London Historic Buildings

THE AZ OF HISTORIC LONDON BUILDINGS
A is for Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace was built on a hill in Muswell Hill in North London in 1873 as a public entertainment centre. It is now a conference centre operated by a charitable trust. It was nicknamed "The People's Palace" or "Ally Pally", and in 1936 became the headquarters of the world's first regular public "high definition" television service, operated by the BBC. The Alexandra Palace Transmitter is located on the site and still broadcasts television and radio signals.
Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY
Tel: 020 8365 2121

B is for BBC Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters of the BBC in London, England. Situated in Portland Place, it is normally home to Radio 2, 3, 4, 6 Music and BBC 7. Architect G Val Myer designed the building in collaboration with the BBC's civil engineer, M T Tudsbery. Broadcasting House was officially opened on May 14, 1932 and is now Grade II* listed.
Portland Place, London, W1A 1AA
Tel: 020 7580 4468

C is for Chelsea Hospital
England's answer to Paris' Les Invalides on the Thames, south of Sloane Square. Wellington lay in state here like Napoleon still does there - but the building is primarily practical - even Napoleon's vanquisher has had to cede to the veterans. The building (Wren 1682, subsequently Adam) looks quite French and the best view is from the Garden.

It houses Chelsea Pensioners - many of whom can be seen walking around town in their distinctive (red in summer, blue in winter) uniforms which date from the 18th C- and which they have to wear whilst off the premises, in return for board and lodging. Has only since 2001 admitted women as pensioners.
Royal Hospital Rd, London, SW3 4SR
Tel: 020 7881 5200

D is for Downing Street
Downing Street is the famous street in central London which contains the buildings that have been, for over two hundred years, the official residences of two of the most senior British Cabinet Ministers, the First Lord of the Treasury, an office held by the Prime Minister, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an office held by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The most famous address in Downing Street is 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury — and thus, in modern times, the residence of the Prime Minister, since the two roles have been filled by the same person. As a result of this "Downing Street" or "Number 10" is often used as short-hand for the Prime Ministers or their office, whilst "Number 11" is likewise a term for the Chancellors of the Exchequer or their office.
Whitehall, London, SW1

E is for London Eye
The British Airways London Eye, sometimes called the Millennium Wheel, is the first-built and largest observation wheel in the world and has been since its opening at the end of 1999. It stands 135 metres (443 feet) high on the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in Lambeth, London, England, between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges. It is adjacent to London's County Hall, and stands opposite the offices of the Ministry of Defence situated in Westminster which it overlooks to the west.
Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London, SE1 7PB
Tel: 0870 5000600

F is for Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a concert, dance and talks venue within the South Bank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected (in April 1988).
The foundation stone was laid by Clement Attlee, then Prime Minister, in 1949 on the site of a former brewery. It was the contribution toward the Festival of Britain by London County Council, and was officially opened on 3 May 1951.
The Hall's design is unashamedly Modernist, the Festival's commissioning architect (Hugh Casson) having taken the decision to only appoint young architects. It was designed by Leslie Martin, Peter Moro and Robert Matthew from the LCC's Architects' Department; Martin was just 39 when he was appointed to lead the design team in late 1948. Martin designed the structure as an 'egg in a box', a term he used to describe the separation of the curved auditorium space from the surrounding building and the noise and vibration of the adjacent railway viaduct.
Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX
Tel: 0870 3800400

G is for Gerkin
30 St Mary Axe is a building in the City of London, London, United Kingdom. It is informally known as "The Gherkin", and sometimes as The Swiss Re Tower, Swiss Re Building or Swiss Re Centre, after its owner and principal occupier. It is 590 ft (180 m) tall. The building is famous for its daring architecture by Pritzker-prize winner, Sir Norman Foster and ex-partner Ken Shuttleworth.

H is for Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a former royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The palace is located 11.7 miles (18.9 km) south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames. It is currently open to the public as a major tourist attraction. The palace's Home Park is the site of the annual Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU
Tel: 0870 752 7777

I is for Inns of Court
The four Inns go back a long way and were founded to organise Law Students along Oxbridge lines. Lincoln's was founded in 1422, with Middle Temple (1501) Inner Temple (1505) and Gray's (1569) following. Their antecedents date from 1292 - so do some of the laws which still govern England.
Middle Temple Lane, London, EC4Y 9AS
Tel: 020 7427 4800

J is for Courts of Justice
The Royal Courts of Justice, commonly called the Law Courts, is a building in London that houses the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. Courts within the building are open to the public although there may be some restrictions depending upon the nature of the cases being held. Although the High Court and the Court of Appeal are called the "Supreme Court", their function is quite different from the American Court of the same name, as they hear far more cases, but have a much less significant constitutional role.
The Strand, London WC2A 2LL
Tel: 020 7947 6260.

K is for Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. Today it houses various minor royals including the Duke of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent. At the moment, Kensington Palace hosts the exhibition "Diana, Princess of Wales by Mario Testino", open to the public since late November 2005.
Kensington Palace State Apartments, Kensington Gardens, London, W8 4PX

Tel: 0870 751 5170

L is for Lloyds of London
A practice run for the Pompidou Centre in Paris's Beaubourg, Richard Rogers' stunning building similarly has it's guts on the outside. Right next door to Leadenhall market at 1 Lime Street, London EC3. Go at about 11am and have lunch in the market. It's illuminated by a blue light at night and stands out on the skyline.

The Insurance market, with the famous Lutine Bell rung traditionally when an insured ship sinks (now it's rung for big market news, once for bad news, twice for good), bustles on around you as you whisk in one of the open elevators to the meeting rooms at the top of the building.
One Lime Street, London, EC3M 7HA
Tel: 020 7327 1000

M is for Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome is a large dome on the Greenwich peninsula in the Docklands area in Eastern London, the United Kingdom. In May 2005, it was announced a sponsorship deal involving O2 would see it being renamed to The O2. It is served by the North Greenwich tube station on the Jubilee line, which was opened just before the Dome.
The O2, Greenwich Peninsula, Greenwich,SE1
http://millennium-dome.com

N is for National Gallery
The National Gallery is an art gallery in London, located on the north side of Trafalgar Square. It houses Western European paintings from 1250 to 1900 from the national art collection of Great Britain. The collection of 2,300 paintings belongs to the British public, and entry to the main collection is free, though there are charges for entry to special exhibitions.
Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
Tel: 020 7747 2885

O is for Old Bailey
'When will you pay me' asked the bells of Old Bailey, probably referring to lawyers fees - it stands on the site of the infamous Newgate Prison (William Penn and Daniel Defoe were incarcerated here). A prison was on the site since the 10th century. It's now London's Central Criminal Court, where you can sit in on trials of notorious criminals (Oscar Wilde shares this distinction with Dr Crippen.) The famous statue of blindfolded justice sits atop the dome. The present building dates from 1907, but incorporates some of the older buildings.
Old Bailey, London EC4M 7NB
Tel: 020 72483277

P is for Houses of Parliament
Only open to the Public when the two houses are not sitting, which generally means Summer (June-September) but there may well be an extension - the scheme is still experimental. Now run by experienced 'Blue Badge' guides. You get to see the Commons and The Lords, as well as the Queen's private rooms. Well worth the admission fee (about £6 - 8). Booking arrangements vary from year to year - there currently a booking tent opposite the entrance to Lords, on College Green.
Palace Of Westminster SW1A 2PW
Tel: 020 72193000

Q is for Heron Quays
Forms part of the Canary Wharf development in the Docklands, East London. It has a Docklands Light Railway station, which was moved South after the development was expanded. Three skyscrapers dominate the area - 25 Bank Street, 40 Bank Street and 10 Upper Bank Street.
R is for Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is the third theatre on the Covent Garden site. Its history began in 1728 when John Rich, actor/manager at Lincoln's Inn Fields, commissioned The Beggar's Opera from John Gay. The success of the venture provided the capital for the first Theatre Royal at Covent Garden, designed by Edward Shepherd. On the opening night, 7 December 1732, Rich's actors carried him there in triumph for a performance of Congreve's The Way of the World.

For the first hundred years or so of its history the theatre was primarily a playhouse. The Royal Opera House, as you see it today, opened on 4 December 1999. Its reconstruction actually began on site in 1996 with the last performance in the 'old' house in July 1997. In three years the most inadequate of the great opera houses of the world was transformed, not only for audiences, but equally for performers and the hundreds of other people who work here. By remaining on its historic site the Royal Opera House has enriched Covent Garden and reinforced its status as part of London's cultural heartland.
Covent Garden, WC2E 7QA
Tel: 020 73044000

S is for St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral is a cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. The present building dates from the 17th century, and is generally reckoned to be London's fourth St Paul's Cathedral, although the number is higher if every major medieval reconstruction is counted as a new cathedral.
St. Paul's Churchyard, EC4M 8AD
Tel: 020 72364128

T is for Tate Modern
Tate Modern is Britain's new national museum of modern art in London and, along with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St. Ives, a part of the Tate Gallery. It is housed in the former Bankside Power Station, which was originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect responsible for Battersea Power Station, and built in two stages between 1947 and 1963. The power station closed in 1981. The building was converted by architects Herzog & de Meuron and stands at 99m tall. Since its opening on May 12, 2000, it has become a very popular destination for Londoners and tourists. Entry is free.
Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Tel: 020 78878008

U is for Underground
Visit some of the oldest and most impressive underground stations in London such as Charing Cross, Kings Cross and Paddington, one of the first stations to be built when the London Underground was first created.
The Metropolitan Railway, the first section of the London Underground, ran between Paddington and Farringdon and was the world's first urban underground passenger-carrying railway. After delays for financial and other reasons following the scheme's adoption in 1854, public traffic eventually began on 10 January 1863.

V is for Vauxhall, New Covent Garden Market
New Covent Garden Market is a wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market, known as 'London's Larder', located in Nine Elms between Vauxhall and Battersea, South West London. Covering a site of 56 acres (227,000 m²), it contains approximately 250 fruit, vegetable and flower companies. The Market is so called because it transferred directly from its previous location at Covent Garden in central London
Growers Pavilion, New Covent Garden Market, London SW8 5DZ
New Covent Garden Market Authority Tel: 020 77202211

W is for Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to as Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs.
London SW1P 3PA
Tel: 020 72225152

X is for Royal X-Change
The Royal Exchange in the City of London was founded in 1565 by Sir Thomas Gresham to act as a centre of commerce for the city. The site was provided by the Corporation of London and the Worshipful Company of Mercers, and is roughly triangular, formed by the converging streets of Cornhill and Threadneedle Street.
The Royal Exchange was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth I who awarded the building its Royal title on January 23, 1571. Gresham's original building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. A second exchange was built on the site, designed by Edward Jarman, which opened in 1669, and which was destroyed by fire in January 1838. The third Royal Exchange building still stands on the site and adheres to the original layout - consisting of a four-sided structure surrounding a central courtyard where merchants and tradesmen could do business.
London EC3V 3LP

Y is for Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub
Historic pub on Fleet Street with an old world feel and charm. The front bar has hardly changed for hundreds of years, while the restaurant has a lovely open fire. In fact, you could easily imagine Dickens coming into the bar for a drink and not feeling at all out of place. The pub also has a number of cellar rooms and Samuel Smith's beer on tap.
145 Fleet Street, EC4A 2BU
Tel: 020 7353 6170

Z is for Zebra Crossing
Abbey Road Studios
Nestled in the St. John's Wood section of Northwest London one finds a stately 19th century building and a famous zebra crossing that music fans from around the globe make a stop at on their pilgrimages to see places related to the Beatles.
Abbey Road Studios, at 3 Abbey Road, London NW8, is where most of the Beatles' recordings took place between 1962 and 1969. This noble old building takes on nearly as great a stature as do England's ancient monuments. In fact, in the life of rock and roll, Abbey Road Studios might be considered an ancient (although fully functional) monument.
3 Abbey Road, London NW8
Tel: 020 7266 7000