Famous streets in West End
West End is a London area which is situated in the central and western parts of the English capital. It is the location to a significant amount of world renowned edifices, entertainment venues (home of West End Theatres), shops, public houses, and last but not least landmarks. Some of the most popular places of interests in West End are a number of streets which every year attract tourists by the numbers.
Denmark Street
Denmark Street runs from St. Giles to Charing Cross Road and is located on the edge of West End. The thoroughfare is named after Prince George of Denmark and was developed during the 17th century. It gained international prominence during the 1950s as it became the home to some of Britain’s first music shops and recording studios. Since then a large number of notable musicians and bands have commence their careers from Denmark Street. The lane is also the location of eight Grade II building, most of which are associated with the local music industry.
Kingsway
Part of the A4200, Kingsway is a major road which spans from Aldwych in the south to High Holborn in the north. It was introduced to the public in 1905 and the opening ceremony was held by King Edward VII. The Aviation House is perhaps the most noted building on Kingsway. Formerly known as the Church of the Holy Trinity, the edifice dates back to the early 20th century and was designed by English architect John Belcher and Scottish architect John James Joass in the Edwardian Baroque architectural style. The building’s façade was inspired by the church of Santa Maria della Pace in Rome. Today it houses the British Government Digital Service. Other popular edifices on Kingsway are:
v York House
v Africa House
v Victory House
v Kingsway Hall
v Alexandra House
v Civil Aviation Authority House
v 61 Aldwych
Tottenham Court Road
Historically a market street, today Tottenham Court Road is one of the most important thoroughfares in central London. It runs from St. Giles Circus to Euston Road and is heavily associated with electronics and white goods as some of the city’s best appliance shops are situated on it. The road’s south end lies in close proximity to Centre Point the tallest building in West End (385 feet) and the British Museum which is the UK’s most and the world’s fifth most visited museum. The north end of Tottenham Court Road is home to several edifices which are part of the University College Hospital. Whitfield Gardens is a small public green area which also lies at the northern end of the thoroughfare.
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is arguably the most famous road in London. It is situated in the City of Westminster and spans from the above mentioned Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch (19th century white marble triumphal arch designed by architect John Nash) through Oxford Circus. Originally it was part of a Roman road, Via Trinobantina which ran from Hampshire to Essex. During the middle ages it was known as Tyburn Road and was the location of the infamous Newgate Prison. It was renamed to Oxford Street during the 18th century and became a notable residential and commercial thoroughfare during the 19th century. It was here that Britain’s first department stores opened doors but unfortunately only a handful of them are still standing as the road was heavily damaged during the German bombing of World War II. Today Oxford Street is a highly desirable retail location and is home to several listed edifices. Since 1959, it has been the site of the annual switching on of the Christmas Lights.
Albemarle Street
Albermarle Street is a thoroughfare in Mayfair a highly desirable residential area in central London where people constantly relocate by using the West End man and van services of Trace Elliot. It is associated with several notable people such as Oscar Wilde, Lord Byron, John Murray, Robert Harley, Victor Spencer, Thomas Huxley, Ernő Goldfinger and more. Albermarle Street is also the location of a number of internationally known art galleries including W. H. Patterson Fine Arts, Faggionato Fine Arts, The Belgravia Gallery, Mazzoleni Art, The Archeus Gallery and more. Brown’s Hotel, one of London’s most reputable hotels which dates back to 1837 lies on the thoroughfare.
Baker Street
Situated in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster, Baker Street is known throughout the globe as it is the location of the fictitious home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. The road is home to the Sherlock Holmes Museum which was founded in 1990 and is housed in a property on the fictitious 221B Baker Street which in reality is situated between 237 and 241 Baker Street. The thoroughfare was also the location of Madame Tussaud’s first was museum in 1835.
Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street is a pedestrian shopping thoroughfare in the prolific district of Soho in the City of Westminster. It lies in close proximity to two other well-known roads: Oxford Street and Regent Street. The thoroughfare is named after the Karnaby House and it was laid and developed during the late 17th century. Carnaby Street is the location of numerous independent fashion boutiques and lifestyle retailers. It has features in numerous cinematic and television productions as well as video games. It can be easily reached by the closed by Oxford Circus tube station.
Regent Street
This thoroughfare is a major shopping street in West End. It was designed by John Nash and named after George, the Prince Regent who later became George IV. It is 0.8 miles long and spans from Waterloo Place to All Souls Church by passing through Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus. Regent Street was opened to the public in 1825 and is laid over a number of earlier roads including a large portion of Swallow Street since then is one of the shortest thoroughfares in the area with a length of 341 feet. The street is home to many prominent commercial establishments and numerous well-known edifices.
