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City of London History of Money & Power Tour
About the tour
Walk through the heart of London’s financial centre and trace how money evolved from its earliest forms to modern global finance. Along backstreets, ancient temples, and churches, you’ll see how technology, war, sovereignty, and ambition shaped the systems we now take for granted.
This tour offers a fresh perspective on how the City became a global hub of commerce and invites you to reflect on what money and power mean in our lives today.
What you will see
- We start with esoteric origins of money in The Oldest Mary Church
- An art piece for one of the forgotten rivers, which serves our story too
- How the story of ancient Sun god links the City to Babylon and the story of Money and power
- Immersive displays of artifacts and rituals tied to Londinium’s mercantile past.
- Founded in 1566 as England’s first purpose-built trading floor.
- At the doors of the Bank of England, crusader‑era banking, Eastern transfer systems, and ancient protective symbols converge.
- In Pope’s Head Alley, papal and pharaonic symbols, medieval religious rules on interest
- Church dedicated to England's last King & Martyr
- A revolution took place in and around this once financial hub of unprecedented scale!
- The Oldest coffee shop in England!
- On perhaps the oldest site site of christian worship we discuss the dirty business of Indulgences
- Change Alley’s packed coffeehouses saw the birth of organised stock trading, insurance markets, and speculative manias, culminating in the South Sea Bubble whose debts echoed into the modern era.
- The 12 Great Livery Companies who forged London’s early economy, money markets, and trust-based banking system.
- The Bank of England, founded in 1694 amid civil war, revolution, and regime change, became the prototype for modern central banks
- A symbol of both British ingenuity and the Industrial revolution
- War is now won with money not just guns
- Newton a former slave trader turned abolitionist, who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace, served as the Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth for 28 years.
- Where we find the truth of money
- This industrial style building tells the story of the East india company
- We tell the story of another unprecedented revolution outside this symbol of the City's financial status.
- We conclude our story as we link our story with ancient origins to the present day: Bitcoin.
St Mary Aldermary, Bow Ln, London EC4M 9BW
Bloomberg Arcade, 3 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4N 8AA.
3 Queen Victoria St, London EC4N 4TQ
London Mithraeum, Bloomberg SPACE, 12 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AA
1 Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3DG.
Bank of England on Threadnedle Street ((EC2R 8AH)
4 Cornhill, London EC3V 3NR, UK
St Edmund, King and Martyr, Lombard Street, London EC3V 9EA, United Kingdom
Jamaica Wine House, St Michael’s Alley, London EC3V 9DS, United Kingdom
London EC3V 3LL
Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH
Bank Junction, City of London, London EC4N 8BH, United Kingdom
How you can experience this tour
Self-guide Tour
Language & guidance option(s):
- English:
- French:
Guided Walking Tour
Language & guidance option(s):
What Our Customers Are Saying
- Great Tour Arjun has researched and created a walk that spans millennia and weaves an absorbing narrative of London’s complex history. The tale of shifts in power, culture, and development – he easily linking time periods, cultures and historical figures. Obviously passionate about the subject the depth of this tour will only... More reviewsArjun has researched and created a walk that spans millennia and weaves an absorbing narrative of London’s complex history. The tale of shifts in power, culture, and development – he easily linking time periods, cultures and historical figures. Obviously passionate about the subject the depth of this tour will only get better as Arjun fine tunes his fascinating chronicle. Highly recommended. read less
Ronnie Reid3/22/2025Strongly recommend this tour to anyone interested in the subjects Arjun was an absolute delight. He was very kind and incredibly knowledgeable - it was clear how much effort and time that he put into his tour and researching the subjects! For me, this was a perfect tour, as Arjun was happy to answer questions and humor thoughts I had... More reviewsArjun was an absolute delight. He was very kind and incredibly knowledgeable - it was clear how much effort and time that he put into his tour and researching the subjects! For me, this was a perfect tour, as Arjun was happy to answer questions and humor thoughts I had about the topics of the tour, and in moments where I didn't know anything, he regailed us with informative history on the subject, parallels in the world and more! I strongly recommend this tour to anyone interested in the subjects covered and further recommend Arjun as a guide for any tour that he offers.
read less Sterling1/24/2024Dragons are everywhere ... if you know where to look! Whether you're into dragons or just want to get to know the treasures and history located in and around the square mile of the City of London a bit better, this tour will not disappoint. Go on this well-researched, engaging, and thought-provoking tour and uncover hidden gems from history, symbolism,... More reviewsWhether you're into dragons or just want to get to know the treasures and history located in and around the square mile of the City of London a bit better, this tour will not disappoint. Go on this well-researched, engaging, and thought-provoking tour and uncover hidden gems from history, symbolism, and many overlapping cultural traditions. Wear good walking shoes. Highly recommended. read less Leon3/14/2024 - Great, engaging and informative tour The guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and took great care to individualize the information. Good with a 10 year old with a lot of questions. Saw a few more churches than we expected but they were spectacular and ones we would have missed on our own. Symbolism of icons was presented... More reviewsThe guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and took great care to individualize the information. Good with a 10 year old with a lot of questions. Saw a few more churches than we expected but they were spectacular and ones we would have missed on our own. Symbolism of icons was presented well and without judgement. Great historian of London. read less Margaret11/23/2023A new persepctive on London but to sites rich in history and symbolism. Arjun led a fantastic tour. Both my wife and I had visited London before but Arjun's tour gave us not only a new persepctive on London but to sites rich in history and symbolism. We saw several sites unknown to many guidebooks. He was very knowledgable and a fantastic storyteller.... More reviewsArjun led a fantastic tour. Both my wife and I had visited London before but Arjun's tour gave us not only a new persepctive on London but to sites rich in history and symbolism. We saw several sites unknown to many guidebooks. He was very knowledgable and a fantastic storyteller. Highly recommend the tour for history buffs, myth lovers and lay people alike. read less Sasha2/04/2025I have lived in London all my life and not known some of these exciting and interesting facts Amazing! This tour gave me so much to think about and I found it so fun to see that I have lived in London all my life and not known some of these exciting and interesting facts about the history of London. The places we went where very beautiful and... More reviewsAmazing! This tour gave me so much to think about and I found it so fun to see that I have lived in London all my life and not known some of these exciting and interesting facts about the history of London. The places we went where very beautiful and I recommend this tour. The tour guide was also so nice and if you had a question he would almost always know the answer! Truly great experience. I can't wait to go on the second tour. ✨✨
read less Mia Pirog10/01/2024 - This tour will give you a new perspective on The City of London. Arjun was passionate and well researched about the content of his tour. The tour didn't feel rushed or impersonal. Instead, it was like taking a walk with a friend chatting about a subject they are really interested in. Whether you are familiar with esoteric symbolism, or not, this tour will... More reviewsArjun was passionate and well researched about the content of his tour. The tour didn't feel rushed or impersonal. Instead, it was like taking a walk with a friend chatting about a subject they are really interested in. Whether you are familiar with esoteric symbolism, or not, this tour will give you a new perspective on The City of London. read less Mike12/01/2023Dragon tour City of London Arjun was a brilliant guide. He is very knowledgeable about the subjects he talks about throughout the tour, which centres around the spiritual connections behind much of the symbolism and iconography throughout the architecture and landmarks within the City. I really appreciated that although he had much knowledge to share,... More reviewsArjun was a brilliant guide. He is very knowledgeable about the subjects he talks about throughout the tour, which centres around the spiritual connections behind much of the symbolism and iconography throughout the architecture and landmarks within the City. I really appreciated that although he had much knowledge to share, he also intuitively allowed us the space to contemplate the spaces and topics for ourselves during moments in between, and did not try to cram too much in and nothing felt forced. The pace was easy to follow and very easy to walk. read less Alice6/11/2025DRAGON CITY TOUR It was such a pleasure to go on this tour and listen to the stories and anedoctes Arjun has to offer! Lots of historical and dragon-related insights and his wonderful energy kept the group in a wonderful cocooned atmosphere.
Thankyou fellow Dragon-wisdom keeper for the light you spread across our city!
✨🐉💫 Francesca10/04/2025 - Excellent, interesting tour! This tour took us back in time to pre-1000 AD with the London Stone, through history and artifacts from dragons to phoenixes to churches. We learned about Druids and Romans at a pace we could take it all in. Our tour guide, Argent, was very knowledgeable and kept this moving... More reviewsThis tour took us back in time to pre-1000 AD with the London Stone, through history and artifacts from dragons to phoenixes to churches. We learned about Druids and Romans at a pace we could take it all in. Our tour guide, Argent, was very knowledgeable and kept this moving at a comfortable pace while explaining how various things: water, rivers, grounding, and artifacts are all tied together in the quest for spiritual growth. A very worthwhile afternoon! Excellent, thought provoking conversations. read less Roger6/13/2023A memorable voyage across time In somewhat of a leisurely Jules Verne sequence, the tour was a memorable voyage across time. It gave us glimpses of Londinium in present day London. Our tour guide Mr Arjun, a prolific researcher and storyteller, dotted the landscape and ancient buildings with characters, events and turning points.... More reviewsIn somewhat of a leisurely Jules Verne sequence, the tour was a memorable voyage across time. It gave us glimpses of Londinium in present day London. Our tour guide Mr Arjun, a prolific researcher and storyteller, dotted the landscape and ancient buildings with characters, events and turning points. Through various artefacts, he traced the origins of the financial capital of the world, and innumerable quests for power and influence. This was a very informative and thought-provoking tour and I would highly recommend it! read less Aditi11/03/2024City of London Mythology tour - very interesting This is a great tour if you’re looking for something a bit different. Full of iconography, our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of interesting facts & perspectives on history & the events that makes London City what it is today. We went on a Sunday, two stops... More reviewsThis is a great tour if you’re looking for something a bit different. Full of iconography, our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of interesting facts & perspectives on history & the events that makes London City what it is today. We went on a Sunday, two stops on the journey were closed but this was made up in extra time at other sites and images provided of the closed venues. Overall, very enjoyable! read less Julie4/23/2024
- Made it very personable My sister and I found this tour online and booked on a whim. We were in London for a few days and wanted to do some fun sightseeing. This tour far exceeded what we could have ever dreamed of! To say it was magical is an understatement. Our guide, Arjun... More reviewsMy sister and I found this tour online and booked on a whim. We were in London for a few days and wanted to do some fun sightseeing. This tour far exceeded what we could have ever dreamed of! To say it was magical is an understatement. Our guide, Arjun was so knowledgeable, fun, interesting and an AMAZING storyteller of all things City of London and its history with the Dragons and much more! We saw and visited places we never would have been able to see or find on our own. We packed a lot into 3 hours and totally got our moneys worth and then some! By the end of the tour we felt like long lost friends and we walked away feeling truly enchanted! This was the highlight of our trip! We will be back to do another tour with Arjun! Highly, highly recommend! This tour is a must! read less Amber7/29/2024City of London Historical Free Walking Tour Arjun was an excellent guide. He was very welcoming since the very beginning, and made sure everything was perfect all along the tour. The historical explanation was fantastic, it showed he is really passionate about it. We would definetly recommend booking this tour to get to know how Londinium was... More reviewsArjun was an excellent guide. He was very welcoming since the very beginning, and made sure everything was perfect all along the tour. The historical explanation was fantastic, it showed he is really passionate about it. We would definetly recommend booking this tour to get to know how Londinium was founded and got to be "The City" nowadays. Thanks for all, Arjun! read less Janire2/02/2026The best of all the city walks I did so far. I had a wonderful afternoon with Arjun! One afternoon full of surprises, joy, knowledge and discovery! The best of all the city walks I did so far. Arjun is such a great person, he gives an overall and complete explanation of historical background, and still can focus on one or... More reviewsI had a wonderful afternoon with Arjun! One afternoon full of surprises, joy, knowledge and discovery! The best of all the city walks I did so far. Arjun is such a great person, he gives an overall and complete explanation of historical background, and still can focus on one or two subjects with precision, really good job ! I discovered the city and learned a lot from all points of view, will come back to the places he showed me today. Thank you very much Arjun, it is a perfect afternoon!
read less Julie4/01/2024 - Beautiful! We had an amazing time on a walking tour exploring London’s historical and mystical sites. Arjul was an exceptional guide, combining his deep knowledge with an engaging storytelling style that made the city’s past feel alive.
What stood out the most was the way Arjul encouraged us to notice the small,... More reviewsWe had an amazing time on a walking tour exploring London’s historical and mystical sites. Arjul was an exceptional guide, combining his deep knowledge with an engaging storytelling style that made the city’s past feel alive.
What stood out the most was the way Arjul encouraged us to notice the small, often overlooked details—each one holding its own story or significance. His ability to weave together history and mystery was both fascinating and inspiring.
The tour offered a perfect mix of insight and intrigue, leaving us with a newfound appreciation for London. If you’re looking for a guide who will open your eyes to the city in a completely new way, we highly recommend this tour. read less D. Bruno11/18/2024The best tour we've ever been on! Arjun's knowledge and detail throughout the tour was excellent. He listened to our questions intently and provided such rich information about all the different sites across the tour amazingly well. It was a great afternoon of insights, conversation and inspiration to learn more about the incredible history and hidden stories... More reviewsArjun's knowledge and detail throughout the tour was excellent. He listened to our questions intently and provided such rich information about all the different sites across the tour amazingly well. It was a great afternoon of insights, conversation and inspiration to learn more about the incredible history and hidden stories all around us. Thanks so much for this tour Arjun, we will be recommending this tour to our friends and family and will likely be coming on another one of DragonLore's tours very soon. Thanks a lot! read less Kobina Elliott10/19/2024Infuses the dragon mythology with history and mysticism This was a really interesting tour, something a little different in London. Arjun infuses the dragon mythology with history and mysticism so you will definitely learn something new,been if you know the area well. We also stopped by the Mithraeum and did the immersive experience (I had been before but... More reviewsThis was a really interesting tour, something a little different in London. Arjun infuses the dragon mythology with history and mysticism so you will definitely learn something new,been if you know the area well. We also stopped by the Mithraeum and did the immersive experience (I had been before but it was really nice to go again with a guide). You can tell Arjun has really thought through the route and the stories he tells. We had a lovely chat afterwards too, he has a lot of time for questions and feedback.
read less Sydney6/12/2025
