London Off The Beaten Path Tips by pieter_jan_v

Russel Square

Russel Square is a small oasis in the middle of busy Bloomsbury.

The square got its name from the surname of the Earls and Dukes of Bedford, who developed the family's London landholdings in the 17th and 18th centuries, beginning with Covent Garden at Bedford Street and Russell Square at a new street leading to the garden of his former home Bedford House.

There is a a memorial south of the cafe located in the square dedicated to those who lost their lives in the bombings of the underground train from King's Cross St Pancras tube station to Russell Square tube station of 7 July 2005.

Little Switzerland

Switzerland has long time connections with the City Of Westminster.

The Swiss precense in London was materialized in the 10-storey Swiss Centre building that was owned for 25% by the Swiss Tourist Buro. The building was the location for the famous Glockenspiel.

New Coventry Street was renamed into Swiss Court (adjacent to Leicester Square) to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation in 1991.

Some years later the Golden Crown of Solothurn got its place, presented to mark the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. Also the Wappenbaum -the Swiss Cantonal Tree, displaying the coats of arms of the Confederation and the 26 cantons, which joined it 14 years later- was placed in the Swiss Court.

But the Swiss Centre building was sold, so the Glockenspiel was about to go.
Under the driving force of Albert Kunz, former London director of Switzerland Tourism, an agreement was made that a new Glockenspiel was to be incorporated into a giant, 12 meters wide triumphal arch to be erected across the Swiss Court at the point where it adjoins Leicester Square.

Website: http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/home

Old city wall

London has many places with "gate" names, but the old city wall is hard to find.

Still, if you have an eye for it, you can find pieces or remains of that City of London wall.