Category: London Landmarks
Piccadilly Circus: London’s Iconic Crossroads
Piccadilly Circus is one of London’s most famous landmarks, a swirling nexus of history, culture, and commercial energy. Known for its dazzling lights, bustling crowds, and iconic architecture, it has served as a meeting place and symbol of the city’s dynamic character for over a century. But how did this vibrant hub come to be,…
Hyde Park: London’s Green Heart
Nestled in the heart of London, Hyde Park isn’t just a vast green space—it’s a living testament to centuries of history, culture, and the oddity of British life. Spanning an impressive 350 acres, it’s not merely a park but a sprawling patchwork of stories, from royal pursuits to public protests, and it’s home to a…
How to book a tour of Big Ben
Did you know that you can take a tour inside Big Ben? Londonopia tells you how. Getting Tickets: The Chase for Clock Tower Glory Here’s where the fun (read: bureaucratic rigmarole) begins. You can’t just waltz up to Big Ben, flash your Oyster card and expect to enter. For reasons best left to history and…
The MI6 Building
If ever a building embodied its purpose, it’s the MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall, London. Known officially as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) Building and colloquially as “Babylon-on-Thames,” this striking postmodern structure looms over the River Thames, blending intrigue, menace, and just a touch of theatrical absurdity.
Centre Point: From Brutalist Icon to Luxury Landmark
Towering over the heart of London, Centre Point is a building that has divided opinion for decades. Some hail it as an architectural masterpiece, others as a concrete monstrosity. But love it or loathe it, this iconic landmark has an undeniably fascinating history, full of intrigue, scandal, and transformation. From the Ground Up Centre Point’s…
Millenium Mills: An East End icon
On the eastern edge of London, near the River Thames in Silvertown, sits an imposing relic of the city’s industrial past: the Millennium Mills. This hulking, derelict building stands as a silent testament to a time when London’s Docklands were the beating heart of global trade and manufacturing. Although it’s been decades since Millennium Mills…
A Most Illustrious Guide to London’s Globe Theatre: A Shakespearian Tale
Hear ye, hear ye, good gentles and kindred spirits! Pray, turn your ear to this tale most marvellous, of a wonder that graces the fair city of London – the Globe Theatre! Forsooth, a place where art and magic intertwine, and where the Bard’s spirit doth still reside. In this bustling metropolis, where horse-drawn carriages…
London Visitors Guide: Top places to visit
Londonopia’s guide to London’s must-see tourist attractions. Big Ben Big Ben is probably the world’s most famous clock. Big Ben is one of London’s best-known landmarks, and looks most spectacular at night when the clock faces are illuminated. Trafalgar Square & Nelson’s Column Trafalgar Square, London is London’s largest square. Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus is…
London’s only Lighthouse
London is located a long way from the sea, 35 miles to be exact, so it’s surprising to find a lighthouse here. London’s only lighthouse can be found at Trinity Buoy Wharf where the River Lea meets the River Thames. The lighthouse was built between 1864-66 and was not used to guide ships at all.…
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is London’s most famous square and is the fourth most popular tourist attraction on Earth, with more than fifteen million visitors a year. Trafalgar Square commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar of 1805, a British naval victory over the French and a key battle of the Napoleonic Wars. At the center of Trafalgar Square…
Big Ben: London’s most famous clock
Big Ben is London’s, and probably the world’s, most famous clock. Big Ben is a four-faced clock situated at the north end of the Palace of Westminster / Houses of Parliament. Big Ben is one of London’s best-known landmarks, and looks most spectacular at night when the clock faces are illuminated. You even know when parliament…