St Dunstan in the East: The Garden Among the Ruins

The church was severely damaged in World War II bombing during the Blitz of 1940–41. Only the Gothic arches and the original tower designed by Sir Christopher Wren (the same architect of St Paul’s Cathedral) survived. Instead of rebuilding it, the City of London decided to preserve the ruins and turn it into a public garden in the 1970s. Today it is an architectural reminder of resilience: nature has reclaimed the space with vines that cascade like green waterfalls through the empty arches.

The starting point of the route is the Monument to the Great Fire of London. From there, it’s just a 5-minute walk up St Dunstan’s Hill. By transportation: Metro Circle/District Line, Monument station (direct exit at the foot of the route). The experience lasts 60 minutes and has an energy cost of 2 out of 5. The entire area is part of the City’s financial district, perfectly accessible and signposted.

It is one of the best kept photography spots in London. The Golden Spot is the central Gothic window on the east wall — don’t photograph it from the front. Position yourself diagonally, with the vines dominating the foreground and the empty stone arch framing the sky or the profile of a modern building in the background. The best light is midday overhead light in spring or early fall when the vines have color but without excessive foliage. The contrast between the medieval stone and the skyscrapers of The City in the background is the visual signature of this place.