What to do · London
Millennium Bridge, from St Paul's to Tate Modern
Information
- Price
- Free
- Duration
- 15 min
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- All ages
- With a dog
- On a lead; it is a public footbridge
The steel footbridge that crosses the Thames between St Paul's Cathedral and Tate Modern. It opened in 2000 and is a filming location: in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Death Eaters destroy it in a full-blown attack. In the book it was a different bridge, the Brockdale Bridge; the film moved the scene here.
Today the bridge is intact and open at any hour. Crossing it takes ten to fifteen minutes with stops, and from the middle you have the river in both directions and the dome of St Paul's straight ahead if you are walking north. Look at the ground: there are squashed pieces of chewing gum painted in miniature by a street artist. On the other side, ten minutes along the bank, is Borough Market, for something to eat.
How do you get there?
By Tube to Mansion House, on the District and Circle lines, then a few minutes on foot to the north end of the bridge, below St Paul's. From Leadenhall Market, the other City location, it is about twenty-five minutes' walk along Cheapside. On the other side, following the south bank east, you reach Borough Market in a quarter of an hour.
Tips
- Cross from south to north You walk with the dome of St Paul's straight ahead the whole way.
- Pair it with Leadenhall Market The two City filming locations are about twenty minutes' walk from each other.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to cross the Millennium Bridge?
No. It is a public footbridge, open at any hour.
Which Harry Potter scene was filmed here?
The Death Eaters' attack at the start of The Half-Blood Prince, in which they destroy the bridge.
How long does it take to cross?
Ten or fifteen minutes with stops for photos.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
