Churches and Cathedrals in Park Street

"St Paul’s Cathedral (fee*) is an Anglican church designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the English Baroque style. The present church was consecrated in 1697; however, it sits on the same site as the former medieval church of the same name which was badly damaged by fire. Today it is the seat of the Bishop of London and one of the most important churches in London."

"Along the south bank (always worth a wander), you can stop in at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern Art Gallery, and even quickly cross the Millennium bridge for a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Globe and St. Paul’s Cathedral are both included on the London Pass, whilst the Tate Modern is free to enter."

"Year Built: 675 CE Location: Byward Street, City of London Purpose:  Church (Current Denomination – Church of England) Still Standing:  Yes. photo source: Wikimedia Commons. Although St. Bride’s Church is considered older, All Hallows by the Tower often cites itself as the oldest church in the City of London – unlike other early churches, All Hallows has a definitive founding date backed up by well-kept records."

"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-by-the-Tower is an ancient historic Anglican church that was founded in 675. Surprisingly, it's still not the oldest church in London. Inside the church is a seventh century Anglo-Saxon arch with recycled Roman tiles."

"The Inns of Court either side of busy Fleet Street are a far cry from the bustle of central London. In a large courtyard off a narrow street is their best-known sight, the Temple Church, which was founded by the military Knights Templar as their London headquarters in the late 12th century. As with other Knights Templar churches it was originally round, but a rectangular chancel (the area containing the choir and altar)was later added."

"This historic site was first built by the Knights Templar as their English headquarters back in the late 20th century. These days the church prides itself on its musical output and together the choir and the Harrison & Harrison organ produce some of the most sonorous gospel music in the city. It's one of the very oldest churches in the city, sure to fascinate history buffs."

"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."

"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."

"He is thought to have been inspired by illustrations of the Tower of the Winds in Vitruvius. However, it is best known for its lasting influence on weddings. This originated when a Mr Rich, an 18th-century pastrycook of Fleet Street, modelled his famous wedding cakes on the spire."

"Famous for its three-tiered spire which inspired a baker to create a tiered wedding cake. It has an interesting museum underneath 2"

"Splendidly refurbished in 2010 it was built between 1721-1724 to the designs of John James, as one of the Fifty Churches projected by Queen Anne’s Act of 1711. The reredos is from the workshop of Grinling Gibbons and frames a ‘Last Supper’ painted for the church by William Kent in 1724. The windows contain Flemish glass of the early 16th century from Antwerp."

"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."

"For Brits, it may not be the first dish that comes to mind when “going for a Chinese”, but hot pot is a hugely popular dish in China. Sizzling pots of oil or broth are presented in the centre of the table, with diners cooking their own portions of meat, fish, vegetables, noodles and more in its heat. Shu Xiangge offers the most traditional hot pot experience in Chinatown – in other words, it can get seriously, seriously spicy and there’s a whole lot of offal around."

"Restaurants Chinese Chinatown. Smack-bang on Chinatown’s Gerrard Street, this Sichuan spot has a space built into every wooden table for bubbling hotpots. If you’re a fan of face-numbingly spicy food and cooking your own meat at the table, head here to feast on adventurous ingredients like brains and beef aorta."

"Cha Chaan Teng in Holborn is a regular lunch spot for everyone here at Secret London HQ, because it just so happens to be right around the corner from our office… It also happens to be home to a very roomy round table, which conveniently seats 14. But that’s not the only reason we make the trip, because Cha Chaan Teng has never let us down when it comes to food quality or service. This Chinese fusion restaurant serves up a selection of ‘reimagined’ Chinese classics as well as offering a fantastic selection of filled, cushiony bao buns."

"Restaurants Chinese Chinatown. At a glance, Café TPT’s menu looks longer than the complete musings of Confucius, with offerings from across mainland China and beyond. Best bets are Cantonese staples such as succulent roast duck on rice or garlicky prawn-stuffed tofu in a hot stone pot, although we crave the Hong Kong-style Tai pai tong hawker dishes too."

"Café TPT is a cosy, unassuming sort of place, great for those on a budget, offering all sorts of Cantonese and Malaysian food. More a street kitchen than a restaurant, its popular dishes include bak kut teh, Malaysian meat broth, deep fried crispy oyster, and fried pork dumplings."

"The Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide is the oldest organization in the world devoted to the study of the Holocaust. The Wiener Library was founded in 1933 to keep Jewish communities up to date on Nazi persecution. Later, it became a research institute and public access library following the end of World War II. The library today has an estimated 70,000 books, 2,000 document, 45,000 photographs and 3,000 periodicals."

"Unless you've had your head buried in the sand for the last couple of years, you will have noticed Goose Island's takeover of the London craft beer scene. Head to their first UK bar in Shoreditch which delivers pints fresh from the brewing room and deep-pan Chicago-style pizza to soak it all up."