St. Andrew Undershaft Church Tower

Images of Britain: St. Andrew Undershaft Church Tower & The Gherkin

St. Andrew Undershaft Church in central London dates from 1532 and survived both the Great Fire of London and World War II bombing. Unfortunately, its large stained glass window did not survive the Baltic Exchange bombing by the IRA in 1992.

A church has existed on this site in what is now the City of London since the 12th century. Now Church of England, the name Undershaft comes from shaft of a maypole that was raised annually outside the church.

The Gherkin by the British architect Norman Foster is one of several buildings by Foster in Britain. Others include the Terminal Building at London Stansted Airport, the Headquarters of ITN, at 200 Grays Inn Road in London, the Faculty of Law in Cambridge, the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham, and the redesign of the Great Court at the British Museum.