Barbican Centre, The - Sightseeing, London Landmarks

Barbican Centre, The

he Barbican is comprised of businesses, exclusive residential flats, the Museum of London and the Barbican Arts Centre.

It is probably the ugliest building in London, although the new British Library may be another contender for the title. To be fair, some parts of The Barbican are very pleasantly landscaped with fountains and plants, but (with the exception of the roof conservatory) you are never far way from grey 1960's concrete slabs.

The buildings are connected by a maze of raised multi-level walkways. Even the locals get lost, so allow plenty of time to navigate.

Wherever you're going in the Barbican, the best plan is to enter the centre by the nearest entrance. Once inside all locations are clearly signposted, unlike the street outside, which is very pedestrian-unfriendly.

Around some of the concrete corners there are unexpected surprises, like a couple of ancient churches that survived the bulldozer, and even sections of the old London wall.

Set in the heart of The Barbican is The Barbican Arts Centre, which boasts an art gallery, concert hall, cinema and two theatres.

Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
Tel: +44 (0)20 7638 8891

Opening Times
Mon-Sat 09:00 - 23:00
Sun 12:00 - 23:00
Box Office 09:00 - 20:00