Faraday Building, Telephone exchange in City of London, United Kingdom
Description
The Faraday Building stands on Queen Victoria Street with chamfered corners and an irregular hexagonal footprint rising to ten stories. The structure serves as a telephone exchange, housing the telecommunications infrastructure that supports the city's network.
History
The General Post Office acquired the land in the 1870s for a savings bank and converted it into a telephone exchange in 1902. This transformation marked a turning point in London's infrastructure as the city shifted toward modern telecommunications systems.
Culture
Stone carvings above the windows show early telecommunications technology, including telephone cables and electromagnetic devices. These decorations reflect the building's role as a landmark of technological progress in London.
Practical
Access is limited since the building remains an active telecommunications hub and cannot be entered by the public. The best views are from Queen Victoria Street, where you can see the geometric shape and decorative stonework clearly.
Did you know?
Building this structure led to new rules protecting sight lines to St Paul's Cathedral dome from various points along the Thames. This regulation shows how even modern telecommunications infrastructure had to respect the city's historic landmarks.
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