City of London Walking Tour (Self Guided), London

Ludgate Hill, one of three ancient hills in London, has been the site of a place of worship since 604 AD. The present building on the hill is St Paul’s Cathedral, and it is quite rightly one of the most famous of London’s landmarks and the most visited cathedral in the world, after St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Between 604 and the Great Fire of 1666, there had been several churches on the hill, and after the last one was destroyed in the Great Fire, Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to build a new, bigger one. He had to make five different designs of the building before one was finally chosen; work began in 1675 and the cathedral was officially opened in 1711.

The interior of the cathedral is very beautiful with the inner dome painted with 8 monochromes by Sir James Thornhill, depicting the life of St Paul. The inner dome holds three galleries: the internal Whispering Gallery takes its name from the unique acoustics – a whisper against the wall on one side of the gallery can be heard on the other side. Above this is the external Stone Gallery and above that is the external Golden Gallery.

In the Nave there are three chapels: on the North aisle are the All Souls Chapel and the St Dunstan’s Chapel; on the South aisle is St George and St Michael Chapel. The Knights Bachelor Chapel and the OBE Chapel are to be found in the crypt.

The tombs of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Christopher Wren are also in the crypt, along with tombs and memorials to many others who have made a great contribution to the nation, including artist and musicians. Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral was held here, and of course, the marriage of Prince Charles to Lady Diana was celebrated in the cathedral.

***Charles Dickens Tour***
St Paul’s Cathedral, as a setting, is featured heavily in many novels by Charles Dickens. In "Master Humphrey’s Clock", for example, Dickens describes Master Humphrey going up to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral, then the tallest building in London, for the panoramic city view. He writes: ‘Draw but a little circle above the clustering house tops, and you shall have within its space, everything with its opposite extreme and contradiction, close beside’.

Another Dickens's work – "David Copperfield" – takes Peggotty to the top of St. Paul’s to enjoy the impressive views over London, which is something visitors still do today.

The area around the iconic cathedral Dickens knew well and frequented himself for various reasons, including major public events, like the funeral of the Duke of Wellington in 1852.

*** Harry Potter Movie ***
Other than architecture- and history buffs, nowadays Harry Potter fans also have their reason to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral. The point of interest for them is the spectacular spiral Geometric Staircase (also known as the Dean’s Stair) that appears to be floating out of the walls of the Cathedral’s South West Bell Tower. Recognizable from “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, this winding staircase leads to the astronomy tower and is where students climbed up the stone steps towards Professor Trelawney’s Divination classes held in a classroom atop a Hogwart’s North Tower. It was also featured in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” as the Turris Magnus staircase. To view the staircase, you will need to enter the Cathedral on a visitor ticket.

***Shakespeare Walk***
The medieval St Paul’s Cathedral, predecessor of Sir Christopher Wren’s landmark dome design, was one of the largest European churches of its time, whose spire dominated the skyline of London until it burned down in the Great Fire of 1666. During Shakespeare’s lifetime, the area around St Paul’s was very different to what it is today.

Apart from being the centre of religious, political, cultural and social life in the city, the Cathedral was also the heart of London’s book trade and its environment was quite important in shaping the literary works of that period. By 1600, Shakespeare was the most published professional dramatist, and the first editions of his plays including Titus Andronicus, Richard II, Richard III, 1 Henry IV, 2 Henry IV, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Merchant of Venice were all bought and sold in St Paul’s Churchyard. It is also very likely that Shakespeare himself scouted the local bookshops for content that would furnish him with source material for his own work. In large part, the environment of St Paul’s shaped Shakespeare’s writing and influenced its survival and reception.

Why You Should Visit:
An architectural masterpiece and symbol of London during the War.
There is always much to explore, both above ground and in the crypt.

Tip:
You have to pay for the entrance of this cathedral. Buy tickets online to save time. You can also buy an audio tour at the entrance.
To really appreciate the interior, you should climb the steps to the dome (which should take a good 30 min.) You will find an external viewing area at the top.
Part way up there is also a whispering gallery from which you look down into the church from above.

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 8:30am-4:30pm

Back in the 19th century, Cheapside was an enormously popular shopping district. It figures throughout the history of English literature and makes numerous appearances in Dickens’s writing. In "Great Expectations", Pip described the adjacent street market of Cheapside as "all asmear with filth and fat and blood ... the great black dome of St Paul's bulging at me."

Charles Dickens, Jr. wrote in his 1879 book Dickens's Dictionary of London: "Cheapside remains now what it was five centuries ago, the greatest thoroughfare in the City of London. Other localities have had their day, have risen, become fashionable, and have sunk into obscurity and neglect, but Cheapside has maintained its place, and may boast of being the busiest thoroughfare in the world, with the sole exception perhaps of London-bridge."

Today, Cheapside is still a busy retail destination widely known for the wide range of outlets and offices, as well as the City's only major shopping centre, One New Change, at the St Paul's end.

Dig anywhere in London and find layers of Roman, Saxon and Medieval remains. Under the entrance to the Guildhall yard in Moorgate are the remains of the London Roman Amphitheater. Over the amphitheater are the ruins of a 13th century gatehouse.

Legend says the site of the Guildhall was once the location of the palace of Brutus of Troy. Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his 1136 History of British Kings, claims Brutus established a city on the Thames called New Troy. Could New Troy be London?

The current Guildhall is the administrative and ceremonial center of the City of London Corporation. Construction of the Hall began in 1411. It was completed in 1440. In 1788 George Dance, architect, added a "Hindustanee Gothic" facade to the main entrance of the south front.

The Guildhall has several grandiose capacious rooms. Under it all are the East and West Crypts. They date from 1042. The Guildhall Art Gallery was added to the Guildhall complex in the 1990s. The Guildhall Library, also a new addition, is a public reference library with collections dating from the 11th century.

Legend has it that Gog and Magog, two hostile giants, were destroyed by Brutus. History has it that two statues of the giants attached to the Guildhall were destroyed by fire in 1666. They were later destroyed again by the German Luftwaffe in WWII. They were replaced in 1953. Brutus is gone. New Troy is gone. But Gog and Magog are back.

The Bank of England Museum is not hard to find. It is within the Bank of England. The museum is home to a vast collection of items and objects outlining the history of the bank and the British economy since 1694 when the bank was founded. The museum is open to the public without admission charge.

Before the 1980s the Bank's collection could only be seen by appointment and under escort. When admission requirements were loosened access was granted to the Rotunda and Sir Herbert Baker's "Sloane Hall." A new museum was planned but a fire in 1986 caused extensive damage. Rather than repairing damage, construction for the new museum began.

The museum is in three parts. First is an exact reproduction of architect Sir John Sloane's 18th century Bank Stock Office. Second are new galleries devoted to historical themes. Lastly is the refurbished Rotunda housing a central gold display.

The Rotunda Gallery is the most striking architectural area in the museum. The gold display at its center is flanked by Ionic columns salvaged from the original Sloane's Hall. Around the edges of the rotunda are wall cases with historical displays of the bank. Twelve 18th century caryatids stand guard over the scene.

After the Rotunda one enters the exhibition area. Audio-visual installations assist in telling the story of "The Bank Today." The visitor may experience the bank work environment and the functioning of a central bank in the world economy.

Admission is free. Operating hours: Monday-Friday 10am-5pm.

Sir Richard Clough, a merchant from Wales and agent of Queen Elizabeth I, was the first to recommend the creation of the Royal Exchange in 1562. The design of the Exchange was inspired by the Antwerp bourse, the first organized commercial exchange in the world. Sir Richard suggested the exchange to his protege, Sir Thomas Gresham.

Sir Thomas had served King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth I as agent of the Crown. He was familiar with the Antwerp bourse. In 1565 he proposed the City of London's Aldermen build what would become the Royal Exchange. And he would pay for it.

Queen Elizabeth awarded the building's royal title along with a license to sell alcohol and other goods. Stockbrokers were considered rude and were not allowed in.

The Royal Exchange of today was designed by Sir William Tite and opened by Queen Victoria in 1844. It is an oblong rectangular structure enclosing a courtyard.

It has a portico supported by eight Corinthian columns. The portico is surmounted by a pediment holding a tympanum with reliefs by Richard Westmacott (the younger). The reliefs represent London and foreign traders.

Niches in the courtyard hold statues of Charles II and Elizabeth I. A mounted statue of the Duke of Wellington is in front of the portico. The London Troops Memorial, surmounted by a bronze lion and flanked by two bronze soldiers memorializes London soldiers of World War I.

Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. Designed by George Dance, its construction started in 1739.

The house is used for some of the City of London's official functions, including two annual white tie dinners: the Easter banquet with the main speaker being the Foreign Secretary; and the one in early June, presided over by the Chancellor of the Exchequer who gives the "Mansion House Speech" about the state of the British economy.

Other than that, the Mansion House is also home to The Harold Samuel Collection of Dutch and Flemish 17th Century Paintings consisting of 84 items, plus some other treasures including five ceremonial City of London swords.

In his "Gone Astray" essay, Dickens imagines himself as coming to the Mansion House when a dinner is being prepared and looks in through the kitchen window, feeling that his "heart began to beat with hope that the Lord Mayor, or the Lady Mayoress,... would look out of an upper apartment and direct me to be taken in. But nothing of the kind occurred." Alas...

You really should take time to visit St Stephen Walbrook Church situated next to the Mansion House (the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London).

The Walbrook is a small river running from the City Wall into the River Thames – hence its name. In the 7th century a Saxon church stood on the west side of the brook. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1439 on the east side. This church was destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666 and Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to build the new one.

The new church was built over the brook which now flows through a concrete tunnel underneath the building. The church is considered one of Wren’s finest churches, with its 63ft dome centred over a square of 8 columns. The circular base of the dome is supported in its turn by 8 arches that cross each other in the style of a Byzantine squinch. The building was a bit damaged during the Blitz of 1941, but was soon restored.

You can’t miss the beautiful white stone altar by Henry Moore in the centre of the church, but you might be surprised to see a telephone in a glass box on display. This telephone is the first one ever used by the Samaritans, a confidential emotional support service who have a “hot-line” 24 hours a day and give help and advice by telephone, letter and e-mail. The Samaritans were founded in 1953 by Dr Chad Varan, the rector of St Stephen Walbrook. On the left wall of the church, you can admire the painting “Burial of St Stephen” by Benjamin West.

The mysterious London Stone until recently was ensconced at 111 Cannon Street. It is a large block of limestone thought to have been brought from Bath in Roman times.

John Stow, an early London historian, mentions the stone in his Survey of London in 1598. He claimed a list of properties containing the location of the stone was given by King Aethelstan to Canterbury Cathedral in the tenth century.

London Stone was a famous landmark in 1450 when Jack Cade led his rebellion against Henry VI. Cade struck the stone with his sword and declared himself "Lord of this City." Smacking the stone was easier than smacking the King. Cade's rebellion and Cade himself were swiftly quashed.

There are myths. It has been called a "Druidic" marker for some ancient rites or a Roman milestone. William Blake wrote, "In offerings of Human life...They groan'd aloud on London Stone..." Another myth claims medieval kings would smite the stone to announce their control. This did not work well for Jack Cade and the kings made no comment.

One myth maintained that if the stone were moved, disaster would follow. Well, the stone was moved several times. In 1742 it was established beside Saint Swithin's Church. In 1940, the church was destroyed in the Blitz and replaced by an office building at 111 Cannon Street. This building was demolished in 2016 to be replaced by yet another building and the stone was moved to the Museum of London. In 2018, the new building being up, the stone was moved again back to 111 Cannon Street. No further moves are planned. The mystery prevails.

Built in 1881, Leadenhall Market is one of the oldest marketplaces in London where meat and fish had been sold since as far back as the 14th century. Located in the historic center of London’s financial district, this beautiful covered Victorian market is a rather magical place for a bit of shopping. Its ornate painted green and red roof and cobbled floors made Leadenhall a popular attraction even before it played a starring role in the Harry Potter series.

In the films, the market is featured as the area of London which secretly leads magical folk to Diagon Alley, the cobblestoned shopping hub of the wizarding world where Hogwarts students stock up on school supplies like spell books and wands. Harry and Hagrid walk through the market as they approach the Leaky Cauldron, which holds a sneaky entrance to the alley.

In both, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” an empty storefront at 42 Bull’s Head Passage (at Leadenhall Market) was used as the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. The shop was vacant at the time, so filmmakers were able to paint it black and hang up a Leaky Cauldron sign for the scene. Its rounded blue doorway is now instantly recognizable to Harry Potter fans. Today the shop is occupied by Glass House Opticians, so, with a bit of luck, you may even find Mad-Eye Moody here, getting fitted for a contact lens...

Sky Garden is located atop a lopsided skyscraper on 20 Fenchurch Street in London. It is nicknamed "Walkie-Talkie" by locals because of its odd radio handset shape. The top three floors are given over to the actual "Sky Garden."

The garden is made up of semitropical trees and succulent plants that form a kind of fringe around the bar, restaurants and broad walking areas scaling the 35th, 36th and 37th floors. The floors are open to the public but they are often crowded. Because only two lifts are available, access in or out is frequently slow.

Free access is provided in 90-minute shifts until six pm. After six only paying visitors are admitted.

The real draw of the sky garden is the 360-degree views of the city of London. There are observation decks and an open-air terrace.

The garden was designed by Gillespies, landscape Architects. The terraces are planted with different types of drought-resistant Mediterranean and South African plant species. Plantings bloom throughout the year. Flowering plants include African Lily, Red Hot Poker and Bird of Paradise among aromatic herbs, especially French Lavender.

The Sky Garden building at 20 Fenchurch Street was designed in 2004 by the famous Uruguayan architect Ra Vinoly. Reservations are recommended for busy times at the garden.

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known simply as the Monument, is a Doric column in London, situated near the northern end of London Bridge. Commemorating the Great Fire of London, it stands at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, 202 feet (62 m) in height and 202 feet west of the spot in Pudding Lane where the Great Fire started on 2 September 1666.

Constructed between 1671 and 1677, it was built on the site of St. Margaret's, Fish Street, the first church to be destroyed by the Great Fire. Another monument, the Golden Boy of Pye Corner, marks the point near Smithfield where the fire was stopped.

The top of the Monument is reached by a narrow winding staircase of 311 steps. The view from the top is incredible, but the climb may not be easy for some people.

We all know the children’s nursery rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down”. Today’s London Bridge is not falling down, but its predecessors were all destroyed during wars or by fires.

The first bridge to span the Thames at this spot was a Roman pontoon bridge built in 50 AD, replaced in 55 AD by a piled bridge, which was destroyed in 60 AD by Queen Boudicca. The bridge was rebuilt but fell into disrepair when the Romans left. It was rebuilt in 990 and again destroyed – this time by Prince Olaf in 1014.

The Norman Bridge built in 1067 was destroyed in the London Tornado of 1091. King William II had it rebuilt but this time it was ravaged by fire in 1136. The stone bridge built in 1173 had a chapel dedicated to Thomas Becket in the centre and houses and shops were built along the bridge, making the passage for carts and wagons very narrow. Fire destroyed the North end in 1212 and the South end in 1633. The South gateway was used for over 300 years as a place where traitor’s heads were put up on pikes for the edification of the general public.

In 1756 the houses were removed from the bridge and a new bridge was built in 1831. This bridge was sold in 1968 to an American millionaire and transported piece by piece to be reassembled at Lake Havasu in Arizona. The current bridge was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.

Don’t miss the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs – the scariest attractions in the capital. You will find them in the Gothic vaults under the bridge. In the London Bridge Experience you will be led by actors through the history of the bridge. London Tombs takes place in an ancient plague pit and is very frightening. Children of under 11 aren’t allowed in.

If you would like to see a fine example of a 12th century church, then you shouldn’t miss visiting St Mary-at-Hill in the Billingsgate Ward.

This church was built in the 12th century and called “St Mary de Hull”, later changed to the name it bears today after the Norman influence on the language waned. It isn’t a very large church, being 96ft long and 60ft wide, but it represents one of the oldest buildings in the capital.

The church was damaged during the Great Fire of London in 1666, but Sir Christopher Wren was able to rebuild it, replacing only the east end and the interior. The three other walls and the west tower were undamaged. The interior has four free-standing Corinthian columns that support the barrel-vaulted ceiling which has a Greek cross pattern and a coffered dome in the centre.

In 1787 the west wall was rebuilt and the tower was replaced rebuilt in brick. In 1826 arched iron-framed windows were installed in the north wall. A cupola was added to the dome and windows were set into the chancel vault in 1848.

Sadly a fire in 1988 caused a great deal of damage, and although the roof and ceiling were rebuilt, the woodwork which included the ancient pews and the pulpit were not replaced. Every year the October Festival of the Sea is held in the church – a Harvest Festival with fish and sea food instead of fruit and vegetables – and in June music recitals are given on St Botolph’s Day.

All Hallows-by-the-Tower, also previously dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, is an ancient Anglican church located in Byward Street in the City of London, overlooking the Tower of London. Founded in 675, it is one of the oldest churches in London, and contains inside a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon arch with recycled Roman tiles, the oldest surviving piece of church fabric in the city.

All Hallows-by-the-Tower was first established by the Anglo-Saxon Abbey at Barking and was for many years named after the abbey, as All Hallows Barking. The church was built on the site of a former Roman building, traces of which have been discovered in the crypt. It was expanded and rebuilt several times between the 11th and 15th centuries. Its proximity to the Tower of London meant that it acquired royal connections, with Edward IV making one of its chapels a royal chantry and the beheaded victims of Tower executions being sent for temporary burial at All Hallows.

In 1066, shortly after his victory over Harold at Hastings, William the Conqueror began construction of his White Tower. The fortress was strategically placed at a bend in the river Thames, perfect for defense of the river and the city. Its presence was considered a symbol of oppression by common folk. Until 1952 the tower was also used as a prison.

Basically, the Tower is a compound within two rings of walls and a moat. During the reigns of Richard I, Henry III, and Edward I significant expansion occurred. Despite these changes, the general layout of the fortress is roughly the same as it was in the 13th century.

The Tower has been a Royal residence, an armory, a treasury, a menagerie, a mint, a public record archive and the Crown Jewels of England depository. Until the reign of Charles II in the 17th century, coronation processions were made between the Tower and Westminster Abbey. When the monarch was absent the Constable of the Tower ran the show.

The Tower has a reputation for torture and death, but executions were mostly held on Tower Hill, outside the castle. In 400 years a mere 112 offenders faced the block. This was cold comfort to unlucky prisoners. The last prisoners held in the tower were the infamous Kray twins, in 1952.

The castle is made up of three enclosures called "wards." The inmost ward holds the White Tower, the donjon, or keep of the castle. Enclosing the Tower on three sides is the inner ward, built in the reign of Richard I in the late 12th century. The outer ward encircling the castle was built by Edward I in 1285.

The White Tower measures 118 by 105 feet. The battlements are as high as 90 feet. It has three floors. Each floor had three rooms, a large room and a smaller room and a chapel.

The Tower is presently home for the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The Yeomen Warders ("Beefeaters") take part in the ceremony of the keys each day. The Honourable Artillery Company fires gun salutes during the year. They fire 62 rounds for Royal events and 41 rounds for lesser occasions.

Six ravens with clipped wings are kept at the Tower at all times lest the kingdom fall. So far this strategy seems to be working.

Tip:
Buy your ticket(s) online and in advance, then print out and skip most of the lines to enter by following the signs for ticket holders.
Join one of the free Beefeater guided tours, lasting some 45 min. These are informative and will give you a good appreciation of the Tower's history. Make sure you walk all round the Tower, as there are fascinating exhibitions in lots of places you may not notice.

Opening Hours:
Sun-Mon: 10am-4:30pm; Tue-Sat: 9am-4:30pm

To begin with, Tower Bridge is not London Bridge. There has always been a London Bridge since 60 AD. Tower Bridge is downstream of London Bridge. The center part of Tower Bridge may be raised to accommodate river traffic. London bridge does not move.

The Tower Bridge is a combined suspension and bascule bridge. It was finished in 1894. It was designed by architect Horace Jones. Engineering was by John Wolfe Barry. The bridge is managed by Bridge House Estates, a non-profit founded in 1282. The bridge was opened in 1894 by Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales.

The bridge is 800 feet long. It has two 213 foot high bridge towers. The towers are joined on the upper level by two walkways. On the lower level is the roadway; two bascule leaves that can be raised. The twin towers, upper level walkways and the engine rooms form the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The exhibition is open to public tours.

The Tower Bridge Exhibition uses films, photographs and interactive means to show how the Tower Bridge was built. Visitors can access the original steam engines once used to raise and lower the two bascules. There is an admission fee. Entrance is in the northern tower. A lift or elevator ascends to the upper level walkways.

Parts of the walkways have been fitted with glass floors. Look down at the river, a giddy 143 feet below one's feet. Or not.

There is an urban legend that an American, Robert P. McCulloch, bought the old London Bridge and installed it in Lake Havasu City in Arizona, believing he had bought the Tower Bridge. McCulloch denies everything. He knew all along what he had. The Tower Bridge would have looked much more impressive in Lake Havasu City. That cannot be denied.

Why You Should Visit:
Unique and majestic structure; amazing to see especially at night! Great view and a glass floor on the high-level walkways that is really quite cool.

Tip:
If you're lucky enough, you could see the bridge open up to let the barges/ships pass by. Don't skip the engine room, which is very educational as to how the bridge operates.

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am-5:30pm