Where: Gresham Street, EC2

What: The london guildhall has been at the centre of civic government in London for more than a thousand years. The present Guildhall was begun in 1411 and not finished until 1439. Having survived both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz, it is the only secular stone structure dating from before 1666 still standing in the City.

The word 'guildhall' is thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon 'gild' meaning payment, so it was probably a place where citizens would pay their taxes. It is likely that at least one earlier guildhall existed on or near the current site. References to a London guildhall are made in a document dating back to 1128 and the current hall's west crypt is thought to be part of a late-13th century building. Remains of a long-lost Roman amphitheatre discovered in 1987 underneath what is now Guildhall Yard indicate that the site of Guildhall was significant as far back as Roman times.

The Great Hall at London's Guildhall is the third largest civic hall in England, where royalty and state visitors have been entertained down the centuries. It has been the setting for famous state trials, including that of Lady Jane Grey in 1553. The imposing medieval hall has stained glass windows and several monuments to national heroes including Admiral Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill. Beneath Guildhall lie the largest medieval crypts in London.

The Great Hall is still used for the Presentation of the Freedom of the City and other civic functions. Here the Livery Companies, twelve of whose banners hang from the walls, annually elect the new Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. It is also the meeting place of the Corporation's elected assembly and the Court of Common Council.

The Old Library building housed the Guildhall library and the Guildhall Museum from 1873 until 1974, when the collections moved to the newly constructed west wing and the Museum of London. Both the Old Library and the adjacent Print Room are now used as reception rooms.

The Lord Mayor’s procession is held on the second Saturday in November and the banquet the following Monday.

Nearest underground station: Bank

Admission: Guildhall is open free of charge to the public when it is not being used for events.

Opening times: May - September 9:30 - 17:00 daily, October - April 9:30 - 17:00 Monday to Saturday only.

Website: cityoflondon.gov.uk

See also the Guildhall Art Gallery