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You are here: Home / Archives for Culture / Architecture

Architecture

Plan Unveiled to Save Hammersmith Bridge

Mar 22, 2022 By Londontopia Staff Leave a Comment

One-third of the cost of stabilizing west London’s Hammersmith Bridge will be met by the Government. Ministers announced funding of £2.93 million to ensure the crossing remains open for pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic. Cracks in the pedestals of the 135-year-old cast-iron structure mean motor vehicles have been banned from using it since April 2019. This has … [Read more...] about Plan Unveiled to Save Hammersmith Bridge

Exhibition Report: The World of Stonehenge Exhibition at British Museum

Mar 10, 2022 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Stonehenge © English Heritage

When a major London exhibition gets repeated five-star reviews and is described as 'magnificent,' 'astonishing' and 'unmissable,' you know it's one you have to see. The World of Stonehenge opened at the British Museum on 17 February 2022. I've seen some reviewers describe it as one of those exhibitions you will remember for the rest of your life. With such high praise, I had to … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The World of Stonehenge Exhibition at British Museum

London’s O2 (aka Millennium Dome) closed as Storm Eunice rips off part of venue’s roof

Feb 18, 2022 By jonathan 1 Comment

London’s O2 Arena (the building formerly known as the Millenium Dome) has been shut after parts of its roof were ripped off in high winds as Storm Eunice struck. Some of the white covering on the venue could be seen flapping in the strong gusts, in footage shared on social media. London Fire Brigade (LFB) said around 1,000 people were evacuated from the building but there … [Read more...] about London’s O2 (aka Millennium Dome) closed as Storm Eunice rips off part of venue’s roof

The Museum of London prepares to close for 3 years for big move (and changes its name)

Feb 17, 2022 By jonathan Leave a Comment

One of the big things happening in London heritage is that the Museum of London will be moving to a new location in the Old Smithfield Market in 2025, in anticipation of that the museum will now be known as the 'London Museum' and will close for 3 years at the end of this year to facilitate the move. They've announced a series of events as they begin the countdown to the … [Read more...] about The Museum of London prepares to close for 3 years for big move (and changes its name)

Ten London Buildings Designed by Sir Charles Barry

Jan 27, 2022 By John Rabon 1 Comment

Several famous architects have put their indelible stamp on London, designing several of its most famous buildings.  Certainly, one of its most famous designers is none other than Sir Charles Barry.  As a young man, Barry enjoyed sketching and used his inheritance to embark on a grand tour of Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, where he was inspired by the … [Read more...] about Ten London Buildings Designed by Sir Charles Barry

Scaffolding Begins to Come Down on Big Ben and plans to chime on New Year’s Eve as restoration nears its end

Dec 21, 2021 By Londontopia Staff Leave a Comment

Big Ben will bong on New Year’s Eve, with all faces of the Houses of Parliament’s famous clock tower on display for the first time in four years. The bell will be struck 12 times to mark the start of 2022, as a project to restore the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower nears its end. In the days running up to December 31, the bell will be heard chiming, as engineers … [Read more...] about Scaffolding Begins to Come Down on Big Ben and plans to chime on New Year’s Eve as restoration nears its end

African-American abolitionists who escaped slavery honored with blue plaque in London

Oct 5, 2021 By Londontopia Staff Leave a Comment

A married African-American couple who escaped enslavement in the US and fled to England in the mid-19th century has been honored with a blue plaque at their former London home. Ellen and William Craft lived at 26 Cambridge Grove, a mid-Victorian house in Hammersmith, after arriving in the country in December 1850. They had made a dangerous 1,000-mile journey from Georgia … [Read more...] about African-American abolitionists who escaped slavery honored with blue plaque in London

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

Sep 30, 2021 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

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

Princess Diana honored with blue plaque at her former London flat

Sep 29, 2021 By Londontopia Staff 2 Comments

Diana, Princess of Wales, has been honored with a blue plaque at her former London flat. The princess lived at 60 Coleherne Court, a property in a mansion block close to the fashionable King’s Road in Chelsea when she settled in the capital as a young woman before marrying the Prince of Wales in 1981. She shared the flat with a number of girlfriends from 1979 to 1981, … [Read more...] about Princess Diana honored with blue plaque at her former London flat

Open House London: Exploring The Old Deanery – City of London

Sep 15, 2021 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

The Old Deanery is a Grade I seventeenth-century mansion house close to the West Front of St Paul’s Cathedral. Set back with its own courtyard, it is among a small handful of surviving secular buildings erected in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1666. It is the office of the Bishop of London and recently underwent restoration. It's not somewhere we could usually see inside, … [Read more...] about Open House London: Exploring The Old Deanery – City of London

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

Sep 9, 2021 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

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

Ten Interesting Facts about Admiralty House

Sep 8, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Admiralty House is part of the larger Whitehall government complex and has long had an association with the power of the United Kingdom government.  Once the home to the First Lord of the Admiralty, today it serves as an event location and residential flats, but its history is more than being a place to live or hold a party.  This remarkable 18th Century building has plenty of … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about Admiralty House

An Overview of Open House London

Aug 18, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Open House London is an annual festival meant to celebrate the city’s architecture.  It’s part of the larger Open City charity, an organization made up of fifty charities in various cities that focuses on architecture and design and how these affect our lives.  Throughout the year, Open City puts on educational programs in schools, hosts a podcast, publishes books, and engages … [Read more...] about An Overview of Open House London

Hammersmith Bridge to reopen for pedestrians and cyclists only

Jul 16, 2021 By Londontopia Staff Leave a Comment

West London’s Hammersmith Bridge is to partially reopen on Saturday after passing safety checks. Hammersmith and Fulham Council said pedestrians and cyclists will be permitted to use the 134-year-old cast-iron structure. Vessels on the River Thames will also be allowed to pass beneath it. Cracks in the pedestals have led to motor vehicles being prohibited … [Read more...] about Hammersmith Bridge to reopen for pedestrians and cyclists only

Ten Interesting Facts about St. James’s Palace

May 20, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The most senior Royal Palace, St. James’s Palace, has been the seat of the British monarchy for centuries even though the Sovereign does not live there.  As such, the gorgeous Tudor-style building has been a key part of history since its construction and has many interesting stories to tell.  We’ve collected at least ten of these into the facts below, and they range from the … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about St. James’s Palace

Final tile laid as major restoration project in Britain’s Parliament ends

May 14, 2021 By Londontopia Staff Leave a Comment

The final handmade tile in the restoration of a lobby at the heart of the Palace of Westminster has been laid. Almost 60,000 have been restored and replaced in the middle of Central Lobby, including original ones which were designed by Augustus Welby Pugin that would have carried the footsteps of Winston Churchill, William Gladstone, Margaret Thatcher, and countless other … [Read more...] about Final tile laid as major restoration project in Britain’s Parliament ends

Laura’s London: Exploring Copped Hall – A Stunning Abandoned Stately Home in Epping Forest

May 12, 2021 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

During lockdown, I've been enjoying getting to know Epping Forest. It's truly vast and stretches across northeast London and out into the Essex countryside. A friend gave me a tip to find a disused stately home that had been left empty but was now being renovated. Copped Hall is near to Epping in Essex. It is an 18th-century mansion situated on high ground at the end of a … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring Copped Hall – A Stunning Abandoned Stately Home in Epping Forest

Top 10 London: Ten War Memorials in London

Mar 18, 2021 By John Rabon 2 Comments

War is a terrible business.  For hundreds of years, they have required the utmost sacrifice from the United Kingdom’s men and women to protect freedom and the lives of innocent civilians.  It is with that in mind that each conflict has seen a monument erected to those who served and those who fell.  As the nation’s capital, London has more than its fair share of such memorials … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Ten War Memorials in London

Through the Lens: Behind the Scenes of London’s (Closed) Theatres From New London Theatres Book

Nov 5, 2020 By jonathan Leave a Comment

London photographer Peter Dazeley's beautiful photos of London's Theatres were released in a book a few years ago and as a fan of London, architecture and pretty pictures, I loved the book. Well, this year, the publisher has issued a new edition, with ten additional theatres included. Peter has contacted us and offered to let us share a selection of the pictures from this … [Read more...] about Through the Lens: Behind the Scenes of London’s (Closed) Theatres From New London Theatres Book

Buck House: A History of Buckingham Palace – Long Read

Oct 20, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Editor's Note: You're going to want to brew a cuppa and read this one! While it has a much longer history, Buckingham Palace only became the London residence of Britain's sovereigns in 1837. The Palace is the administrative headquarters of the monarchy and the royal family. (The Queen refers to Buckingham Palace as "the office" as it's where she works rather than … [Read more...] about Buck House: A History of Buckingham Palace – Long Read

The Fiver – Five More Tudor Buildings in London

Oct 7, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

Last year we covered some of the buildings that remain in London from the Tudor architectural style.  Popular from the end of the medieval period through the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (for whom there is a subset of this design style), the Tudor style is characterized by hammer-beam roofs, long chimneys, timber framing, and brick masonry.  While in the past we covered such … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five More Tudor Buildings in London

London Long Read: A History of London’s 35 Bridges Over The Thames

Sep 24, 2020 By Laura Porter 3 Comments

Did you know, there are 35 bridges over The Thames in London? No, me neither so this was a really interesting article to research. From Hampton Court Bridge in the west (just within the Greater London boundary) through to Tower Bridge there are road bridges, railway bridges and footbridges too. Have a read through, admire the photos, then let us know which is your favourite. … [Read more...] about London Long Read: A History of London’s 35 Bridges Over The Thames

Out of Austerity: The Festival of Britain 1951 – A History and Examination

Jul 2, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

The 1951 Festival of Britain was a post-war state-sponsored exhibition. At the time, rationing continued and austerity gripped the nation. London was shabby, rundown and gloomy so this bright and playful spectacular was a 'tonic for the nation' to promote the feeling of recovery. The city was scarred with bombsites and buildings hadn't been painted for ten years so the Festival … [Read more...] about Out of Austerity: The Festival of Britain 1951 – A History and Examination

City of London Postman’s Park – London’s Special Memorial to Everyday Heroes

Jun 25, 2020 By Laura Porter 2 Comments

The City of London has over 150 open spaces from city gardens to pocket parks. Many are former graveyards, and Postman's Park fits that category. It is a shady garden with plenty of benches to stop with your takeaway lunch and enjoy the calm away from the City streets. It's also a pleasant cut-through from King Edward Street to St Martin' s-le-Grand, close to the Museum of … [Read more...] about City of London Postman’s Park – London’s Special Memorial to Everyday Heroes

London’s Social History: The History of Public Housing in London

Jun 2, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

Also referred to Social Housing or Council Housing, public housing has long been an issue of greater interest in the United Kingdom and especially in the capital city of London.  Prior to the Victorian era, the government had never thought to provide housing to lower-income citizens.  Prior to this, the need for housing fell on the Church or private entities.  Since the 10th … [Read more...] about London’s Social History: The History of Public Housing in London

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