Centre and into the new wings, creating the largest … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – BBC Broadcasting House

Great London Buildings – One Canada Square in Canary Wharf

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  Located on the site of the former West India Docks, One Canada Square is not only a skyscraper that puts a stamp on the London skyline; it’s a symbol of economic revitalisation.  For over a hundred years, the West India Docks were amongst the busiest ports in the city, but by the 1960s, business started to dwindle until the port finally closed in 1980.  The … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – One Canada Square in Canary Wharf

Great London Buildings – Oxo Tower on the Southbank

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One of the architectural landmarks of South Bank, the Oxo Tower has stood by the River Thames for over a century, its distinctive lettering standing out against the borough’s skyline.  Today home to shops, restaurants, and offices, its origins were actually much different.  Beginning construction in the late 19th Century, Oxo Tower was finished in 1900.  Its original purpose … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Oxo Tower on the Southbank

Great London Buildings – The Courts of Wimbledon

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Perhaps the top tennis championship in the world, Wimbledon is a British institution and one of the iconic places in London.  The history of Wimbledon begins with the formation of the All England Croquet Club in 1868.  The club embraced “lawn tennis” in 1875, and as the croquet craze died down, tennis became the predominant activity of the club and the “croquet” part of the … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Courts of Wimbledon

Great London Buildings – The Tate Britain

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The primary building in the Tate art gallery network, the Tate Britain has long been one of the pillars of British art museums.  Early in its history, the Tate was known as the National Gallery of British Art from its opening in 1897 to 1932, when it became, simply, the Tate Gallery.  As the Tate network grew to include the Tate Modern and locations in Liverpool and St. Ives, … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Tate Britain

Great London Buildings – The Palace of St. James

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St. James’s Palace may not be a palace where Queen Elizabeth II actually resides, but it still holds a very important function for the government as the de facto seat of the monarchy.  Even when ambassadors are received today, they are “admitted to the Court of St. James”.  It also still provides a place to live for several members of the royal family and is the ceremonial … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Palace of St. James

Great London Buildings – The Tate Modern

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There's an old line from Monty Python's Flying Circus that goes, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."  Modern art may certainly seem strange to a lot of people, due to the fact that it can include just about anything, doesn't necessarily depict traditional subjects, and can utilise some unusual materials in its creation.  However, it is art nonetheless, and … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Tate Modern

Great London Buildings – The Victoria & Albert Museum

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Also known as the V&A, the Victoria & Albert Museum was founded in 1852 as a museum of art and design.  Today, it is the largest of its kind in the world, with a permanent collection of more than 4.5 million works of art from a period of more than two thousand years.  It sits in the part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea known as “Albertopolis”, so named … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Victoria & Albert Museum

Great London Buildings – Somerset House

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One of the stateliest homes in London, Somerset House at one point was a Tudor palace and today sees use as a venue for the arts and major event location for the city.  Its history began in 1547 when Edward Seymour received a land grant from his brother-in-law, King Henry VIII.  Following Henry’s death, Edward became Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector of the Realm for the … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Somerset House

Great London Buildings – The Admiralty Arch

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Standing like a gateway to the royal residence of Buckingham Palace, the Admiralty Arch sits at the end of the Mall abutting Trafalgar Square. Despite the name, the Arch today has actually little to do with the Royal Navy, its only tie being its close proximity to the Navy’s headquarters. Instead, the Arch originated as a memorial to Queen Victoria, commissioned by King Edward … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Admiralty Arch

Great London Places – Trafalgar Square

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One of the most well-known spots in London, Trafalgar Square is a gathering place, demonstration locale, and a connecting point for several notable landmarks.  With Nelson’s Column at its centre, the square is ringed by such important buildings as St. Matin-in-the-Fields church, Canada House, the South African High Commission, and the National Gallery.  Trafalgar Square is also … [Read more...] about Great London Places – Trafalgar Square

Great London Buildings – Chiswick House

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One of the last Neo-Palladian manor homes left in London, it is named for the area of the city in which it can be found.  The original Chiswick House was a Jacobean home built in approximately 1610 and was the property of the Wardour family.  It was then sold to Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, and later to Carles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan.  After a fire in 1725, Richard … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Chiswick House

Great London Buildings: The Churchill War Rooms

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The process of constructing the emergency centre began in 1938 when Sir Hastings Ismay ordered the Office of Works to survey Whitehall for a suitable location.  That agency determined that the best place for this centre was the New Public Offices.  The Office of Works concluded that the building was close to Parliament and possessed both a strong steel frame and a large … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings: The Churchill War Rooms

Great London Buildings – The Royal Festival Hall

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Part of Southbank Centre, the Royal Festival Hall is one of the finest concert venues in London.  Able to seat 2,500 people, it is the first post-war building in the city to receive Grade I listed status.  In fact, it's partly because of the war that it was even built.  South Bank was an area of London hit hard by the London Blitz and was in need of revitalisation after the … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Royal Festival Hall