Preview of Senate House tour

London home of the Crown Jewels, the oldest underground railway in the world and an architectural horizon as diverse as its weather. From the steeple of St Pauls to the soft curvature of the Gherkin, England’s capital is an amalgamation of old and new. Nestled deep in the heart of Bloomsbury, in Central London, stands a towering and timeless building which is both strikingly modern and markedly traditional. Often titled London’s ‘first skyscraper’, Senate House is not just home to the University of London, but has become an iconic addition to the London skyline.

Since its occupation in 1936, the Grade II* Listed building has never ceased to capture public imagination and interest. It was the inspiration for George Orwell’s Ministry of Truth in the classic novel ‘1984’ and has even played host to Hollywood Blockbusters like Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. People venture from far and wide to see this imposing building and it has even inspired contemporary artists like Richard Walker to create a series of prints based on the cream mega-structure, which is Senate House.

The upper most floor of the tower offers a sweeping panoramic view of the city.

Since its birth 75 years ago, the building has watched an ever changing London, in times of War, prosperity, recession and growth. During the Second World War it is thought Hitler coveted and effectively spared Senate house from attack and so the University of London base could only look on, as much of its neighbouring London fell around it in the Blitz. Additionally, in wartime, Senate House became the government’s Ministry of Information. It watched as its inner most chambers were transformed into Newsrooms, its basement a headquarters and its roof an observatory post. A sense of history resonates throughout the building as every room in Senate House tells a story.