Temple Bar was the principal ceremonial entrance to the City of London from the City of Westminster. In the middle ages, London expanded city jurisdiction beyond its walls to gates, called ‘bars’, which were erected across thoroughfares. To the west of the City of London, the bar was located adjacent to the area known as the Temple. Temple Bar was situated on the historic royal ceremonial route from the Tower of London to the Palace of Westminster, the two chief residences of the medieval English monarchs, and from the Palace of Westminster to St Paul's Cathedral. The road east of the bar within the City was Fleet Street, while the road to the west, in Westminster, was The Strand.
Temple Bar in 2012, with the Temple Bar Memorial in the centre
The Old Wooden Temple Bar before the Great Fire of 1666
Temple Bar Gate in 1870, when it was still located to mark the Temple Bar
Artist's conception of the Temple Bar Gate at the commencement of the 18th century. Note heads on pikes above the gate.
The City of Westminster is a city and borough in London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of central London, including most of the West End. Many London landmarks are within the borough, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Westminster Cathedral, 10 Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square, an open plaza in the city
Westminster City Hall, completed in 1965
Piccadilly Circus (September 2012)
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster and usually refers to both the clock and the clock tower (Elizabeth Tower).
