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Fleet StreetRoyal Courts of JusticeFleet Street These neo-gothic buildings were built during the reign of Queen Victoria and opened in 1882. They were designed by the architect W E Street, to house the Civil Law Courts of the kingdom (as opposed to the Criminal Courts at The Old Bailey). You can gain entry to the Royal Courts on most days and sit in on trials. The pavement outside the Courts is always thronged with rugby scrums of photographers whnever anyone famous is appearing at the Royal Courts. The statue in the middle of Fleet Street outside the Royal Courts of Justice has a fearsome mythical beast on top called a "griffin". This is a half lion/half eagle monster made of bronze, and it marks the site of Temple Bar, which is the official boundary of the City of London, past which the Queen cannot pass without the Lord Mayor of the City of London's permission. The original Temple Bar is a magnificent stone structure, which was taken down from its site in Fleet Street in 1890 to let traffic pass more freely. It has now been re-erected in the Paternoster Square area next to St. Paul's Cathedral.
Nearest Tube Station: Temple (District Line)
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