An evening walk along the Thames, Greater London

There’s something quietly magical about walking beside the Thames in the evening. The sky is fading, the city lights are beginning to glow, and every corner tells a story.

I started my stroll at Gibson Hall, the old National Provincial Bank at 13 Bishopsgate. Its Portland stone façade, Corinthian columns, and spotlit allegorical panels felt almost theatrical under the lamplight. I remembered that it was completed around 1865 as a lavish Victorian banking hall, now a beautifully preserved Grade I listed building.

From there, I wandered down towards the Monument to the Great Fire of London, a towering Doric column standing exactly 202 feet from where the fire began on Pudding Lane. In the glow of dusk, it felt like a sentinel marking the passage of time.

Footsteps led me through Leadenhall Market, its ornate roof and wrought iron glowing gently. Though most shops were closed, the place retained its Victorian charm and alive sense of history. A short detour took me to Billingsgate Market, once flocked by fishmongers and customers alike. Now it's a stark reminder of how once the streets besides the Thames used to be crowded and commercialized well before globalization took over London.

Finally, I paused on the riverside to take in the Shard shimmering in the distance, kissed by the last rays of evening sun, and Tower Bridge poised across the Thames like a guardian of the city.

That evening walk—through splendid architecture, echoes of history, and glowing landmarks—felt like stepping into a living story, one I still carry with me.

Post by Aaron_AK | Sep 1, 2025