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Offered languages
- English
- English
Explore the story of money on a walking tour through London’s Square Mile, travelling from ancient temples and Babylonian beginnings to modern high finance and Bitcoin.
Trace the evolution of trade, barter and debt through the ages – from gift economies to Babylon's clay tablets and Rome's large-scale debt-driven empire, all the way to the City of London, where those ancient systems reach their most sophisticated form.
We finish with a forward‑looking glimpse at the shift from paper notes and government bonds to digital ledgers, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies
Highlights:
- Discover how history repeats cycles of rising power, mounting debt and empire.
- Learn how temples and churches sit at the heart of the story of money and banking.
- Uncover historic events that reveal the true relationship between money and power.
- Gain a deeper understanding of what money is, and how it differs from “value”.
- Wander the backstreets of the City that gave birth to global finance.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We meet outside Pret on 52-54 Cannon St, London EC4N 6LY, UK. You will recognize me by my longish hair & beard, and you'll see a dragon on my backpack.
We conclude on top of this beautiful building where you can continue to enjoy the view and optionally have something to drink/eat.
Itinerary
-
1The Guild Church of ST Mary Aldermary
See how Religious institutions to the story of Money, Magic and Power right from the beginning.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Royal Exchange Building London
Founded in 1566 as England’s first purpose-built trading floor. Rebuilt twice after fires; now houses luxury shops beneath its neoclassical facade.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE
Discover: the origin of money magicians, the oldest financial transaction and money from before the Romans arrived.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4St. Edmund The King Church
It was around this location that modern western Banking was birthed.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
Said how the first coffee house in London played a crucial role in early finance.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6
This alley was the epicenter of London's financial world in the 17th and 18th centuries.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Bank of England Museum
We tell the story of modern money and trade, how it changed shape and in turn the world itself. It's stories entail the beheading of a King, Companies that developed an empire to the advent of modern day money: The digital dollar and bitcoin.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8
How a speedy pigeon reporting the news of the war (Wellington and Napoleon) turned enabled massive manipulation of the markets.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9Statue of James Henry Greathead
We discuss what Industrial revolution meant for the City, next to one of the pioneers of the Industrial revolution.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10St. Mary Woolnoth Church
This church has been at the centre point of history of debt, slavery and Christian values.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
11
How this Insurance company helped shape empire and the world.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
12
This outdoor installation is perfect for us to consider the movements of times and tides of money and finance and power.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
13Leadenhall Market
We get back to financial roots at this ancient market, and we talk Dragons!
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
14
Public space with the Gilt of Cain sculpture, memorializing the City’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
15Garden at 120
We take a fresh perspective as we conclude the tour.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Time for travel time is already included in the total duration
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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