On the south-bank of the pool of London, between London and Tower bridge is an area of regenerated warehouses. The two notable sights being HMS Belfast and London City Hall.
HMS Belfast with HMS Severn alongside
HMS Belfast is a cruiser launched just prior to the second world war in 1938. Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities she struck a German mine and was in dock undergoing repairs for 2 years. In 1942 she was appointed to the fleet guarding the convoys in the Arctic and in 1944 she supported the landings on the Normandy beaches. In 1945 she was transferred to the far eastern fleet. She was retired from active service in 1963.
There followed a period of indecision as to her future but eventually it was decided to form an independent trust to operate the ship as a museum in the pool of London. It opened to the public in 1971 and ownership was transferred to the Imperial War Museum in 1978. It also serves as a mooring place for naval ships visiting the pool of London. On the day of our journey, HMS Severn a Royal Navy patrol vessel was moored alongside.
London City Hall is the home of the Greater London Authority. It was built on the south-bankat the turn of the century and opened in 2002 replacing the old county hall in Westminster.
City Hall
