Mentioned by Visit London
Cathedrals and churches in London
"Towering over diminutive Ludgate Hill in a superb position that's been a place of Christian worship for over 1400 years (and pagan before that), St Paul’s is one of London’s most magnificent buildings. For Londoners, the vast dome is a symbol of resilience and pride, standing tall for more than 300 years. Viewing Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece from the inside and climbing to the top for sweeping views of the capital is a celestial experience."
"Finally, All Hallows-by-the-Tower is believed to be the oldest surviving church in London, and overlooks the Tower of London on Byward Street. The church was founded in 675, and while it has obviously undergone extensive restoration since then, it still contains an Anglo-Saxon arch from the time which we believe qualifies it to take the crown as London’s oldest church!. Thanks to its proximity to the Tower of London, this church was frequented often where beheading victims were sent for a temporary burial!"
"Reconstruction during 1955, after extensive damage in the Blitz. Image source: Ben Brooksbank / CC BY-SA 2.0. Located on the doorstep of the Tower of London, this church has buried the bodies of numerous victims sentenced to death on Tower Hill, including those of Thomas More, Bishop John Fisher and Archbishop Laud."
"All Hallows Church London sits across the square from the Tower of London. It’s one of the oldest Christian churches in London, dating back possibly to the 7th century AD. It famously survived the Great Fire of London because surrounding buildings were burned to create a firebreak."
"This church belongs to the Inner and Middle Temple, two of England’s ancient societies of lawyers. Located in the heart of the city between River Thames and Flee Street, the Temple Church’s origin dates back to 12th century. Built by Knights Templar, this church showcases a typical round structure."
"The name, Temple, derives from the Order of the Knights Templar, an order established in 1118 for protecting pilgrims. (You may know of them as the knights who wore white tunics with red crosses on them.). In 1162, the group built their first church and houses on the banks of the Thames."
"Temple Church is linked with the Knights Templar and contains the stone effigies of eight slumbering knights on the floor of the Round Tower 3"
"One church which comes up in very few London guide books is St Brides church on Fleet Street. The current St Bride’s is at least the seventh to have stood on the site, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the 1672 incarnation was damaged heavily during a fire in the WWII blitz in the 1940’s but thankfully able to be restored. The second tallest church in London, after St Paul’s, St Brides is an imposing figure on the London skyline, especially against the modern highrise buildings of today."
"There was a church on this site during the time of the Romans.Some believe that St Bridget, an Irish saint, established the first Christian church on the site in the 6th century. During the Great Plague of 1665, a plague pit was dug within the churchyard. Pepys mentions having to bribe the gravedigger in order to find room to bury his brother."
"St Giles Cripplegate, The origin of Cripplegate could be from the Anglo-Saxon ‘crepel’, a burrow, denoting the long, narrow underground or covered way leading to the gate. Alternatively, it could be that more cripples gathered at this particular gate begging alms than at other gates of the city.The first known church was built during the 14th century on the ground outside the gate close to where the Walbrook ran under the London Wall. It was rebuilt in the 17th century and much altered in Victorian times.Oliver Cromwell was married here, and in 1674 the poet John Milton was buried."
"St Giles is the patron saint of lepers, the crippled and the handicapped, hence this unusual dedication. It’s another London medieval church, mostly built in the late Gothic Perpendicular style, and survived the Great Fire of London but not the Blitz. The whole of the surrounding area was destroyed, and on this ground, close to a section of the London Wall, the Barbican Estate was built."
"This 16th-century church is one of the few to have survived both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz. It is situated inside the Barbican"
"St Sepulchre is dominated by its grey 15th century Gothic tower. Captain John Smith, the famous Governor of Virginia, rescued by Pocahontas, was buried here in 1631. But St Sepulchre also has darker associations."
"It is a little square box of a church, by Wren, tucked away in a little courtyard which was once the graveyard, but now a place to sit and eat your sandwiches. It is not only one of Wren’s prettiest churches but also the least altered since it was built in 1686. It is renowned for its splendid carved wood interior, especially the reredos, or altarpiece, by the master Grinling Gibbons, with its lively swags of flowers."
"This church was initially built in the 13th century when it was known as St Olave-towards-the-Tower, dedicated to the patron saint of Norway, King Olaf II. It was a favourite place of worship of the diarist Samuel Pepys, and he and his wife Elizabeth are both buried in the nave of the church. The present building was erected in 1450, and survived the Great Fire in 1666 thanks to Sir William Penn (whose son would found Pennsylvania) and his men from the local naval yard."
"St Olave’s church near Fenchurch Street station dates from the fifteenth century, and survived the Great Fire mainly due to the efforts of the writer Samuel Pepys, who lived and worked nearby. Pepys is buried in the nave of the church. Other burials include Mother Goose, who was interred in 1586, and Mary Ramsey, the woman who it is claimed brought the plague to London in 1665."
"It was one of a small number to survive the Great Fire of London. It suffered far greater damage during the London Blitz of World War II, and the 15th century body of the church was restored by the mid-1950s. It’s a small church with a wealth of history."
"Located smack, bang in the heart of Piccadilly Circus, Rainforest Café has been serving up burgers, pastas, salads and more since 1997. Kids will love the decor where they’ll be surrounded by the jungle, which is brought to life with the help of special effects and really rather cool animatronics. Expect tropical showers, cascading waterfalls and mechanical butterflies to go along with your milkshakes and fries."
"#piccadillycircus #rainforestcafe #kidsactivities #daytrip #wheretogo #rainyday #rainraingoaway #parentblogger #londonrestaurant #uniquevenue #safari #fun #adventure. A post shared by Rainforest Cafe London (@rainforestcafelondon) on Jan 31, 2018 at 4:06am PST. Take your children to the Rainforest Cafe, one of the most fun restaurants in London."
"Your kids will never forgive you if you don't take them for a meal at the Rainforest Cafe in central London. A joy to behold, with an American menu that has something for everyone."
"We end the list of the 10 most famous skyscrapers in London with Heron Tower, 754feet 7 inches tall, and so the third highest in the city after The Shard and One Canada Square. Built between 2007 and 2011 to the design of the architects Kohn Pedersen Fox, it attracts the curiosity of visitors not so much for its architectural style as for the huge70,000 litre aquarium behind reception, which is home to around 1,200 fish of 60 different species."
"St Margaret Pattens is one of Wren’s plainest churches, with a severe, un-Wrenish, but beautiful spire. The church gets its name from the nearby makers of pattens in medieval times. Pattens were devices that you wore under your shoes to elevate you several inches off the ground."
"As one of the “OGs” in the matcha scene in London, Tsujiri is most certainly a reliable pick for matcha. They are a matcha dessert tea house so they definitely take their matcha very seriously!. My favourite include the likes of Matcha Soft Serve Ice Cream and Matcha Basque Cheesecake, both lusciously velvety and simply sensational."
"TSUJIRI is a dessert tea house that specialises in everything matcha. Yep, if you’re not a fan of that finely ground fluorescent green tea powder then you’re probably not going to be a huge fan of TSUJIRI. If you’re mad for the stuff, though, you’re in luck."
"Chinatown’s Tsujiri has been mainly about the oh-so-instagrammable matcha soft serves. But they do tubs of their matcha, sesame and black sesame ice cream to have at home too. Delivery: Same day delivery through Slerp"
"Serving up scoops of joy across London, Snowflake offers over 40 different flavours and a selection of tasty treats that span from blissfully rich brownie sundaes to cinnamon crepes. Offering all the usual classic gelato flavours as well as refreshing sorbets, you’re never too far from one of their shops, with locations in Soho, South Kensington and beyond. Those looking to treat themselves to something a little extra are advised to try their Italian-style hot chocolate, a thick, rich and creamy delight of a dark chocolate drink that any chocolate connoisseur will appreciate."
"Fall in love with luxurious desserts at Selfridge's Snowflake. This artisan ice-cream maker offers sweet puddings created from organic milk and nuts grown in the Italian mountains. Choose from waffles, crepes, ice-cream sundaes and vegan desserts."
"SNOWFLAKE – Snowflake’s flagship store keeps the beating heart of london satisfied with a myriad of gelato flavours on offer. The fior de latte flavour,"
"Churning its way to the top is Snowflake after founder Asad and gelato Chef Paolo opened up their first shop in 2012. With eight years now under their belt, they have several stores across the city delighting the busy commuters, tourists and passers-by with their specialities, handmade with love using some of the world’s finest ingredients. Despite expanding, each gelato is made by hand using the traditional Italian method, allowing each one to be naturally unique, just like a real snowflake."
"Where: Selfridges, Westfield, Bayswater, South Kensington, Marble Arch, Soho & The O2. Winner of no less than 25 Good Taste Awards, founder Asad and gelato chef Paolo named their ice-cream company Snowflake because all their ice-cream is made by hand, no two batches are the same."