Temple Bar

　　   Temple Bar is located between London and Westminster, to the east of Fleet Street in London and to the west of the Strand in Westminster. Before 1878, a stone gateway designed by Sir Christopher Wren — known as the Temple Bar — stood here.

　　   During the medieval period, the jurisdiction of London had extended beyond the old city walls, with several London-controlled districts emerging outside the city. To regulate trade entering the city, authorities set up checkpoints at major road junctions located some distance from the actual city gates. Because of its location between commercial London and political Westminster, Temple Bar became one of the most well-known of these. Like the Temple district south of Fleet Street, it also took its name from the nearby Temple Church.

　　   In late 2004, the historic Temple Bar was given a new lease on life, finding a new home in Paternoster Square. It now serves as a main passageway between the London Stock Exchange and St Paul’s Cathedral. Today, at Temple Bar and other key entrances, winged dragons perched atop plinths continue to guard the portals of London.

　　   Temple Bar has appeared numerous times in literature. In the children's mirror-London novel "Stoneheart," Charlie Fletcher brings to life the winged dragons atop the Temple Bar plinths. In Chapter 3 of Book 1 of "A Tale of Two Cities," Charles Dickens mentions Temple Bar, noting its proximity to Tellson’s Bank; Child & Co., a bank at 1 Fleet Street, once used the upper floor of Temple Bar as storage space, and may have been the model for Tellson’s. In Herman Melville’s short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener," he contrasts the elegance of Temple Bar with the hellish environment inside a paper mill.

　　   Temple Bar, London Reason to visit: One of London’s most famous historic gateways Continent: Europe 【Europe】 Country/Region: Britain [Britain] Province/State: Greater London [Greater London] City: London [London]