And here it is – new day and a new video. The most interesting part of the walk will be the City of London. It is the financial district of the capital.
Highlights of the article:
- City of London
- Monument
- Bank of England and Guildhall
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
City of London
Today’s walk will start in a very special area of London, in the so-called city of London. I know for most of the people that come here as tourists and are not local that might sound weird. Why am I saying city of London is an area and not the actual city in the full meaning of the word. That is the name of one of the local government district divisions. There are 34 more called boroughs.
The City is popular nowadays as the financial district of the capital. It consists mostly of office and work buildings and is not really a residential part of London. The architecture here is different – it varies between old and just renovated buildings to new modern style ones.
Monument
The main underground station serving this area is Monument. Monument is a huge and very complicated station with many entrances and exits and several tunnels connecting the different platforms. Londoners joke that the station is really hard to understand and people get lost trying to find their train or exit.
Just outside the station is the Monument of the Great Fire, which is one of sir Cristopher Wren’s works. It is a famous construction marking one of the worst things that happened to the capital. The fire destroyed many houses and churches. If you express interest in history and this particular event, you can have a look here: https://www.themonument.info/
Bank of England and Guildhall
In this exact district is the Bank of England. It is the central bank of the United Kingdom and was originally private. The building’s structure is simple, though very strong and highly guarded.
Another very impressive building on the way is the Guildhall. Its architecture is admirable. Throughout the years it was preserved and used as a town hall and nowadays it is still in use as an administrative and ceremonial centre for the City of London.
Religious or not, you can not miss the St Lawrence Jewry C of E Church. It is a nice and small church hidden between the big financial buildings in the area. It is like a breath of fresh air in the office and work atmosphere that you get walking through the City.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Another hidden gem here is the Saint Mary Aldermanbury Garden. On a working weekday it is a crowded little garden with people having lunch or just a cup of coffee during their break.
I saved the best for last. Our walk will finish with the bright view of St Paul’s Cathedral.
It is an iconic cathedral and a desired tourist landmark when visiting London. It is a functional cathedral, but if you want to enjoy the full inside and even get to the very top, you need to pay an entry fee. That is a contribution that goes for any reconstruction and improvements that the cathedral might need. As it is an old building, the care for it is not easy and requires more resources, so we do not mind spending some money to keep it.
St Paul’s Cathedral is one of my favourite places to see in London, even if you don’t go inside. There is a beautiful garden with benches and blooming trees outside, especially now, in Spring. Like the Monument of the Great Fire, the cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It is 111 meters high and the dome is incredible on top of it. Actually it is one of the highest in the world.
Inside you can find the remains of the very well known Admiral Nelson, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and many others. More interesting facts you can find here: https://www.stpauls.co.uk/
I hope you enjoyed the walk in the first days of Spring in London, stay tuned for more.
Recommended Travel Guide Books
England, Scotland, Wales
▸https://urbanwalkingexperience.com/great-britain-country-guides/
Best London Travel Guides
▸https://urbanwalkingexperience.com/london-travel-guides/
Best London Walking Tour Guides
▸https://urbanwalkingexperience.com/london-walking-tour-guides/
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