South London

The area south of the Thames has long been regarded with disdain by the rest of the city.

For centuries Southwark, originally the area around the southern end of London Bridge, was the disreputable entertainment center of London, with brothels, bars, and theaters outside of the City’s jurisdiction.

The sacred and the profane lived in close proximity here. Not far from the infamous Bankside, where brutal sports like cockfighting and bearbaiting took place, was the beautiful Southwark Cathedral, which dates from the 13th century.

Bankside was also the location of Elizabethan theaters, which were restricted in the City because they were considered places of vice. One of these, the Globe Theatre, where William Shakespeare put on his greatest plays, was recently reconstructed.

Farther along the river to the west is the South Bank Centre cultural complex, begun as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951.

The Festival of Britain was a vehicle for lifting the spirits of Londoners after the trials of World War II.

The most important building in the center is the Royal Festival Hall, a concert hall that was built for the festival.

The Royal National Theatre and the National Film Theatre are also part of the South Bank Centre.