London Architecture

London is famous as one of the great World Cities, part of its fame comes from London’s rich architectural heritage. The Romans established London as a small trading port in 45 AD.

Roman London contained a Bath House, Temples and an Ampitheatre. Little of the Roman city of London is left to see today. But there are several sites in the City of London where Roman London can be glimpsed. Part of the London Wall which surrounded the Roman city is still standing and below the City the Temple of Mithras can be visited. The earliest standing building in London is The Tower of London, which was built in the 1070s by William the Conqueror. It still remains a powerful symbol of authority and is a building of architectural importance.

From a small village, centred around the City, London has expanded in all directions. Each part of London has its own unique architectural character. The East End of London was an area of London that welcomed various groups of refugees and emigrants. The area has streets of 17th century houses which testify to the success of these groups who set up businesses in the developing city and thrived.

Soho is an old part of London with its own character. Developed in the seventeenth century, amid the vibrant cafes, restaurants and night life there are still many large seventeenth and 18th century houses to be seen. The area also contains fine London squares and important churches. Theatreland in the heart of London has a wide variety of architecturally important buildings, many built in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It’s a great area to walk around and take in the character of the area.

Every area of London is rich in church architecture, the London churches cover all architectural periods from the Medieval Westminster Cathedral through to St Paul's built in 1675 and Christ Church Spitalfields built in the early eighteenth century.

The parks of London are part of the architectural planning of London with Regent's Park and St James's Park both developed as part of John Nash’s plan for the area around Regent Street and the Mall. Built in the 1800s the area has a fine row of colonnaded buildings looking onto St James Park.

Outside the main City area houses were built in what was then the countryside. Areas such as Pimlico, Hampstead, Notting Hill Gate and Campden were built and offer a range of architectural styles and urban planning initiatives. So get exploring!