1. Walking Tour of London

3. (Leave Tower Hill Underground, turn left, then left again where you will find the giant sundial and viewing platform: Tower of London views.) The City of London was founded in the 1 st century AD by the Romans, and it was completely walled. To your left you can see the old Roman walls. Today, the city is one of the most important financial centres in the world. During the week, it is a very busy financial and commercial area, but at weekends the area is almost deserted with very few visitors. Ahead of you is TheIt became a Royal Palace after 1066. It is a fine example of a Medieval castle but not, it is not in the City of London! Tower of London. The White Tower is the central dome and dates from 11 th century. It is famous for being holding the Crown Jewels. Many people have also been executed here, including 2 of Henry 8 th ‘s wives. Trinity Square Gardens, on your right, also held many executions. (Exit sundial platform to your right and head towards main road, turn right and cross road via pedestrian crossing. Walk along pedestrian area just past main ticket booth to the Tower of London on your right. Continue on to the River Thames.) 1. Outside Tower Hill Underground

5. 2. North Bank of River Thames

6. Look along river to your left: You will see Tower Bridge. This was built in 1894 by Horace Jones. This bridge can be opened hydraulically. 2 positions fully open and partially open. In the past, it was opened over 50 times a day. A high level walk way can be used for people to cross when The Bridge is open. Ahead of you on South Bank is HMS Belfast naval cruiser built in 1938 and used in WW2 and The Korean War. (Start walking to right along pathway along the river heading for point 3 just before London Bridge.) Billings Gate market building is famous for its fish market and fish sculptures on weather veins. (Head along the river to just before London Bridge to a church set back from the river on your right.)

7. 3. London Bridge There have been several versions of London Bridge. The latest was completed in the 1970s. London Bridge existed in Elizabethan times when houses and shops were built on top of the bridge. The church to the right is St Magnus the Martar, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Just behind it, is the first glimpse of stone columns celebrating the Great Fire of London in 1666: it has large golden statue at the top. This was also designed by Sir Christopher Wren. (Make your way around the right hand side of the church. When you reach the main road, head for main entrance porch of the church.)

8. 3. London Bridge

9. 4. Church of St Magnus the Martyr Outside of the church is fairly plain and austere. If the church is open it is worth looking inside. The church yard formed part of main roadway to London Bridge. As you stand in front of door, look to your left and you will see an old piece of wood from AD 75. It was part of the Roman Wharf in River Thames. (Head to the main road over Thames Street and cross using the crossing to Pudding Lane. Head to half way along Pudding Lane.)

10. 5. Pudding Lane and Monument Street Pudding Lane is the place where the Great Fire of London started in 1666. It started in a Baker’s shop, and destroyed large parts of city. You can see plaque where it started. You can also see a monument on your left by Sir Christopher Wren to commemorate the people who died in the fire, and to give hope to residents that the city would rise again. It is the tallest single column structure in the world. You can climb the 311 steps to the top of the tower. (Walk up Fish Street Hill, away from the River, to the junction of Grace Church Street across Eastcheap. Continue walking along right of Grace Church Street. Stop at the entrance to Lendenhall Market by a pub called the New Moon.)

11. 6. New Moon Pub The scene in front of you may be familiar, as it is often used as a film set. It has been used in the Harry Potter Films. The market was built in the late 19 th century. Today, most of the market is used as boutiques, bars and restaurants. If you look up you can see several silver dragons: the symbols of London. You may also spot the city coat of arms. (Carry on through the market. As you leave look up at the archway - you will see Latin motto translated - God Guide Us. Continue ahead to Leadenhall Place and Lime street.)

12. 7. Corner of Leadenhall Place and Lime Street The Silver Grey building on your left is Lloyds of London, home of famous insurance brokers. In the 17 th Century, they were insurers of ship and cargo. Lloyds of London will provide any insurance apart from Life Insurance. The present building was built in the 1980s. (Head left to the end of Lime Street at end of Leadenhall Street. Head for the road opposite, St Mary Axe. You will pass St Andrews Undershaft, a pre-fire church and a tiny garden. Continue down St. Mary Axe until you reach the Swiss Re Building.)

13. 8. 30 St Mary Axe/The Gherkin 30 St Mary Axe, which is better known as the Gherkin, is 182 metres high, and completed in 2003. When Norman Foster first suggested the building, the idea of the Gherkin caused a lot of controversy. The building used 24,000 square metres of glass and each window is unique due to the building’s shape. In 2014, the building was sold for £700 million to the Safra Group. (Turn with your back facing the Swiss Re Building and head down on the right side of the street past St. Helens Church. Once past the church, keep going straight on through Great St. Helens Square and pass under the archway to Point 9 on Bishop’s Gate.)

14. 9. Threadneedle Street (To continue the tour, head to the left and take the first road on the right down Threadneedle Street. This is one of the most famous streets in the city, as it is the home to the bank of England. To the right is Tower 42.) (The next stop is at the busy junction at the end of the street, in front of a large columned building called the Royal exchange. This is Point 10.)

15. 10. The Royal Exchange

16. The Royal Exchange was built in 1844 and it is the third building on this site. The 1st building was built in 1570 but it was destroyed by the Great Fire of London. The 2nd building was also burnt in 1838. The present building is has luxury stores and restaurants inside. With your back to the Royal Exchange, the building to the right is the Bank of England, known as the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. Some say it has this name because of a female ghost which haunts the Gardens. Just ahead of you is a Statue of Wellington, built by Frances Leggett Tantry in 1844. To the left is Mansion house, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. The building was completed in 1753. (Head right, crossing Threadneedle Street. At the other side of the road, turn left and cross Prince’s Street and then head down a street called Poultry. Keep on the right until you come to Point 11,at the corner of King’s Street which is the 4 th turning on the right.)

17. 11. King’s Street Before you turn into King’s Street, you will notice a large church on the left side of Poultry. This is the church of St. Mary Le Bow, famous for it’s Bow Bells. According to legend, only those born within the sound of the Bow Bells may refer to themselves as Cockney. As you turn into King’s Street, you see the London Guild Hall, which is like a town hall. (Walk down King’s Street and continue to Point 12, on the square facing the Guild Hall.)

18. 12. Guild Hall The Guild Hall has been described as one of London's undiscovered secrets due to its beautiful interior. The decorated walls date from around the 1400s. Although damaged during the Great Fire of London, The Guild Hall survived with damage only to the roof. The roof was renovated in the 1940s. Underneath the Guild Hall are Medieval Crypts. It was also the site of a large Roman Amphitheatre. You will notice on the ground in front of the Hall an oval outline made of grey blue slate. This represents the exact outline of the Amphitheatre that stood here 2000 years ago. (To continue, head to your left as you face the Guild Hall, heading under the buildings with the entrance to the Guild Hall on your right and out onto Gresham Street. Continue down Gresham Street to the corner of Noble Street, which is the 4 th turning on the right.)

19. 12. Guild Hall

20. 13. Noble Street On the corner of Greysham Street and Noble Street, the Church of St. Anne and St. Agnes is opposite. (Walk along Noble Street to where it meets a street called London Wall.) London Wall relates to the old Roman wall that used to encircle the city. On the left side of Noble Street you can see a section of the ancient wall. (Point 14 is at the end of Noble Street on the left hand side.)

21. 14. London Museum On the corner of Noble Street and London Wall, there is the entrance to the London Museum. The museum represents 250,000 years of history and it has over a million items. It is also Europe's biggest archaeological archive. (To continue, head left along Alder’s Gate Street. As the road turns left, cross it using a pedestrian crossing opposite a green building. Just to the right of this building is a small street called Little Britain, while on the left is the entrance to Postman's Park and Point 15.)

22. 15. Postman’s Park You are now at the entrance of Postman's Park, a little known but very pleasant green space. The most obvious feature of the park is the commemorative wall to the right as you walk through. On this wall, you will see many plaques commemorating ordinary people who died trying to save others. The project was the idea of a 19 th Century painter called G. F. Watts. He wanted to created a tribute to ordinary people who would have otherwise been forgotten after their deaths. (To get to Point 16, continue through the park and out onto King Edward Street.)

23. 15. Postman’s Park

24. 16. Old Post Office Building

25. On King Edward Street, almost opposite and slightly to the left is the Old Post Office Building which was the headquarters of Royal Mail. Further along to the left is a statue that commemorates the life of Rowland Hill who started the world’s first pre-paid postage system here in Britain. As the first nation to adopt the postage system, Britain assumed the right to not print the country of origin on the stamps. This is why, even today, British stamps only have a silhouette of the Queen and the price of the stamp on them. (To continue, head left to the end of Kind Edward Street. Opposite, you will see an alleyway leading to St. Paul's Cathedral. To reach it, cross Newgate Street using the pedestrian crossing. Just before you reach the end of the alleyway, turn right and you will find yourself at Point 17 in Paternoster Square.)

26. 17. Paternoster Square and Temple Bar

27. Although it has a modern appearance, Paternoster Square is several hundred years’ old. The development you see was mainly built in the 1990s to provide office space. The square offers fantastic views of St. Pauls Cathedral. The statue of the Shepard and Sheep is named Paternoster, meaning ‘our father’ and is by Elizabeth Frink. (To continue, head diagonally left across the square where you will see an archway.) This archway is known as Temple Bar which once formed the entrance to the city on the western side. The Archway was often central to ceremonies and processions, but it was also where traitors’ heads were displayed after they had been executed. The Temple Bar was not always as it is now. It was removed due to safety reasons related to traffic. It was only brought back here in 2004, after 20 years of campaigning for its return. (To continue, proceed through the arch, and head right to Point 18, in front of the famous western transept of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

28. 18. St. Pauls Cathedral

29. The western transept of St. Pauls Cathedral is considered the traditional view of this magnificent building. The city has had a cathedral dedicated to St. Paul since 604 AD. A total of four cathedrals have previously been on this site before the present day cathedral. The current cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was built between 1675 and 1710. It is 111 metres tall and is the cathedral for the capital city. Many historical and important events have taken place here, including the funeral of Winston Churchill, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. (To continue, walk around St. Pauls to its southern side. Here, cross the road, turn left and then almost immediately turn right where you’ll see a sign for the Millennium bridge. Continue to Point 19 at the northern end of the Millennium Bridge.)

30. 19. Millennium Bridge

31. This bridge was opened by the Queen in June 2000, the first Thames crossing in London for more than 100 years. It was designed by the architect Sir Norman Foster. You can see the bridge in the Harry Potter film ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’. The scene lasted only 3 minutes in the film, but it took a year to digitally create it. The bridge is destroyed by death eaters in that scene. Its opening day was a disaster because it started to wobble violently when 1000s of people crossed it for the 1 st time. The design faults were quickly amended and it is now a much loved feature of London and an important crossing point over the River Thames. From the bridge, you can see the Tate Modern Gallery, which is the large red brick building to the right as you look over the river. To the left of the Tate is the Globe Theatre.