Mansion House, London, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London, a Palladian building standing at the Bank junction in the heart of the City of London. It has housed the city's civic head since 1752 and still hosts official City functions, which makes it one of the few working civic landmarks in the Square Mile.

The story behind it

The Lord Mayor is chosen every year to represent, support and promote the businesses and residents of the City. For a long time there was no dedicated home for the office-holder, and Mansion House was built in the Palladian style to fill that gap, with the first Lord Mayor moving in during 1752. Its classical portico and strict proportions were meant to give the City a dignified public face.

The Lord Mayor's role has been tested in hard times. During the Great Plague of 1665, many wealthy and powerful people left London, including King Charles II. Sir John Lawrence, then Lord Mayor, stayed with the aldermen to enforce the King's orders and slow the spread of the disease. Health certificates, which let people prove they were free of plague and leave the city, were part of that desperate effort.

Just next door stands the Royal Exchange, founded by Thomas Gresham, who had seen how well trade worked under one roof in Antwerp. Queen Elizabeth I gave it its royal name. The building burned down in the Great Fire of 1666 and again in 1838, so the one you see today is the third. Outside it stands an equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, the victor of Waterloo, by Francis Leggatt Chantrey, unveiled in 1844.

What to look for

• The tall portico with its row of columns gives Mansion House the look of a classical temple among the modern bank buildings.
• Stand at the Bank junction and notice how many grand buildings meet here, including the Royal Exchange just across the way.
• The royal crest above the entrance of the Royal Exchange recalls Elizabeth I naming it after her visit.
• The Wellington statue shows the Duke on horseback, and it is worth walking round it to see the detail of the horse and the pedestal.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 20 minutes to look at Mansion House, the Royal Exchange and the statue, longer if you want to explore the surrounding streets.
• Mansion House is a working building, so you generally view it from outside. Check current opening hours and any tour arrangements before you plan to go in.
• Weekday mornings are busy with City workers, while weekends are much quieter and easier for photos.
• The Bank of England, the Royal Exchange and Guildhall are all within a short walk, so this is a good spot to link several sights together.

See it on a quest

Great Fire of London: The Path of Destruction is a good way to see this corner of the City, since the Royal Exchange was one of the buildings lost in 1666. You reach Mansion House on foot as one stop on a longer route, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Plague of London: The Doctor's Last Hope fits the story of the Lord Mayor's role in 1665. You walk between stops, hear about each place as you get there and work out a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Lost Gold of London takes you past Mansion House as part of a self-guided route through the City's streets. The app explains each stop as you arrive and sets a puzzle in what is around you, with no guide and no group to join. One ticket covers the whole group.