Rick Steves' Europe
Travel Bites 942: The Regeneration of London’s Industrial Heritage
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London’s once abandoned industrial corners have morphed into popular people and culture zones.
London’s once abandoned industrial corners have morphed into popular people and culture zones. From thriving docklands and mighty power plants to skyscrapers hiding luxurious “sky gardens,” it’s today’s London…open to all.
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Distributed nationally by American Public Television
Rick Steves' Europe
Travel Bites 942: The Regeneration of London’s Industrial Heritage
Clip | 6m 23sVideo has Closed Captions
London’s once abandoned industrial corners have morphed into popular people and culture zones. From thriving docklands and mighty power plants to skyscrapers hiding luxurious “sky gardens,” it’s today’s London…open to all.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[music playing] London's a work in progress.
Always changing, always growing.
Since the Middle Ages, its kings, queens, armies, and navies have played a leading role in the story of Europe.
In the 19th century, it was shaped by the Industrial Age, and today, London has become a leader in regeneration, incorporating its rich and rusty industrial heritage as it builds for the future.
So this is the Docklands, and it is a great example of regeneration.
At one point, this was the busiest port in the world, until the advent of container shipping, when the port moved out, and this became an industrial wasteland.
But just look at it today.
It's a landscape of skyscrapers.
In fact, when constructed, it had the tallest skyscraper in Britain, and today, it's a place where workers have fantastic infrastructure, there are beautiful green open spaces.
It's a wonderful place to live and work.
Just up the River Thames, the Battersea Power Station is another great example of regeneration, with its four iconic stacks, no longer billowing smoke, but still standing tall.
This must have been a huge deal in its day.
I mean, it produced a fifth of the city's energy, so it was pretty vast, and it was burning coal.
So of course, the problem with that is that it's filling up everybody's lungs with soot and smoke.
And in the city, in those days, it was not a pleasant place to be.
In 1983, they shut it down, and it was derelict for decades.
It's not derelict now.
No, it certainly isn't.
No, it certainly isn't.
Rather than an urban blight, it's surrounded by modern condos, really expensive and well designed for good living.
And they sure take advantage of this riverside setting.
Right.
This park-like landscaping stretches right to the river.
It's only June, and this kind of heat is becoming the new norm.
And those piers that once received coal now receive tourists.
Today, what was a power plant is now an upscale mall with over 100 shops and eateries.
Upstairs, a small exhibit celebrates its gritty past, and visitors can ride a glass pod up the inside of a chimney.
It goes up, up, up, until it pops into the sunlight.
The reward, a commanding 360 degree view of London.
Over the river, Coal Drops Yard in Granary Square is yet another impressive regeneration project.
Here, in the 19th century, this canal connected London with England's industrial heartland in the North.
Today, the canal, with its barges and towpaths, is used not for hauling coal or grain, but for recreation.
I can feel the industrial foundation, and at the same time, it's so livable.
Right.
Yeah.
This is where barge loads of coal were loaded and unloaded to power the Industrial Revolution.
I remember when I came here as a kid, broken glass-- Oh, yeah.
Drug addicts, prostitutes everywhere.
Yeah, and it's been the subject of an incredible rejuvenation.
Smart policies, bold investments, it's really transformed the area.
Condos, beautiful condos, built into industrial frames.
Right.
I just love that.
It's amazing how they've decided to keep these things.
They've kept that sort of sense of history.
And yet it's an amazing place now for people to come out and enjoy themselves.
The adjacent St.
Pancras Train Station is a reminder that transportation infrastructure has always been a foundation of prosperity, thanks to an expensive project, now recognized as a great investment, it's been transformed from sooty to sleek.
The sleek Eurostar terminal with bullet train service through the English Channel Tunnel connects Londoners and Parisians in just over two hours.
And with its dramatic canopy of iron and glass, the station stands like a palace, remembering the Industrial Age.
This is quite a statue.
Isn't it just?
And this is The Lovers.
And it's here in St.
Pancras, where people have been meeting and parting for 150 years.
What I love is, it's quite ambiguous.
You don't know if this is hello or goodbye.
You really don't.
No.
And then along the bottom, we've got this amazing frieze of different scenes of meeting and parting.
Here, we've got the First World War.
You've got people here returning from war, wounded servicemen, and then families waving goodbye to their loved ones.
What I find particularly moving is how people have touched these hands.
They're worn, as people have wanted to take part in this moment themselves, which I think is rather sweet.
The most noticeable change in London for visitors in the last generation has been the advent of a modern skyline.
Until 1963, the tallest building in London was St Paul's Cathedral.
Today, its dome is dwarfed by a commotion of gleaming and showy skyscrapers.
Walking below what feels like a forest of skyscrapers, you can't help but crane your neck to admire the sleek and creative architecture.
Developers are obligated to provide the public with a lofty viewing space for the privilege to build, and a quick and easy elevator ride takes us to sky gardens like these, a popular new sightseeing thrill with visitors.
This beautifully landscaped roof garden offers grand views of the city's towering buildings.
And we here in England love to nickname our skyscrapers as well.
So over here, we've got The Shard.
The Shard of Glass.
Oh, yeah.
And this one's known as The Walkie Talkie.
Just over here.
Yeah, yeah.
Very, very evocative.
And of course, last but not least, we have The Gherkin, which I think in America you call a pickle.
It does look like a pickle.
It does.
It does.
And dwarfed by it all, buried deep in the shadows, a delightful reminder of London's 19th century industrial heritage survives.
The very impressive in its day, Leadenhall Market.
As they have for 200 years, traders still labor hard to make their money and enjoy their beer after a long day of work.
For more information, visit RickSteves.com.
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NewTravel Bites 971: Passeggiata and Rome After Dark
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Clip | 3m 59s | Join Romans for the beloved evening passeggiata. (3m 59s)
NewTravel Bites 970: Jewish Rome and Monti
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Clip | 5m 6s | Rome’s ancient Jewish community shares its extraordinary story of endurance and resilience. (5m 6s)
NewTravel Bites 969: Rome's Colorful Trastevere Neighborhood
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Clip | 4m 23s | Across the river, Trastevere invites travelers into intimate lanes. (4m 23s)
NewTravel Bites 967: St. Peter’s and Vatican City
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Clip | 4m 45s | Cross into the world’s smallest country to explore magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica. (4m 45s)
NewTravel Bites 966: Borghese Gallery’s Baroque Masters
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Clip | 3m 2s | Rome’s fabulously wealthy patrons transformed collecting and commissioning art into dazzling display (3m 2s)
NewTravel Bites 965: Art in Rome’s Churches
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Clip | 2m 45s | Step into Rome’s often unassuming churches to discover masterpieces in their original settings. (2m 45s)
NewTravel Bites 964: Rome’s Back Street Riches and Piazzas
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Clip | 4m 4s | Rome’s public spaces transform an ordinary morning stroll into a memorable sightseeing adventure. (4m 4s)
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NewTravel Bites 962: Catacombs and Early Christianity
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Clip | 5m 29s | A bike ride along the ancient Appian Way leads underground into Rome’s catacombs. (5m 29s)
NewTravel Bites 961: Pantheon: Rome’s Perfect Temple
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Clip | 1m 33s | The best-preserved temple of ancient Rome showcases engineering genius. (1m 33s)
NewTravel Bites 960: Imperial Rome in Art
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Clip | 3m 18s | Trajan’s Forum, the Circus Maximus, and Rome’s National Museum reveal the empire at its peak. (3m 18s)
NewTravel Bites 959: Colosseum and Caracalla Baths
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Clip | 3m 28s | Rome’s colossal engineering comes alive at the iconic Colosseum. (3m 28s)
NewTravel Bites 958: Eating Like a Roman
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Clip | 2m 23s | A convivial Roman meal celebrates seasonal ingredients and regional specialties. (2m 23s)
NewTravel Bites 957: Capitoline Hill’s Ancient Treasures
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Clip | 3m | Rome’s historic Capitoline Hill brings ancient Rome vividly to life. (3m)
NewTravel Bites 956: Its Birth Story
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Clip | 4m 4s | Tracing the story of Rome in a nutshell. (4m 4s)
NewTravel Bites 955: Paris: A floodlit tour
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Clip | 2m 10s | The fabled “City of Light” is also the city of flood light. (2m 10s)
NewTravel Bites 954: Paris’ Other Great Museums
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Clip | 5m 35s | After Versailles, the Louvre, and the Orsay, Paris’ less famous museums are also worth a visit. (5m 35s)
NewTravel Bites 953: Versailles, Europe’s Palace of Palaces
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Clip | 3m 40s | This ultimate royal palace is Louis XIV’s lavish explosion of baroque bling. (3m 40s)
NewTravel Bites 952: The Orsay Gallery
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Clip | 3m 8s | The paintings of the Orsay take you from 1848 to 1914. (3m 8s)
NewTravel Bites 951: Paris's Louvre Museum
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Clip | 5m 38s | The Louvre—with masterpieces from Ancient Greek to Renaissance and Romantic—is a must to visit. (5m 38s)
NewTravel Bites 950: Paris: Boulevards, Les Invalides, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees
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Clip | 5m 38s | Grand boulevards like the Champs-Élysées connect great sights with edible memories. (5m 38s)
NewTravel Bites 949: Paris: Haussmann buildings and grand boulevards
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Clip | 1m 37s | The elegance of Paris is no accident. Broad boulevards, grand monuments, people-friendly greenbelts. (1m 37s)
NewTravel Bites 948: Eating French Cliches at a Parisian Bistro
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Clip | 3m 55s | Grab a seat for lunch to enjoy a kir, French onion soup, escargot, croque madam, steak tartare. (3m 55s)
NewTravel Bites 947: Paris’ Marais neighborhood
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Clip | 4m 6s | The Marais is a hub of Parisian history and culture—with its Jewish Quarter, and Bastille prison,. (4m 6s)
NewTravel Bites 946: Shopping for Dinner on Paris’ Rue Cler
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Clip | 4m 6s | Paris’ most inviting market street is Rue Cler. (4m 6s)
NewTravel Bites 945: Two Grand Parisian Churches: Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle
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Clip | 2m 28s | Paris’ two most popular churches are the beloved Notre-Dame and the exquisite Sainte-Chapelle. (2m 28s)
NewTravel Bites 944: The Eiffel Tower
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Clip | 2m 15s | Paris’ Eiffel Tower, a muscular symbol of France’s Industrial Age, has been entertaining since 1889. (2m 15s)
NewTravel Bites 943: Paris’ River Seine
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Clip | 4m 35s | The Seine River defines Paris’ Right and Left Bank. (4m 35s)
Now PlayingTravel Bites 942: The Regeneration of London’s Industrial Heritage
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Clip | 6m 23s | London’s once abandoned industrial corners have morphed into popular people and culture zones. (6m 23s)
NewTravel Bites 941: The British Library
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Clip | 2m | London hosts the national archive with 12 million books and one Treasures Room. (2m)
NewTravel Bites 940: A Proper Afternoon Tea
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Clip | 2m 6s | Afternoon tea is a great British tradition and London does it with style. (2m 6s)
NewTravel Bites 939: London’s East End Food Tour
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Clip | 4m 40s | London’s happening East End survives and thrives just beyond a tsunami of skyscrapers. (4m 40s)
NewTravel Bites 938: London’s Victoria and Albert Museum
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Clip | 4m 34s | “Albertopolis” is the corner of London built by and celebrating the vision of Prince Albert. (4m 34s)
NewTravel Bites 937: The Tower of London
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Clip | 2m | The Tower of London entertains and inspires. (2m)
NewTravel Bites 936: St Paul's Cathedral, London’s Pride
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Clip | 2m 37s | St. Paul’s Cathedral is architect Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, the greatest dome in Britain. (2m 37s)
NewTravel Bites 935: The City of London
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Clip | 3m 34s | London’s historic core is called “The City.” (3m 34s)
NewTravel Bites 934: Britain’s National Portrait Gallery
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Clip | 2m 35s | The National Portrait Gallery is the perfect place. (2m 35s)
NewTravel Bites 933: London’s Westminster and Whitehall, Home of Britain’s Government
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Clip | 8m 40s | The core of royal London. (8m 40s)
NewTravel Bites 932: Istanbul's Grand Main Drag, Istiklal Caddesi
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Clip | 4m 38s | The best way to feel the pulse of urban Istanbul is to explore its teeming main boulevard. (4m 38s)
NewTravel Bites 931: Whirling Dervishes
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Clip | 2m 24s | Mystic Sufi monks whirl themselves into a meditative trance as they embrace the poet Rumi’s wisdom. (2m 24s)
NewTravel Bites 930: Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar
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Clip | 3m 27s | Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar remains enchanting, perplexing visitors with its maze-like network of lanes. (3m 27s)
NewTravel Bites 929: Istanbul, the Great Port on the Bosphorus
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Clip | 5m 53s | Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus Strait that separates Europe and Asia. (5m 53s)
NewTravel Bites 928: Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace
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Clip | 5m 14s | Here we find the storybook image of the Ottomans—sultans, eunuchs, harems. (5m 14s)
NewTravel Bites 927: Hagia Sophia, the Great Church of Constantinople
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NewTravel Bites 926: Islamic Art, Ramadan, and the Blue
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Clip | 4m 57s | Istanbul offers a chance to better understand Islam. (4m 57s)
NewTravel Bites 925: A Turkish Bath in Ottoman Splendor
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Clip | 3m 9s | The splendor of Istanbul’s Ottoman Empire is best experienced in a hammam. (3m 9s)
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Clip | 4m 36s | For thousands of years, this place, where East meets West, has been a crossroads of civilizations. (4m 36s)
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Clip | 5m 39s | A crack-of-dawn trip to the bakery before breakfast on our barge. (5m 39s)
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NewTravel Bites 921: Barging: A Barge Cruise in Burgundy
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Clip | 6m 3s | France’s Burgundy, with its inviting canals and iconic vineyards. (6m 3s)
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