Queen Victoria Street, named after the British monarch
who reigned from 1837 to 1901, is a street in the City of London which runs
east by north from its junction with New Bridge Street and Victoria
Embankment in Castle Baynard ward, along a section that divides the wards of
Queenhithe and Bread Street, then lastly through the middle of Cordwainer
ward, until it reaches Mansion House Street at Bank junction.
The road was commissioned in 1861 to streamline the approach to the central
banking district, and provided for through the Metropolitan Improvement Act.
Costing over £1,000,000, it remains a flagship street within the 'Square
Mile' financial district of the City of London.
The nearest London Underground stations are Blackfriars (at its western
junction with New Bridge Street), Mansion House (where it crosses Cannon
Street), and Bank (near its eastern end).
Queen Victoria Street formed part of the marathon course of the 2012 Olympic
and Paralympic Games. The women's Olympic marathon took place on 5 August
and the men's on 12 August. The four Paralympic marathons were held on 9
September.
Notable Buildings
The British and Foreign Bible Society was formerly located at No. 146
between 1868 and 1985. No. 146 is now occupied by the Church of Scientology
of London.
A blue plaque on the Faraday Building on the north side marks the previous
site of Doctors' Commons, demolished in 1867. Other notable sites on the
north side of Queen Victoria Street include:
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The Bank of New Zealand's London head office was
based at No. 1 between 1889 and 1901;
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The Bank of New York Mellon at No. 160, formerly
the site of The Times newspaper offices;
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the church of St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe;
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the College of Arms' headquarters at No. 130;
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a Monetary Authority of Singapore branch at No.
128;
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The Salvation Army's global headquarters at No.
101; and
the City of London School.
On the south side is St Benet Paul's Wharf church, at
No. 135. Baynard House is also located on Queen Victoria Street.
Other streets linked to Queen Victoria Street include Puddle Dock, the
Millennium Footbridge, Cannon Street, Walbrook and Poultry.