Cheapside, Commercial street in City of London, England
Cheapside is a wide through road in the City of London financial district, running from the area around St. Paul's Cathedral to the junction at Bank. The route passes modern office buildings, shops and restaurants housed in facades from different building periods.
The route formed in medieval times as the central marketplace of the city, where traders from across England offered their goods. After the fire of 1666, much of it was redesigned, with many buildings constructed following plans by Christopher Wren.
The name Cheapside comes from the Old English word "ceap", meaning market, and still reminds visitors of the time when traders sold their goods here. Along the route, office buildings and shops from different centuries stand side by side, showing how the city has changed over generations.
The nearest Underground stations are St. Paul's and Bank, and several bus routes stop along the route during the day. The pavements are wide enough for pedestrians, and the road is busy on weekdays.
The route has witnessed many royal processions over the centuries, including coronation parades traveling from Westminster Abbey to the Tower of London. Beneath the pavement lie archaeological layers from Roman and medieval times, often revealed during construction work.
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