London Weekend Break

The Barbican Centre

The Barbican Centre is a large multi functional complex that encompasses apartment living and an arts and cultural centre. It is generally loved for its functionality, but hated because for its unsightly appearance.

Amongst its many accolades is that of repeatedly winning the ugliest building in London polls.

Why you should visit the Barbican centre

Designed as a large and almost self sufficient collection of buildings, the Barbican centre encompasses a large concert hall that is the home of the London Symphony Orchestra and was, until quite recently, also the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (London branch).

The centre also has a cinema complex and holds part of the London Museum. The cinema complex tends to specialise in foreign and “arty” films that you are unlikely to see in the West End.

Links relating to London

In some ways the Barbican Centre resembles a modern “take” on a medieval walled settlement as it is enclosed around its entire perimeter. Only once inside do you realise that the design is that of several buildings and that there are squares, fountains and gardened areas.

I actually lived in the Barbican centre between 1982 and 1983 (as a student) and gained a secondary insight into the place as a community rather than just an ugly collection of buildings and I quite like it.

The nearest tube station is "The Barbican". But this has limited opening hours and so "Moorgate" (on the opposite side of the centre) is the other alternative.