Founded by 16th-century merchant Thomas Gresham as a centre to trade stocks, the Royal Exchange was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571. Today's colonnaded neoclassical building is the third on the site, built in 1844. It ceased functioning as a financial institution in the 1980s and now houses upmarket retailers and a plush bar-restaurant from Fortnum & Mason.
Royal Exchange
London
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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