Gin Lane is one of a pair of 1751
engravings by
William Hogarth in support of the then-proposed
Gin Act 1751. This
Act of Parliament made the
distillation of
gin illegal in
England. Whereas its pendant Beer Street shows a happy city drinking the "good" beverage of English
beer, Gin Lane claims to show what would happen if people started drinking gin, a harder liquor. The scene can be identified as taking place in
St Giles, a slum district of London, from the presence of
St George's Church,
Bloomsbury, in the background.
Built in 1859 and at 4,880 square metres (52,500 sq ft) in area, the Temperate House in Kew Gardens is the largest surviving
Victorian glass structure in the world, and houses an extensive collection of temperate plants, including the world's largest indoor plant, the
Chilean wine-palm.
30 St Mary Axe, otherwise known as "The
Gherkin" or the
Swiss Re building, at 180 m (590 ft) is the 6th tallest in
London,
England. Designed by
Foster and Partners, the architectural design of the tower contrasts sharply against more traditional buildings in London, such as the Church of
St Andrew Undershaft in this photograph.
Leadenhall Market is a covered market that dates back to the 14th century in the
City of London, located in
Gracechurch Street. The ornate roof structure of the current building, designed in 1881 by Sir
Horace Jones, and painted green, maroon, and cream, makes the building a tourist attraction.
The Tower Bridge is a
bascule bridge that crosses the
River Thames. It was completed in 1894 and the original
hydraulic machinery still opens the bridge, although it has been modernised. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. The high-level walkways between the towers house an exhibition on the bridge's history.
The City of London skyline, as viewed toward the northwest from the top floor viewing platform of
City Hall on the southern side of the
River Thames, in 2008. Not to be confused with the
London metropolitan area, the City covers 1.12 sq mi (2.90 km2) and, along with
Westminster is the historic core of London around which the modern
conurbation grew.
The western departures concourse of King's Cross railway station. Designed by John McAslan, it opened in 2012. The architect claims that the roof is the longest single-span station structure in Europe.