Lose Yourself in the Barbican

An adventure through London’s icon of Brutalist architecture

In collaboration with the 'Concrete and Clay: Archiving the Barbican' exhibition at

Barbican Centre

Before you step inside...

Did you know...

The word 'Barbican' comes from the Latin 'Barbecana' referring to a fortified building... but this cultural castle holds more than you would expect, with a cinema, conservatory, library, and art gallery to explore

Familiarize yourself with the map

Shakespeare Tower

Shakespeare Tower is the middle of the three Barbican towers. When it was first built, it was the tallest residential block in Europe. It was named after Shakespeare as he lived nearby – during which time he wrote Othello, Measure for Measure and King Lear.

Thomas More House

Thomas More House overlooks the largest garden space in the Barbican, which is open to all residents and includes a playground.

Frobisher Crescent

Frobisher Crescent is the crescent-shaped building north-west of the Barbican Centre. Its design is based on Jewin Crescent that formerly stood here and was damaged during the Second World War. Chamberlin, Powell and Bon planned the area within the crescent as a ‘sculpture court’ but it has was never been used as such.

Willoughby House

At the edge of the Barbican site, Willoughby House used to be connected to Moorgate station using the above-ground podium. It was named after the aristocratic Willoughby family, who had connections to the area.

St Giles Cripplegate

Did you know, there is an Anglican church, located on Fore Street within the modern Barbican complex. When built it stood without the city wall, near the Cripplegate.

Milton Court

Milton Court originally housed public services for the City of London, including the Barbican’s fireman, a court and a mortuary. It has since been demolished to make way for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s state of the art theatre space, still known today as Milton Court.

Click on the dots to zoom in

Created by architects Chamberlin, Powell & Bon

Learn more

Did you know...

The Barbican has the biggest conservatory in London after Kew Gardens! It houses around 1,500 species of plants and trees, along with ponds for fish and terrapins

Oops, you fell down the rabbit hole

Did you know...

The Barbican is home to a residential complex of around 2,000 flats, maisonettes, and houses... its Brutalist towers have influenced pop culture, featuring in a James Bond film and inspiring countless music videos

Need to recalibrate?

Study the Barbican Maps

There's a reason people get lost...

Did you know...

There is a time capsule buried in the foundations at the Barbican! We know because one of the Engineers who worked on the building filmed it being cemented in

Did you know...

The Barbican took over a decade to build and was opened by the Queen in 1982, who declared it ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’

Congratulations! You made it through the maze

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