Famous Buildings In London: 11 You Must Visit
This post is part of our archived content. While we’ve shifted focus, it still may be useful.
London is full of famous buildings and if you’re here for a limited time, it can be challenging to figure out which you must visit.
As born and bred Londoners, we see these historical buildings all the time, so it was fun for us to look at them again through the eyes of a tourist.
Make the most of your time in the city with a visit to one (or more) of these 11 famous landmarks.
A great way to see lots of them is via a Thames river cruise.
11 Of The Best Must-Visit Famous Buildings In London
Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, The Shard is the tallest building in London.
A 72-storey skyscraper it gets its name from the fact that it looks like a shard of glass.
The building houses offices, the amazing Shangri-La Hotel plus restaurants and bars.
For 360-degree panoramic views, book a slot at the award-winning The View From The Shard.
There’s a piano up there which you’re welcome to play, cocktails at the on-site bar and events like silent discos and day parties.
Aqua Shard does a great Peter Pan afternoon tea for kids.
The Grade II listed building is a decommissioned coal-fired power station on the south bank of the River Thames.
It lay in ruins for nearly 40 years until work started on its redevelopment in 2014.
Now it’s home to 20 bars, restaurants, shops, entertainment and leisure facilities.
There’s a brilliant playground for the kids, delicious noodles at Tonkotsu, great coffee from Black Sheep Coffee and you can catch a film at the boutique Cinema in the Arches.
There’s a new Arcade Food Hall open seven days a week and offering 13 different cuisines.
Big Ben is the world’s most famous clock and according to the official website, one of the most Instagrammed landmarks on the planet.
Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the tower.
Its proper name was just Clock Tower until it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The tower was closed in 2012 for refurbishment, but the scaffolding was removed in early 2022 so the tower and its clock faces are now visible.
You’ll take the best pictures from Westminster Bridge and/or Parliament Square.
Often confused with London Bridge, Tower Bridge is the one you see in most films or TV shows about London.
London Bridge is a boring-looking bridge that does a fab job connecting the north and south sides of the river.
No one really visits London Bridge for anything other than that (despite what the nursery rhyme may have you believe).
Tower Bridge however is a striking neo-Gothic bridge that despite being born and raised here, we’ve never seen open!
The website tells you daily opening times so you can arrange your visit accordingly.
It’s hard to get a decent picture of the bridge when you’re on the bridge, instead head near the Tower of London and snap away.
There are great restaurants, bars and cafes in the area and in summers past, there have been free water fountains nearby for the kids to splash around in.
It’s worth paying the entry fee to go inside Tower Bridge.
There’s a glass walkway to walk across if you’re feeling brave and you can even join yoga and art classes up there.
One of the most iconic buildings in the world and one of the official homes of the British Royal Family.
It’s a working palace and you can tour its 19 State Rooms for 10 weeks of each year.
Built in 1703, Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.
To see the palace in all its glory, book yourself onto an official tour.
If you want to see the Changing of The Guards, visit this website for the best dates and times.
Westminster Abbey is a grand old church that’s been associated with kings, queens, statesmen, soldiers, poets, priests, heroes and villains since the year 960.
Queen Elizabeth was married to Prince Philip here as were Andrew and Fergie, and William and Kate.
William the Conqueror had his coronation here in 1066 and since then, all British and English monarchs have too.
Chaucer, Cromwell, Isaac Newton and William Wilberforce are all buried here.
Family-friendly events include arts and crafts workshops and child-centred friendly guides who help you to uncover stories of super scientists, mighty monarchs, meditative monks and aspirational artists who have filled the Abbey through the centuries.
Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognisable sights of London.
Admiral Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher had their funerals here and Charles and Diana were married here.
The art inside St Paul’s is astounding but as a working church, there are limits on when you can and can’t visit.
Nearby are some great shops (a quick takeaway lunch at Marks & Spencer is a good, reasonably priced option) for food and clothes.
For the best views of St Paul’s, head to the Roof Terrace at nearby One New Change.
The London Eye is the largest Ferris wheel in Europe and hosts four million visitors a year.
If the weather is good, you should be able to see most of London’s landmarks:
- Houses of Parliament
- Big Ben
- Westminster Abbey
- The Shard
- River Thames
- Buckingham Palace
- Tower Bridge.
The London Eye used to have the highest public viewing point in London but was superseded by the 245-metre-high observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard.
If you’re in a big group (or want some privacy) you can hire a private pod from £625 or you can upgrade your pod with an on-site host serving champagne and strawberries.
Tate Modern holds the nation’s collection of modern art from 1900 to the present day and is one of the ten most visited museums and galleries in the world.
Admission is free (as it is at sister museum Tate Britain) and you’ll get to see varied works from artists like Picasso and in a different vein, see how artists in Tate’s collection have responded to the impact of mass media.
Tate always has something child-friendly happening and kids are very welcome, buggies are allowed and you can breastfeed wherever you feel comfortable.
There are also baby changing facilities and a great café.
Walkie Talkie Building
20 Fenchurch Street, aka the Walkie Talkie Building, is very much a commercial building and houses many insurance companies.
The bits open to the public are bars and restaurants on the 35th, 36th and 37th floors.
The piece de resistance is the Sky Garden at the top.
It’s London’s highest public garden and gives you 360-degree views of the city’s iconic skyline.
Sky Garden is free to visit, but spaces are limited so tickets must be booked in advance.
Sky Garden hosts morning yoga, DJ residences, parties, proposals and more.
Primarily an office building, The Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe is home to Helix restaurant and Iris bar on the top floors and offers fabulous panoramic views across the City of London.
For more things to do in London when your time in the city is short, check out:
- London In One Day
- 3 and 5 Day London Itinerary
- London With A Baby
- London With A Toddler
- London With Teens
