Guildhall

This little hidden square is a landmark in London’s history: in Roman times, an amphitheater stood here. If you look at the ground, you can see a rounded black line marking the boundaries of the arena that once stood here. The imposing building in front of you is called the Guildhall and is the city’s second-largest town hall, after City Hall which stands on the other side of the Thames. It is in this fifteenth-century building that the administrative headquarters of the City of London are located and where solemn events are held. Not to be confused with City Hall, which is the administrative centre of the City of London and houses the Mayor’s office. The Guildhall features a large ceremonial hall, a library, several museums and medieval crypts commemorating figures such as Winston Churchill and Horatio Nelson. It is one of the few buildings in the city to have survived the Great Fire of 1666. To the right of the square’s main building is the Guildhall Art Gallery, which houses some of the world’s greatest works of art as well as several remnants of the Roman amphitheatre. The Guildhall and its gallery contribute to making the square a place steeped in history, and highly apreciated by visitors!