The Secret Tower
A London landmark was hiding in plain sight
It takes a special building to become a tourist icon but remain a national secret.
The BT Tower in Fitzrovia, central London, rises up 189m and is a staple of postcards and citywide views. Any visitor to the city knows the sight from miles around, but one could easily miss it from the streets at its base.
Bill, a local newsagent owner, tells me, “Oh yes, the tourists like to ask about it.” Does Bill know of the building’s covert past? Understandably, he looks confused.
Formerly known as the Post Office Tower, then the British Telecom Tower — nods to its role in communications — construction started in 1961 and it dominated the skyline for decades. It may have lost its status as London’s tallest in 1980, but even amongst the Gherkins, the Cheesegraters and other striking buildings, it remains unique.
Its seaweed green windows and kettle drum antennae have been a common sight in cinema and television. Given the tower’s retro otherworldly design, it’s no surprise an episode of Doctor Who was filmed here.
As I walk these blustery streets, straining my neck to look up, I can’t help feeling it’s a little unwelcoming though. A well-known story amongst Londoners alludes to its unusual past: a bizarre veil of official…
