Saint-Alban church Tower

The tower of St Alban's church

The London audio-guided tour points out to you an old tower that rises in the centre of the City, isolated amid the offices. It is the bell tower of a former church, St Alban's church, the only vestige of a building now vanished.

The only vestige of a bombed church

St Alban's church was entirely destroyed during the Second World War, during the bombings that struck London hard. Only its bell tower remained intact amid the rubble. Rather than demolish it, it was chosen to preserve it, and the tower stands today, solitary, in the middle of the traffic. It is a poignant testimony to the trials endured by the city, to be evoked with gravity.

What there is to see

The Gothic tower, isolated in the middle of the roadway, surprises by its solitary presence in the heart of a modern district. A vestige of a vanished church, it recalls the past richness of the religious fabric of the City and the destruction of the war. It is a discreet but moving stop, to be contemplated with respect along the walk.

Practical information

The tower of St Alban's church stands in the heart of the City of London, in the middle of the road. It can be contemplated freely from the street, at all hours and on the level. A vestige of a building destroyed during the war, it can be discovered with respect.

Why did St Alban's church disappear?

It was entirely destroyed by the bombings of the Second World War; only its bell tower remained intact and was preserved.

What remains of St Alban's church?

Only its Gothic bell tower, which stands today isolated in the middle of the traffic, in the heart of the City.