Almost nothing is left of the piazza that Inigo Jones designed, based on those he had seen in Italy, except for the houses on the west side of Russell Street (extensively restored). The fine commercial building of Covent Garden Market saw its activ..

Opened in the 1575 by Queen Elizabeth I, this huge brick Tudor building has a splendidly ornate oak beamed ceiling (1574) and stained glass windows decorated with heraldic motifs. The wood panelling bears the coats of arms of masters who were teachin..

Devoted to legal activities and forming its own community within the confines of the city, between Fleet Street and the Thames, the Temple, the motherhouse of the Order of the Knights Templar, represents a world apart. Its legal orientation dates fro..

In early 19C, Belgravia was an area of boggy ground forming part of the Grosvenor family estates. The proximity of the royal residence of Buckingham Palace increased the value of the surrounding property. Architect and entrepreneur Thomas Cubitt (1..

Built in the 12C according to the traditional circular plan of churches of the Knights Templar, this church was restored several times. It features a Romanesque porch and a rotunda built in the Romanesque-Gothic transitional style. The latter contain..

The square has preserved its original appearance with its central garden, its lines of houses, built following the plans of Basevi and in the corners, the individual houses. On the East side is Seaford House where Lord John Russell lived. The Queen..

The buildings were constructed in brick and decorated with stone motifs at the end of the 15C. The oldest building, Old Hall, dates from 1490. The main door opens on to a tangle of courtyards and buildings shown off to advantage by the surrounding ga..

The famous writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) occupied this discreet house typical of the end of the 17C from 1749-1759. Modest in size and proportion, it was almost certainly chosen by Johnson for its huge well-lit attic where he wo..

This best conserved and most attractive of Bloomsbury’s squares was laid out by architect Thomas Leverton in 1775. The three-storey brick houses have arched doorways, elegant demi-lune windows and first-floor balconies, and are embellished with white..

Situated in the smart Knightsbridge district, London’s most elegant department store (Oscar Wilde was a customer) opened in 1849, although the current building is mid-20C. Inside, its food halls have splendid mosaics and colourful stained-glass ; ..

Founded by Charles II in 1670 it serves as a home for army veterans. Christopher Wren controlled its construction, which was finished in 1692, and the Royal Hospital has hardly changed since. Based on the model of the Royal Hotel at Les Invalides in ..

The Church of St Saviour and St Mary-from-over-the-water reached the rank of Cathedral in 1905 when the diocese of Southwark was founded. Beforehand it was dependent upon the diocese of Winchester. It has been renovated several times. The Gothic ar..

The tower rising over Cheapside houses the famous Bow Bells and supports a majestic belfry (1671-1680). A 3m-long copper dragon ridden by a tightrope walker serves as a weathervane 72 m above the ground. The Norman crypt has its original column..

Founded in 1123, at the time of the Plantagenets, it was originally part of an Augustine Priory that served the neighbouring hospital. A 13C arcade inserted under a half-timbered house of the Elizabethan era provides access to the Church where Hogart..

The extraordinary Museum of London has objects, reconstructions, films, models aand instructional resources allowing visitors of all ages to learn about London’s history from the prehistoric period to today. In particular, don’t miss its Roman wall p..

On Outer Circle, the ring road running around the edge of Regent’s Park, are a series of splendid terraces named after George III’s children. Most striking are York Terrace (1821), nearly 300m long, Sussex Place (1822) housing the London Graduate..

On the eastern side of the Outer Circle are fine terraces. Chester Terrace (1825) has the longest uninterrupted frontage (286m), graced by imposing Corinthian columns. Only marginally shorter (242m) is Cumberland Terrace (1826) with its Ionic col..

In the past known for its inns, country houses and gardens, Knightsbridge is now better known for it elegant shops, among them Harvey Nichols and especially Harrods . In1813, Benjamin Harvey opened a draper's shop here (Harvey Nichols) and, in 184..

Designed by Wren, the layout is in the form of a Greek Cross divided by nine transverses and topped by a low central dome with four Corinthian columns. It was restored in 1843 but then damaged by fire in 1988. The church is well known for its wood ..

Of the Church that was rebuilt in 1821, only some bare walls in the middle of a magnificent garden with a water feature remain after the bombing of 1941. But the elegant Portland stone Belfry by Wren still remains with its tower resting on flying but..