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All the United Kingdom England London Temple Bar
AO Edited

Temple Bar

Over several decades, one of London’s most iconic city gates was dismantled, moved out of the city, and then moved back.

London, England

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Temple Bar.   Tilman2007 / CC BY 4.0
Temple Bar is quite striking at night.   Andrew Dunn / CC BY 2.0
The statue of Charles II can be seen on the façade of Temple Bar.   Katie Chan / CC BY 3.0
Temple Bar.   Tilman2007 / CC BY 3.0
The coat of arms of the United Kingdom is shown above the south side of the main archway.   Michel wal / CC BY 3.0
There’s a great view above the archway.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
A small room can be found above the archway.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
The coat of arms of the City of London is located above the north side of the main archway.   Katie Chan / CC BY 3.0
A statue of James I resides on the façade of Temple Bar.   Katie Chan / CC BY 3.0
Temple Bar has a long history.   Tilman2007 / CC BY 4.0
The statue of Anne of Denmark can be seen on the façade of Temple Bar.   Katie Chan / CC BY 3.0
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

After the Great Fire of London in 1666, famed architect Sir Christopher Wren devoted a large part of his time and effort to rebuilding the city. Most famously, Wren rebuilt St. Paul’s Cathedral as well as 52 smaller churches within London. However, he also built eight new arched gateways into the city. 

Temple Bar is the last of Wren’s gateways still standing. The gate is currently located just north of St. Paul’s Cathedral, but it was originally constructed about 850 meters to the west where the Strand from Westminster connects with Fleet Street within the City of London (and where the Temple Bar Memorial currently stands). 

The history of how it reached its current position is quite complicated. Temple Bar originally replaced a medieval wooden archway—also called Temple Bar—that had stood at the west entrance to the City of London for a few centuries. The new Temple Bar was built using Portland stone, with its construction completed in 1672. A small room was hidden atop the lavishly decorated archway.

The structure instantly became a well-recognized entryway into the City of London, but over time, it also became an obstacle to traffic, so in 1878, Temple Bar was dismantled. Soon after this, it was purchased by the wealthy brewer Sir Henry Meux and his wife Valerie Meux and reassembled on their estate in Theobalds Park in Hertfordshire. Unfortunately, it was not well maintained after Valerie Meux passed away and began to crumble.

In 1974, the Temple Bar Trust was founded within the City of London to bring Temple Bar back into the city, but this process proceeded very slowly. After a substantial amount of campaigning, negotiating, and work, the arch was reconstructed in 2004 to the southern side of the redeveloped area around Paternoster Square, which is just north of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Temple Bar today is now home to the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects, one of the modern-day livery companies in London (which are modern professional organizations that can trace their lineage to London’s medieval guilds). The room inside Temple Bar is now used as a multipurpose space for meetings, talks, and even dinners, and the Temple Bar Trust also organizes various educational activities involving the gateway itself.

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Architectural Oddities Architecture

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Temple Bar is located between St. Paul’s Cathedral and Paternoster Square, which are both easily accessible by multiple forms of public transport, including the Underground’s Central Line (with St. Paul’s Station to the northwest) and the Circle and District Lines (with Blackfriars Station to the southwest and Mansion House to the southeast). Although driving into this part of London is not necessarily recommended, car parks (parking garages) are available off of Queen Victoria Street, in the areas around Smithfields, and close to the Barbican.

The exterior of Temple Bar is publicly visible at all times of day, but the interior can only be accessed by attending one of the events organized by the Temple Bar Trust or by hiring the room itself. More information is available from the trust’s website.

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SEANETTA, Steve 55

  • SEANETTA
  • Steve 55

Published

March 4, 2025

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Sources
  • https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/temple-bar-james-i
  • https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/temple-bar-charles-ii
  • https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/temple-bar-charles-i
  • https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/temple-bar-anne-of-denmark
  • https://architectscompany.org/
  • https://londonhistorians.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/why-dont-you-come-on-over-valerie-the-remarkable-lady-meux/
  • https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Wren
  • https://www.building.co.uk/focus/tales-of-temple-bar/1032523.article
  • https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/attractions-museums-entertainment/temple-bar
  • https://templebar.london/history
  • https://templebar.london/
Temple Bar
1 Paternoster Row
London, England, EC4M 7DX
United Kingdom
51.514282, -0.099518
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