London Borough of Tower Hamlets

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets, more commonly referred to as the East End, attracts many visitors; although, most international tourists limit their curiosity to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, two of the world's most famous landmarks. 

The Tower of London Tour is an excellent way to discover the history and drama associated with one of London's great historical landmarks and repository of the Crown Jewels.  Tower Bridge is the world-famous landmark crossing the River Thames near the Tower of London.  The Tower of London has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

London Wall, a preserved piece of the Roman Wall, was built around 200 AD as part of the eastern defenses of London.  This is an English Heritage property.  It is near Tower Hill Underground station.

Other popular attractions in this area include St. Katherine's Dock and Canary Wharf, both of which originally served as cargo handling facilities for ships unloading cargoes from once exotic places.  St. Katherine's Dock has been restored to meet more modern interests while Canary Wharf has seen major redevelopments.

The borough's official web site has guides and suggested walking tours to its six districts: Spitalfields and Banglatown, Bethnal Green, Bow, Poplar, Stepney and Wapping, and Canary Wharf/Isle of Dogs.

There is an interesting variety of museums and galleries in the borough that includes:

The Museum of Childhood, the Chisenhale Gallery and The Showroom in Bethnal Green.  The Chisenhale and The Showroom present exhibits of contemporary art.

The Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum in Spitalfields has exhibits related to this hospital that was founded in 1740.  The borough's web site lists several other museums and galleries in this district.

The Ragged School Museum makes the unique history of the East End of London, and in particular of the Copperfield Road Ragged School, accessible to everyone and will be of interest to many children and educators.

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