From London Bridge into the heart of the City of London (2.1 Km)

philip carey
Aug 20, 2022
5 min read

Updated: Aug 16, 2024

Start at London Bridge Station

Finish at St Paul's Station

THE EXPERIENCE

This is one of the City of London's most ancient routes, some of which can be traced back to Roman times (46AD). London Bridge was the only bridge into London until 1750 and still remains the busiest of all London's bridges. The route past the Monument to the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed 70% of the city. Further on, you get to Leadenhall Market, which was the place where the Romans built their Forum. This sits on the Roman road that went to Cambridge through the City wall as Bishopsgate. The route east takes you past the Bank of England and London's financial centre and then through the ancient market of Cheapside, the centre of the City of London's administration at Guildhall. This route ends at London's most symbolic and religious centre - St Paul's Cathedral.

It is great for history, iconic sights, cityscapes, markets, shops, churches, and historic streets. Numerous eating and drinking spots support it along the way.

MUST SEE PLACES

What to See List

1. The Shard

2. Borough Market

3. Views from London Bridge

4. The Monument and its Views

5. Leadenhall Market

6. Lloyd’s Building and Gherkin

7. City of London Skyscrapers

8. Bank of England

9. The Royal Exchange

10. Mansion House

11. The Guildhall

12. St Mary-le-Bow - Cheapside

13. One New Change

14. St Paul’s Cathedral

PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

Areas to Eat, Drink and Be Merry List

1. Borough Market

2. Borough High Street

3. Around the Monument

4. Around Leadenhall Market

5. Around Tower 42

6. Southwest of St Paul’s Cathedral

7. East of Bank Station

8. Around Cannon Street Station

9. Along & Around Watling Street

10. Around One New Change

BEST TIME

Morning - The best time to do this route is on weekends in the early morning when it is quiet and free from crowds and heavy traffic.

Day - Most of this route will be busy during the day.

Evenings - Quieter during the evening.

ROUTE OVERVIEW

This 2.1 Km route takes you from London Bridge Station, across London Bridge, and up Bishopsgate past the Monument and Leadenhall Market and into the City of London's skyscrapers zone. At Threadneedle Street, it heads off towards the historic iconic buildings of the Bank of England, the Royal Exchange, Mansion House, and Cheapside before ending up at St Paul's Cathedral.

Route at a Glance Video.

These links open in a new tab

Strava Map

My Google Map Link

DESCRIPTIVE PHOTO GALLERY

This gallery provides a descriptive and visual reference to many sights along this route. Use the Google Map above to find their location. Double-click to see its full size.

INTERESTING FACTS

Bank of England and Royal Exchange

The Bank of England is the UK’s central bank, and its mission is to deliver monetary and financial stability for the people of the United Kingdom. It was founded as a private bank in 1694 to act as the government's banker and to fund the war against France. The Bank’s headquarters has been on Threadneedle Street since 1734. It is responsible for issuing banknotes and coins and holds around 400,000 bars of gold worth over £200 billion.

Despite its name, the Bank of England is not a government-owned entity but a private institution owned by its shareholders.

The Bank of England is responsible for setting monetary policy in the United Kingdom. This includes decisions on interest rates and managing the money supply to achieve economic objectives. In addition to its monetary policy functions, the Bank also plays a crucial role in maintaining financial stability in the UK through regulatory oversight of financial institutions.

The Bank of England operates a museum and visitor centre, offering insights into its history, functions, and the evolution of money and banking.

The Royal Exchange was founded by the merchant Sir Thomas Gresham. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571, who awarded it a royal title and a licence to sell alcohol. It was London’s first purpose-built centre for trading stocks but had to be rebuilt twice, in 1666 and 1844, after being destroyed by fires. Trading ended here in the 1940s due to war damage. It was renovated in 2001 and now has luxury shopping and dining.

Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall Market Interior

Leadenhall Market is one of the oldest markets in London and dates from the 14th century. It is right in the heart of the City of London on the site once the epicentre of Roman London. The current structure was designed in 1881 by Sir Horace Jones, who also designed Billingsgate Fish Market and Tower Bridge. Today, it's home to boutique retailers, pubs, wine bars and restaurants. The market was also used as the location of Diagon Alley in the first Harry Potter film.

Mansion House

Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London and was built in 1752 in the Palladian style. It is used for some of the City of London’s official functions, such as the Chancellor of the Exchequer's “Mansion House Speech”. A new Lord Mayor of London is elected each year by the City as head of the City of London Corporation. It's a civic role and not political. To date, there have been over 693 Lord Mayors of London.

Other Route facts

Lloyd’s of London and Willis Tower Watson

The Lloyds Building (designed by Richard Rogers) and the Willis Building (designed by Norman Foster) are on Fenchurch Street.. The Willis Building features a “stepped” design, which was intended to resemble the shell of a crustacean, whilst the “inside out” Lloyds Building has its critical service routed on its outside walls.

Fishmonger’s Hall

Fishmongers’ Hall by London Bridge is the headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers – a guild of fish and seafood sellers in the City – and one of the 110 livery companies of the City of London. The Company has been in existence since 1272. This is their fourth hall, and it opened in 1834 when London Bridge was moved and rebuilt. Fishmongers’ Hall contains many treasures, some dating back to the 1380s.

Paternoster Square

The area takes its name from Paternoster Row, which was once the centre of London’s publishing trade. On 29th December 1940, the buildings on Paternoster Row were destroyed by the Blitz bombings, but St Paul’s Cathedral remained largely intact. The square was developed in 1956 and again in 2003. It is now the location of the London Stock Exchange, which relocated there from Threadneedle Street in 2004. The central column serves as a ventilation shaft. Temple Bar is the last surviving gateway to the City of London. It used to stand across Fleet Street by Temple as this was the historic royal ceremonial route from the Tower of London to the Palace of Westminster, the two chief residences of the medieval English monarchs. The original Temple Bar is now at the entry to Paternoster Square, behind St Paul's Cathedral. The Bar was also used from 1293 to regulate trade into the City of London

VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE AREA

Click on the picture below to go on a 360 virtual tour of the areas and have a look around.

Use the red route to explore this location by looking around in 360, taking in the sights and sounds, listening to an audio recording about the area and going on a virtual tour.

HISTORY & GUIDES VIDEO LIBRARY

Please note - These date from before 2018 and have been done in a variety of styles to determine which one works best. They all provide very useful information and we would welcome feedback to help create the new version

SIGHT GUIDES

These short videos give you a quick guided tour of some sights on this route.

5:45 minutes