London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [60]
Southwark Cathedral.
Pronounced “Suth-uck,” this is the second-oldest Gothic church in London, after Westminster Abbey, with parts dating back to the 12th century. Although it houses some remarkable memorials, not to mention a program of lunchtime concerts, it’s seldom visited. It was promoted to cathedral status only in 1905; before that it was the priory church of St. Mary Overie (as in “over the water”—on the South Bank). Look for the gaudily renovated 1408 tomb of the poet John Gower, friend of Chaucer, and for the Harvard Chapel. Another notable buried here is Edmund Shakespeare, brother of William. TIP The Refectory serves full English breakfasts, light lunches, and tea daily 10–6. | London Bridge, South Bank | SE1 9DA | 020/7367–6700 | www.southwark.anglican.org | Free, suggested donation £4 | Daily 8–6 | London Bridge.
Fodor’s Choice | Tate Modern.
Perhaps in keeping with Britain’s most renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst (who often uses utensils, dead sharks, and other found objects), this spectacular art museum took something functional—a 1930s power station—and made it a place for creativity. Today, it is one of the greatest new museums devoted to modern and contemporary art. Besides a great permanent collection, ranging from Matisse to the most-talked-about British upstarts and not grouped by artist but are arranged thematically—Landscape, Still Life, and the Nude—the museum hosts its latest barnstorming exhibition, often a talking point at smart dinner parties across the art world. Autumn 2011 will see a vast retrospective of the great contemporary master Gerhard Richter.
Tate Modern Highlights
The vast Turbine Hall is a dramatic entrance point used to showcase big, audacious installations that tend to generate a lot of publicity. Past highlights include a massive glowing sun and, perhaps most bizarrely, a long crack in the floor.
The Material Gestures galleries on Level 3 feature an impressive offering of post–World War II painting and sculpture. Room 7 contains a breathtaking collection of Rothkos and Monets; there are also paintings by Matisse, Pollock, and Picasso, and newer works from the likes of the sculptor Anish Kapoor.
Head to the Restaurant on Level 7 or the Espresso Bar on Level 4 for stunning vistas of the Thames. The view of St. Paul’s from the Espresso Bar’s balcony is one of the best in London.
Tate Modern Tips
Join one of the free, 45-minute guided tours. Each one covers a different gallery: Poetry and Dream at 11 am, Material Gestures at noon, States of Flux at 2, and Energy and Process at 3. No need to book; just show up in the appropriate room. Level 4 is devoted to temporary exhibitions, for which there’s usually a charge of around £15. Bypass it if you’re just here to see the main collection, which is free. Make it a two-for-one art day by taking advantage of the Tate Boat, which ships visitors back and forth between Tate Britain and Tate Modern every 40 minutes. Private “Tate Tours for Two” can be booked online from £100 to £210 including a restaurant meal. An ambitious—and controversial—extension to the front of the Tate Modern is scheduled to open in 2012. No closures had been announced at this writing, but check ahead. | Bankside, South Bank | SE1 9TG | 020/7887–8888 | www.tate.org.uk/modern | Free, charge for special exhibitions | Sun.–Thurs. 10–6, Fri. and Sat. 10–10 (last admission to exhibitions 45 min before close) | Blackfriars, Southwark.
WORTH NOTING
Bankside Gallery.
Two artistic societies—the Royal Society of