Join Us on a Riverboat Trip: the MI6 building to Waterloo Bridge

The Thames is an icon that physically links many others as it flows through the English countryside. Travelling even a short stretch through central London you float past numerous icons nominated by people worldwide and written about on this site. The broad sweep of the river at this point provides the space to see things more clearly than the bustle of London normally allows and gives a fresh perspective on the familiar. ICONS took a journey downstream – why don’t you join us and learn something new about some familiar things?

MI6 building © Abigail Anderson	MI6 building Protected by a Faraday cage, which prevents the entry or escape of electromagnetic (EM) fields. This means that the work of the 2,000 or so spies inside the building is protected from the prying eyes of hackers who could intercept and remotely view the on-screen data of the computer monitors.
Tate Britain © Abigail Anderson	Tate Britain Home to a treasure trove of English art dating back to 1500. On display are works by many artists included in our nominations list and featured icons: Turner, Constable (The Hay Wain icon), Hogarth, Blake (Jerusalem icon) and Stubbs, to name but a few. Read more about The Hay Wain here. And Jerusalem here.
Millbank © Abigail Anderson	Millbank This was once the tallest building in Europe and stands on the site of what used to be London’s largest prison. It was here that convicts awaiting transportation were housed. Most familiar nowadays as Labour’s HQ and media-styled house of spin.
Lambeth Bridge © Abigail Anderson	Lambeth Bridge As you approach, look out for pineapples on top of the columns. To your right, the red brick building is Lambeth Palace, official residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury since 1190 and the church whose spire you see next door houses the Museum of Garden History (find out more about the museum under the Hedges icon). You’ll also spot London’s floating Fire Station and an unexpected view of the Gherkin (Lord Foster's award-winning Swiss Re Tower).
The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben © Abigail Anderson	Houses of Parliament and Big Ben Without doubt the best view is from the river. To learn more about Big Ben click here. Did you know that Augustus Pugin was only 24 years old when he designed the Gothic ornamentation of these fabulous buildings?
Westminster Bridge and Portcullis House © Abigail Anderson	Westminster Bridge and Portcullis House On your left as you pass under Westminster Bridge, Portcullis House is an imposing modern building from 1999. Controversially expensive to build, inside it is the last word in luxury for the lucky MPs who use it. The leather armchairs even have snooze buttons to make sure they’re not late for a sitting! The bridge was famously celebrated in Wordsworth’s sonnet Upon Westminster Bridge - but we preferred to remember James Boswell’s mention:
	“I picked up a strong jolly young damsel and taking her under the arm I conducted her to Westminster Bridge and then in armour complete did I engage up in this noble edifice. The whim of doing it there with the Thames rolling below us amused me very much.”
The Embankments © Abigail Anderson	The Embankments The elegant walkways with lights strung between the lampposts that unfurl on both banks of the Thames are actually there to cover up the underground sewers designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, completed in 1875.
Cleopatra’s Needle © Abigail Anderson	Cleopatra’s Needle Said to be haunted by the silent apparition of a tall, naked man. He’s possibly one of the many people who have chosen to commit suicide on this spooky spot, said to be affected by a curse from the Egyptian Queen herself more than 3,000 years ago. People say they’ve seen him jump into the Thames beside the needle but they never hear a splash…
The London Eye © Abigail Anderson	London Eye You’ll have been able to see this well-loved landmark most of the time you’ve been travelling along the river…
The London Eye © Abigail Anderson	...but now, as you come in to dock underneath it, you get a very special view. But is it an icon of England? Why not visit ICONS' "Vote Yes / No for Icons" under the Quick Links on the home page and have your say!
The Savoy Hotel © Abigail Anderson	Savoy Hotel On your left is the luxurious Savoy Hotel, with its glorious dining room looking out over the Thames. This building is linked to Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas (through the adjacent Savoy Theatre) as well as being a benchmark of English quality hospitality in its own right.
Royal Festival Hall © Abigail Anderson	Royal Festival Hall The 1951 Festival of Britain (see the ICONS Timeline for more details) used the South Bank of the Thames as its principal exhibition site. The Festival Hall is the only one of the original buildings which remains from that project but the spirit of celebrating the arts and culture lives on in the current South Bank Centre.
Royal National Theatre © Abigail Anderson	Royal National Theatre In quick succession you pass the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Purcell Room, the Hayward Gallery, the National Film Theatre and the Royal National Theatre! What’s your opinion of the architectural style of this series of buildings on your right?
Waterloo Bridge © Abigail Anderson	Waterloo Bridge While looking out for these, you pass underneath Waterloo Bridge, the one that inspired the famous 1967 Kinks song Waterloo Sunset.