West End in London

The West End has the highest concentration of the city's landmarks and shops--because that is where Oxford Street is located--and is also the Financial District of London. Most of London's major theaters are located here as well. The West End is located west of the Roman and Medieval center of London. Once upon a time it was the favored place to set up housekeeping for the city's elite because they were upwind of the smokestacks that made up the major industrial city. It is within close proximity of the royal Westminster and was developed mainly in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries as a series of private palaces and stately manors for the rich. Now it is mainly a place to have fun. While many of the upscale houses and palaces remain, some areas were redeveloped after the intense bombing attacks during both world wars. It is the home of several squares containing some of the best clubs and pubs in the city, such as Leicester Square, Trafalger Square, Berekley Square, Grosvenor Square, and the famous Piccadilly Circus. The best shopping can be found on Oxford Street, as mentioned before, Regent Street, and Bond Street. It is also home to Hyde Park Corner and The Marble Arch.