In 2024, I showed Oscar from Denver, Colorado the highlights of London. It was his first time in England. In contrast, Thanh and I have been to the capital of the United Kingdom many times. During the weekend of Pentecost 2026, we went together for a weekend of museums, food, and a concert.
The first item on the programme was V&A East… so I thought. But more on that next week. As V&A East is far away from our hotel, the Park Plaza London Riverbank, Thanh suggested cutting the journey in two. We would first stop at The Garden At 120, in the City of London, which is a separate entity to ‘just’ London. On our way to this rooftop terrace, we walked through Leadenhall Market.
Leadenhall Market
Somewhat discreet between the modern office towers of the City of London, Leadenhall Market is one of the capital’s oldest and most distinctive covered marketplaces. Known for its ornate Victorian architecture, colourful painted ironwork and cobbled walkways, the market combines centuries of commercial history with a contemporary mix of shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés.
Located just a short walk from the financial district around the Bank of England and the insurance market centred on Lloyd’s of London, it remains a working part of the City rather than simply a tourist attraction.
Origins in Roman London
The site has been associated with trade for nearly 2,000 years. Archaeological excavations have revealed that a Roman forum and basilica once stood here, forming the commercial and administrative heart of Roman Londinium. During the Middle Ages, the area developed into a thriving market where traders sold meat, poultry, fish, leather, grain and other goods to the growing population of London.
The market takes its name from the lead-roofed manor house that stood nearby during the medieval period. By the fourteenth century, Leadenhall had become one of the city’s most important market centres. Over the centuries, it expanded and evolved, serving both wholesale merchants and everyday shoppers.
The Victorian rebuilding
The appearance visitors see today largely dates from the nineteenth century. In the 1880s, the existing market was extensively rebuilt to designs by architect Sir Horace Jones, who also designed nearby landmarks such as Smithfield Market and Billingsgate Fish Market.
Jones created an elegant covered market structure featuring wrought iron, glass roofs and richly decorated façades. The building’s most recognisable feature is its elaborate roof structure, painted in shades of green, maroon and cream, which creates a striking contrast with the surrounding stone and steel architecture of the City. The central passageways intersect beneath a decorative octagonal lantern, while shopfronts and façades display intricate Victorian detailing.
Survival and restoration
Like much of the City of London, Leadenhall Market suffered damage during the World War II, although it escaped the complete destruction experienced by some neighbouring streets. In the decades that followed, changing retail patterns led to a decline in traditional market activity.
A major restoration programme in the late twentieth century helped revive the complex. The restoration carefully preserved the Victorian architecture while adapting the market for modern commercial use. Today, the building is protected as a Grade II listed structure, recognising its architectural and historical significance.
A market in the modern City
Unlike many historic markets that focus primarily on tourism, Leadenhall Market continues to serve the working population of the City. During weekdays, office workers fill its restaurants, pubs and food outlets, creating a lively atmosphere that differs markedly from weekends, when the surrounding financial district becomes quieter.
The market now hosts a mixture of independent retailers, fashion boutiques, specialist food shops, cafés and dining venues. Traditional pubs occupy several historic premises, reflecting the area’s long-standing role as a gathering place for merchants and traders. Seasonal events, decorations and public celebrations also contribute to the market’s popularity throughout the year.
Leadenhall Market in popular culture
Leadenhall Market has become familiar to many visitors through its appearances in film and television. Its atmospheric Victorian streets and covered walkways have made it a popular filming location, particularly for productions seeking a historic London setting.
The market is especially well known to fans of the ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone‘ film, in which the exterior of a shop within the market was used as the entrance to the fictional Leaky Cauldron. Although the magical interiors were filmed elsewhere, the association continues to attract visitors interested in the series.
An architectural landmark
Today, Leadenhall Market offers a striking contrast between old and new London. Surrounded by contemporary skyscrapers such as The Gherkin and the towers of the City’s financial district, its Victorian ironwork and glass canopies provide a reminder of London’s commercial heritage.
The Garden at 120
High above the streets of the City of London, The Garden at 120 offers one of the capital’s most accessible and rewarding urban viewpoints. Located on the roof of the Fen Court office development at 120 Fenchurch Street, the garden combines panoramic views, contemporary landscape design and free public access in a part of London better known for finance than green space. Since opening in 2019, it has become one of the City’s most popular rooftop destinations.
A public garden above the City
The garden sits atop the Fen Court development, a fifteen-storey office building designed by architect Eric Parry. The project was commissioned as part of a broader effort to make the City of London more welcoming beyond office hours by creating publicly accessible spaces within new commercial developments. The result is a rooftop garden that is free to visit and does not generally require advance booking, setting it apart from several other elevated viewpoints in the capital.
Visitors reach the garden via dedicated lifts accessed from Hogarth Court, a pedestrian passage running between Fenchurch Street and Fenchurch Avenue. Before ascending, visitors pass through airport-style security screening, reflecting the building’s location within one of London’s busiest business districts.
Landscape design in the sky
The rooftop garden was designed by the German landscape architecture practice Latz + Partner. Rather than creating a simple viewing terrace, the designers developed a fully landscaped environment featuring gently folded topography, extensive planting and a strong emphasis on biodiversity.
Among its most distinctive features are eighty-five Italian wisteria trees trained across steel pergolas, creating dramatic displays of purple blossom in spring. The garden also contains more than thirty fruit trees, including apples, pears and figs, alongside roses, hydrangeas, ornamental grasses and other seasonal planting. A long linear water feature extends through the centre of the space, adding movement and sound while helping to create a calm atmosphere despite the busy city below.
The planting scheme forms part of a growing network of elevated green spaces within the Square Mile, providing habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife while improving the environmental performance of the building.
Views across London
Standing approximately sixty-five metres above street level, the garden offers uninterrupted 360-degree views across central London. A continuous walkway around the perimeter allows visitors to enjoy perspectives in every direction. Landmarks visible from the rooftop include Tower Bridge, Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, and many of the modern towers that define the City’s skyline.
Although lower than some of London’s dedicated viewing platforms, many visitors appreciate the garden’s open-air setting and relaxed atmosphere. Unlike observation decks designed primarily for sightseeing, The Garden at 120 functions as a genuine public space where people can sit, eat lunch or simply enjoy the views. Comments shared by London residents on Reddit frequently describe it as a peaceful escape from the surrounding office district and praise the fact that entry remains free.
Fen Court and the surrounding area
The rooftop garden forms part of the wider Fen Court development, completed in 2018. The building’s crystalline form and distinctive crown have made it a recognisable feature of the eastern City skyline. At street level, the scheme incorporates public routes, retail units and landscaped areas, including the small garden at Fen Court and the sculpture ‘The Gilt of Cain‘, which commemorates the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
The garden’s location also places it within easy walking distance of other City landmarks, including Leadenhall Market, The Gherkin and Sky Garden, making it a natural stop during a walk through London’s historic financial district.
A modern urban oasis
Today, The Garden at 120 is widely regarded as one of the City’s most successful public realm projects. By combining contemporary architecture, thoughtful landscape design and unrestricted public access, it demonstrates how commercial developments can contribute meaningful civic spaces to a dense urban environment.
Pentecost weekend in London 2026
- EUROSTAR | From Brussels to London in Eurostar Plus (2026).
- LONDON | Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross Central.
- LONDON | Queer Britain or the British National LGBTQ+ Museum.
- INTERMEZZO | Eurostar to launch direct, no-train-changing London to Antwerp services from December 2026.
- LONDON | Regent’s Park and Queen Elizabeth II Garden.
- LONDON | Boys! Boys! Boys! Gallery Café.
- LONDON | Thames Path – Lambeth Palace – National Covid Memorial Wall – Westminster Bridge – Palace of Westminster – The Queens Walk – Southbank Skatepark – National Theatre – Lasdun Restaurant – Tate Modern – Millennium Bridge – Shakespeare’s Globe.
- REVIEW | Park Plaza London Riverbank ft the secret recipe of Coca-Cola.