A new free animated walking tour is coming to Elephant and Castle to show how different immigrant communities have influenced the design of the area.
On Saturday 28 October, actors and a tour guide will tell the story of the architecture of the Elephant and Castle.
The tour will focus on key buildings, monuments and statues which narrate the changing face of the area, including Metro City Heights which was designed by Hungarian-born modernist architect Erno Goldfinger and constructed in the early 1960s.
Narrated by local creative John Whelan, the story will detail the varied waves of migration – like the Jewish community at the start of the nineteenth century, the Italian community who made East Street their home or the Latin American community who influenced the Elephant streetscape and design of the area.
John Whelan, the Artistic Director of People’s Company, said: “The Elephant and Castle is literally and metaphorically the junction of so much history and varied communities who have made this area home.
“This history and its changing communities have shaped the streetscape of this rich and diverse community. The tour will bring this story to life in a fun and interactive way thanks to the funding of the Inspiring Elephant funding.”
These tours have been running every year for the last five years, but this is a brand new theme.
You can book your free ticket on Eventbrite here.
The tour has two timeslots on Saturday 28 October – at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and the starting point is Castle Square, 40 Elephant Road, SE17 1AY.