Canary Wharf is a financial area of

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England, located in the

Isle of Dogs The Isle of Dogs is a large peninsula bounded on three sides by a large meander in the River Thames in East London, England. It includes the Cubitt Town, Millwall and Canary Wharf districts. The area was historically part of the Manor, Haml ...

in the

London Borough of Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London boroughs, borough in London, England. Situated on the north bank of the River Thames and immediately east of the City of London, the borough spans much of the traditional East End of London and ...

. The

Greater London Authority The Greater London Authority (GLA), colloquially known by the Metonymy, metonym City Hall, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved Regions of England, regional governance body of Greater London, England. It consists of two political ...

defines it as part of London's

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

, alongside

Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning the City of London and several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local gove ...

. Alongside the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

and the West End, it constitutes one of the main

financial centre A financial centre (financial center in American English) or financial hub is a location with a significant concentration of commerce in financial services. The commercial activity that takes place in a financial centre may include banking, ...

s in the United Kingdom and the world, containing many major global companies and banks' headquarters and high-rise buildings, including the third-tallest in the UK,

One Canada Square One Canada Square is a skyscraper in Canary Wharf, London. It is the third tallest building in the United Kingdom at above ground level,Aviation charts issued by the Civil Aviation Authority and contains 50 storeys. It achieved the title of ...

. Developed on the site of the former

West India Docks The West India Docks are a series of three docks, quaysides, and warehouses built to import goods from, and export goods and occasionally passengers to, the British West Indies. Located on the Isle of Dogs in London, the first dock opened in 18 ...

East London East London is the part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London Docklands, London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of ...

, Canary Wharf contains around of office and retail space. It has many open areas and gardens, including Canada Square, Cabot Square,

Westferry Circus Westferry Circus is a road interchange and public space in Canary Wharf estate in London, and contains a two-level road interchange. There are two roundabouts, one above the other. It was designed by Laurie Olin. In this context, a circus, from ...

, Jubilee Park, and Crossrail Place Roof Garden. Together with

Heron Quays Heron Quays is an area of the Canary Wharf development on the Isle of Dogs, part of the London Docklands. It is served by a railway station on the London Docklands Light Railway network, Heron Quays DLR station, which was moved south after the ...

and

Wood Wharf Wood Wharf is a 23 acrehttps://group.canarywharf.com/portfolio/wood-wharf/ Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf Group PLC, Retrieved 26 April 2018 site in Canary Wharf, London. It is currently under construction to provide offices, residential homes and re ...

, it forms the Canary Wharf Estate, around in area.

History

Canary Wharf is located on the

on the

. As journalist José Luis Jiménez explains, the name of this location stems from its use during World War II as a storage area for agricultural exports—primarily tomatoes, cucumbers, and bananas—from the Canary Islands. Its remote position, far from the city center, even included the Canarian Docks on its outskirts.

West India Dock Company

From 1802 to the late 1980s, what would become the Canary Wharf Estate was a part of the

(

Millwall Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Poplar, north of Greenwich and Deptford, east of ...

) and Poplar and was one of the busiest docks in the world. West India Docks was primarily developed by Robert Milligan (–1809) who set up the West India Dock Company.

Port of London Authority

The

Port of London Authority The Port of London Authority (PLA) is a self-funding public trust established on 31 March 1909 in accordance with the Port of London Act 1908 to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and its ...

was established in 1909 and took control of West India Dock. The enterprise of Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, a Welsh shipping magnate who was a prominent figure in the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, led to a constant stream of ships arriving into London's South Quay Dock and the naming of Canary Wharf, after the ships' origin. It was named after No. 32 berth of the West Wood Quay of the Import Dock. This was built in 1936 for Fruit Lines Ltd, a subsidiary of Fred Olsen Lines for the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

and Canary Islands fruit trade. It is located on the Isle of Dogs, the quay and warehouse were given the name Canary Wharf.''The West India Docks: The buildings: warehouses'', Survey of London: volumes 43 and 44: Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs (1994), pp. 284–300
. Retrieved 22 July 2008

London Docklands Development Corporation

After the 1960s, when cargo became containerised, port industry began to decline, leading to all the docks being closed by 1980.''West India Docks (1803–1980) ''
(Port Cities) accessed 22 July 2008 After the docks closed in 1980, the British Government adopted policies to stimulate redevelopment of the area, including the creation of the

London Docklands Development Corporation The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was a quango agency set up by the UK Government in 1981 to regenerate the depressed Docklands area of east London. During its seventeen-year existence, it was responsible for regenerating an ...

(LDDC) in 1981 and the granting of

Urban Enterprise Zone An urban enterprise zone is an area in which policies to encourage economic growth and development are implemented. Urban enterprise zone policies generally offer tax concessions, infrastructure incentives, and reduced regulations to attract invest ...

status to the Isle of Dogs in 1982. The Canary Wharf of today began when Michael von Clemm, former chairman of

Credit Suisse First Boston Credit Suisse First Boston (also known as CSFB and CS First Boston) was the investment banking affiliate of Credit Suisse headquartered in New York. The company was created by the merger of First Boston Corporation and Credit Suisse Group in 1 ...

(CSFB), came up with the idea to convert Canary Wharf into a

back office A back office in most corporations is where work that supports '' front office'' work is done. The front office is the "face" of the company and is all the resources of the company that are used to make sales and interact with customers and clien ...

. Further discussions with G Ware Travelstead led to proposals for a new business district and included the LDDC developing an inexpensive light metro scheme, the

Docklands Light Railway The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated medium-capacity rail system, light metro system primarily serving the redeveloped London Docklands, Docklands area of London and providing a direct connection between London's two major financi ...

, to make use of a large amount of redundant railway infrastructure and to improve access. The project was sold to the Canadian company

Olympia & York Olympia & York (also spelled as Olympia and York, abbreviated as O&Y) was a major international property development firm based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The firm built major financial office complexes including Canary Wharf in London, the Wo ...

and construction began in 1988, master-planned by

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill SOM, an initialism of its original name Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, is a Chicago-based architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm. It was founded in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings. In 1939, they were joined by engineer ...

with

Yorke Rosenberg Mardall Yorke Rosenberg Mardall (Yorke, Rosenberg and Mardall, YRM) was a British architectural firm established by F. R. S. Yorke (1906-1962), Eugene Rosenberg (1907-1990) and Cyril Mardall (Sjöström) (1909-1994) in 1944.Melvin, Jeremy (1997). Obit ...

as their UK advisors, and subsequently by Koetter Kim. The first buildings were completed in 1991, including

, which became the UK's tallest building at the time and a symbol of the regeneration of Docklands. By the time it opened, the London commercial property market had collapsed, and Olympia and York Canary Wharf Limited filed for bankruptcy in May 1992. Initially, the City of London saw Canary Wharf as an existential threat. It modified its planning laws to expand the provision of new offices in the City of London, for example, creating offices above railway stations (Blackfriars) and roads ( Alban Gate). The resulting oversupply of office space contributed to the failure of the Canary Wharf project.

Canary Wharf Group

In October 1995, an international consortium that included investors such as Alwaleed, bought control for $1.2 billion. Paul Reichmann, of Olympia & York, was named chairman, and Canary Wharf went public in 1999. The new company was called Canary Wharf Limited, and later became

Canary Wharf Group Canary Wharf Group plc is a British property company headquartered in London, England. It is the owner and developer of nearly of property at Canary Wharf and elsewhere in London. Over the last 10 years it has constructed more office space in ...

. In 1997, some residents living on the Isle of Dogs launched a lawsuit against Canary Wharf Ltd for private nuisance because the tower interfered with TV signals. The residents lost the case.The court found against the appellants (Hunter and others) as private nuisance legislation generally concerns "emanations" from land, not interference with such emanations
"Hunter and Others v. Canary Wharf Ltd./Hunter and Others v. London Docklands Corporation"

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

Session 1996–97. Retrieved on 23 March 2009. Recovery in the property market generally, coupled with continuing demand for large floorplate Grade A office space, slowly improved the level of interest. A critical event in the recovery was the much-delayed start of work on the

Jubilee Line Extension The Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) is the extension of the London Underground's Jubilee line from to through south and east London. An eastward extension of the line was first proposed in the 1970s. As part of the development of London Dockland ...

, which the government wanted ready for the

Millennium A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting ...

celebrations. In March 2004, Canary Wharf Group plc. was taken over by a consortium of investors, backed by its largest shareholder Glick Family Investments and led by

Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company headquartered at 1585 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. With offices in 42 countries and more than 80,000 employees, the firm's clients in ...

using a vehicle named Songbird Estates plc.

Tallest buildings

In addition to being a leading global financial district in the United Kingdom, Canary Wharf is famous for a cluster of the tallest modern commercial complexes and residential high-rise buildings. Building from scratch in early 1990s, the district is home to the first tallest iconic skyscraper,

, in the United Kingdom. In 20 years, Canary Wharf's new rapid grown skyscraper cluster has dramatically transformed the skyline of London with modern architectures., and for this reason the area is often nicknamed "Manhattan-on-Thames". * As of August 2024, six of the United Kingdom’s ten tallest buildings are located at Canary Wharf. The 100 Tallest Completed buildings in United Kingdom in 2024
Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 24 August 2024. *

(235 m (771 ft)) and

Landmark Pinnacle Landmark Pinnacle is a skyscraper constructed by developer Chalegrove Properties in Marsh Wall on the Isle of Dogs, London, United Kingdom. The 75-storeys Landmark Pinnacle is a short distance west from the financial center of Canary Wharf. I ...

(233 m (764 ft)) are the third and fourth tallest buildings in the United Kingdom. Additionally,

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

(220 m (720 ft)), Aspen at Consort Place (216 m (708 ft)),

South Quay Plaza South Quay Plaza is a residential-led development under construction on the Isle of Dogs, London, England, within the borough of Tower Hamlets. It is being developed by Berkeley Group Holdings and was designed by architect Foster + Partners. ...

(215 m (705 ft)), and

One Park Drive One Park Drive is a residential skyscraper situated in the south west corner of Wood Wharf, within the Canary Wharf financial estate on the Isle of Dogs, London. The building is the first residential development designed by Swiss-based architec ...

(205 m (673 ft)) hold the seventh to tenth positions. * The 75-storey

is the tallest residential tower in the United Kingdom and the whole of western Europe.Landmark Pinnacle — Chalegrove Properties
Canary Development. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2023. *

is the tallest build-to-rent building in the United Kingdom. * Novotel London Canary Wharf is the tallest all-hotel building in the United Kingdom, and the tallest

Novotel Novotel is a French midscale hotel brand owned by Accor. Created in 1967 in France, the company grew into what became the Accor group in 1983, and Novotel remained a pillar brand of Accor's multi-brand strategy. Novotel manages 559 hotels in 65 ...

in the world. *

, at , achieved a 21-year record of the tallest building in the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2012. With its distinctive pyramid pinnacle, the building is recognised as a London landmark, and has been featured in many films and television shows.Top 10 Tallest Buildings in the UK as of 2023
CivilNotePpt. Retrieved 13 February 2023.

Listed buildings

As at 12 February 2023, there are 16

listed buildings In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

in Canary Wharf of which 2 are Grade I and 14 in Grade II. ;Grade I Listed Buildings * Quay Walls, Copings and Buttresses to Import Dock and Export Dock: The original

consists of three docks. The Import Dock, the earliest, was opened in 1800–02, and followed to south by the Export Dock of 1803–06. * Warehouses and General Offices at Western End of North Quay: originally a range of nine warehouses was built 1800–04 at the western end of North Quay, West India Dock Road. Only two warehouses survived the bombing raid in World War II. These docks with Nos 1 and 2 warehouses are now the only surviving examples of the first intensive period of

London Docklands London Docklands is an area of London encompassing the city’s former docks. It is located in inner east and southeast London, in the boroughs of London Borough of Southwark, Southwark, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets, London ...

construction: 1800–10. ;Grade II Listed Buildings Most of the Grade II Listed buildings in Canary Wharf sit to the north-west of West India Dock North, and are located within the West India Dock Conservation Area. In addition to architectural values, "these buildings and structures are of significance due to their association with the development of the docks and the community that grew up around them".

Corporations and agencies

Canary Wharf contains around of office and retail space, of which around (about 49%) is owned by

. Around 105,000 people work in Canary Wharf, and it is home to the world or European headquarters of numerous major banks, professional services firms, and media organisations, including

Barclays Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services ...

Citigroup Citigroup Inc. or Citi (Style (visual arts), stylized as citi) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services company based in New York City. The company was formed in 1998 by the merger of Citicorp, t ...

Clifford Chance Clifford Chance LLP is a British multinational law firm headquartered in London, England, and a member of the " Magic Circle", a group of leading London-based multinational law firms. In 2022-2023 Clifford Chance was the third largest law fir ...

Credit Suisse Credit Suisse Group AG (, ) was a global Investment banking, investment bank and financial services firm founded and based in Switzerland. According to UBS, eventually Credit Suisse was to be fully integrated into UBS. While the integration ...

Ernst & Young EY, previously known as Ernst & Young, is a multinational corporation, multinational professional services partnership, network based in London, United Kingdom. Along with Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, it is one of the Big Four accounting firms, Big F ...

Fitch Ratings Fitch Ratings Inc. is an American credit rating agency. It is one of the three nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO) designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is considered as being one of the " Bi ...

HSBC HSBC Holdings plc ( zh, t_hk=滙豐; initialism from its founding member The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) is a British universal bank and financial services group headquartered in London, England, with historical and business li ...

Infosys Infosys Limited is an Indian multinational corporation, multinational technology company that offers business consulting, information technology, and outsourcing services. Founded in 1981 in Pune, the company is headquartered in Bengaluru. On ...

JPMorgan Chase JPMorgan Chase & Co. (stylized as JPMorganChase) is an American multinational financial services, finance corporation headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. It is List of largest banks in the United States, the largest ba ...

KPMG KPMG is a multinational professional services network, based in London, United Kingdom. As one of the Big Four accounting firms, along with Ernst & Young (EY), Deloitte, and PwC. KPMG is a network of firms in 145 countries with 275,288 emplo ...

MetLife MetLife, Inc. is the Holding company, holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, Annuity (US financial produ ...

Moody's Moody's Ratings, previously and still legally known as Moody's Investors Service and often referred to as Moody's, is the bond credit rating business of Moody's Corporation, representing the company's traditional line of business and its histo ...

Royal Bank of Canada Royal Bank of Canada (RBC; ) is a Canadian multinational Financial institution, financial services company and the Big Five (banks), largest bank in Canada by market capitalization. The bank serves over 20 million clients and has more than ...

Deutsche Bank Deutsche Bank AG (, ) is a Germany, German multinational Investment banking, investment bank and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, and dual-listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. ...

S&P Global S&P Global Inc. (prior to 2016, McGraw Hill Financial, Inc., and prior to 2013, The McGraw–Hill Companies, Inc.) is an American publicly traded corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City. Its primary areas of business are financia ...

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates (known as Skadden) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational law firm headquartered in New York City. The firm comprises approximately 1,700 lawyers and is the fourth highest ...

, State Street,

The Economist Group The Economist Newspaper Limited (commonly The Economist Group) is a British media company headquartered in London, England. It is best known as publisher of ''The Economist'' newspaper and its sister lifestyle magazine, ''1843''. The Economist G ...

and

Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters Corporation ( ) is a Canadian multinational corporation, multinational content-driven technology Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. The company was founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and maintains its headquarters at 1 ...

. Until 2018, Canary Wharf also hosted two

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

agencies,

European Medicines Agency The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) in charge of the evaluation and supervision of pharmaceutical products. Prior to 2004, it was known as the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products ...

and

European Banking Authority The European Banking Authority (EBA) is a regulatory agency of the European Union headquartered in La Défense, Île-de-France. Its activities include conducting stress tests on European banks to increase transparency in the European financi ...

, that moved to

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

and

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

respectively due to

Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...

Leisure

;Marina

West India Quay West India Quay is an area in the London Docklands, London, England. It is immediately to the north of the West India Docks and Canary Wharf. The warehouse at West India Quay was used to store imported goods from the West Indies, such as tea, su ...

s and

Poplar Dock Poplar Dock is a small dock in Poplar, London. It connects to the Blackwall Basin of the West India Docks and, although independent of this system, has never had a direct connection to the Thames. Originally a series of reservoirs built by t ...

are two

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

s that are used as

mooring A mooring is any permanent structure to which a seaborne vessel (such as a boat, ship, or amphibious aircraft) may be secured. Examples include quays, wharfs, jetties, piers, anchor buoys, and mooring buoys. A ship is secured to a mooring to ...

s for barges and private leisure river craft and is owned by the

Canal & River Trust The Canal & River Trust (CRT), branded as in Wales, holds the guardianship of 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, together with reservoirs and a wide range of heritage buildings and structures, in England and Wales. Launched on 12 July 2012, the ...

. ;Library A local

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

, called

Idea Store Idea Store is a chain of educational community centres in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England, that offer library services along with adult learning courses and extensive activities and events programmes. The project was initiated in 199 ...

Canary Wharf, is in Churchill Place

shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a large indoor shopping center, usually Anchor tenant, anchored by department stores. The term ''mall'' originally meant pedestrian zone, a pedestrian promenade with shops along it, but in the late 1960s, i ...

and run by

Tower Hamlets Council Tower Hamlets London Borough Council, also known as Tower Hamlets Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under ...

which opened on Thursday 16 March 2006 as part of the

project and is the borough fourth Idea Store. ;Cinema Canary Wharf hosts two

multiplex Multiplex may refer to: Science and technology * Multiplex communication, combining many signals into one transmission circuit or channel ** Multiplex (television), a group of digital television or radio channels that are combined for broadcast * ...

es (cinemas), one on

run by

Cineworld Regal Cineworld Group (trading as Cineworld) is a British cinema operator headquartered in London, England. It is the world's second-largest cinema chain (after AMC Theatres), with 9,139 screens across 747 sites in 10 countries: Bulgaria, Czec ...

. and another at

Crossrail Place Crossrail Place is a complex built in the North Dock of the West India Docks in London's Canary Wharf, as part of the railway project Crossrail. It contains Canary Wharf railway station and was partly opened on 1 May 2015. ''Architect Magazine ...

called Everyman Cinema. Go Karting An over 800m long electric karting facility exists within Cabot Square. The facility can accommodate up to 20 drivers at a single time. Karts can reach speeds of up to 45 mph.

Squares and public areas

;Canada Square Canada Square is one of the central squares at Canary Wharf. It is a large open space with grass, except during the winter when it is converted into an ice rink. The square is named after Canada, because the original developers of modern Canary Wharf, Olympia & York, wanted to reflect their heritage. Underneath the square is Canada Place shopping mall. ;Westferry Circus

is on the west side of Canary Wharf. It is a garden at ground level, and below is a roundabout allowing traffic to flow through. The garden is enclosed by bespoke hand-crafted ornamental railings and entrance gates by artist Giuseppe Lund. The area has a long history, dating back to 1812, when the Poplar and Greenwich Roads Company operated a horse ferry between

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

and the Isle of Dogs. It operated on the West Ferry and East Ferry Roads, which the names survived. Westferry Circus was chosen as the name for the roundabout and park by virtue of its proximity to Westferry Road. ;Cabot Square Cabot Square is one of the biggest squares at Canary Wharf, with a large fountain at the centre. The inner perimeter has additional fountains covered by trees. The square has large circular glass ventilation holes to allow gases to escape from the underground car park. The square is named after

John Cabot John Cabot ( ; 1450 – 1499) was an Italians, Italian navigator and exploration, explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England, Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known Europe ...

and his son Sebastian, who were Italian explorers who settled in England in 1484. ;Churchill Place Churchill Place is an area on the east side of Canary Wharf. It is named after

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

. ;Columbus Courtyard A small square on the west side of Canary Wharf named after

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

. The first phase of Canary Wharf was completed in 1992, 500 years after Columbus arrived in America. ;Chancellor Passage A passageway south of Cabot Square. Named after

Richard Chancellor Richard Chancellor ( – ) was an English explorer and navigator; the first to penetrate to the White Sea and establish Anglo-Russian relations, relations with the Tsardom of Russia. Life Chancellor, a native of Bristol, was brought up in the ...

who sailed with Sir John Willoughby from Greenwich on their voyage through the White Sea to Moscow. ;Wren Landing Small area north of Cabot Square. Leads to North Dock footbridge towards Port East. Named after British architect

Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren FRS (; – ) was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician and physicist who was one of the most highly acclaimed architects in the history of England. Known for his work in the English Baroque style, he was ac ...

. ;Montgomery Square Located at the east end of Jubilee Park, Montgomery Square is an outdoor location for socialising. Events include street food markets, beach volleyball tournaments, padel tennis competition, and minigolf.Spring in Canary Wharf: Green Spaces and Parks
Canary Wharf Group plc. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.

Parks and green spaces

is enthusiastic about adding more green spaces and gardens to the dense urban environment. A total of 20 acres of landscaped parks, gardens and verdant squares complete with 1,000 trees, 4,000 shrubs and 70,000 seasonal plants are added each year. Visitors are welcome to explore these parks and green spaces, which are ideal places for relaxation, social gatherings, performances, viewing outdoor public art, as well as hosting outdoor events and festivities. ;Jubilee Park Jubilee Park is a 10,000 m² roof garden located above Jubilee Place, a shopping mall, and Canary Wharf Jubilee Station, an underground railway station. The park, opened in 2002 and was named in honour of the

Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration held in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as ...

. Jubilee Park is located in the financial district of Canary Wharf. The park's central feature is a raised serpentine water channel with rough stone walls. The curvilinear design of the water channel is intended to contrast to the scale and straightness of the surrounding buildings. In 2023, Jubilee Park won the Green Flag Award, recognising Jubilee Park as one of the United Kingdom's best parks ;

Roof Garden A roof garden, one of London's largest, houses on the top of seven-storey

structure, which contains the Elizabeth line Canary Wharf station. Opened to public in 2015, it lies almost exactly on the Meridian line splitting eastern and western hemispheres. The plants originating from the eastern hemisphere are planted to the East of the Meridian line in the garden, with those from the Western hemisphere on the opposite side. The design and development of Crossrail Place Roof Garden was honored by winning numerous prestigious international and United Kingdom awards. Selected notable awards include: "Best Urban Regeneration Project" at 2016 MIPIM awards in France, the first prize for the best "Innovative Design of a Contemporary Garden" at the 2017 European Garden Awards in Berlin, and a Highly Commended accolade at the 2016 Landscape Institute Awards in the category 'Design for a Small-Scale Development'. ;Harbour Quay Garden A newly opened garden, located at the strand of

, features a boardwalk for waterside wandering. The garden also offers family-friendly picnic spots and outdoor fitness equipment on the green lawn, where visitors can relax, view outdoor public art, and watch the water. Just around the corner, it has access to a new garden square, Harbord Square Park. ;Harbord Square Park Harbord Square Park, the newest garden square in

, continues the great London tradition of garden squares. It is open 24/7 and offers green space available for mindfulness activities and to support nearby residents' general wellbeing. Eden Dock In Oct 2024, in partnership with the

Eden Project The Eden Project () is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England. The project is located in a reclaimed china clay clay pit, pit.Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map 107 – Fowey, Looe & Lostwithiel''. . The complex is dominated by two h ...

, the Canary Wharf group opened Eden dock. The waterfront green space can be accessed via Jubilee Plaza or Mackenzie Walk. It includes floating islands which are designed to encourage

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

Shopping malls

Canary Wharf shopping centre, ranked as one of the best in London, has five interconnected shopping malls: Canada Place, Cabot Place, Jubilee Place,

, and Churchill Place. The malls provide over of retail space, more than 310 shops from beauty, fashion, lifestyle, luxurious brands, health, and homeware, as well as 70 cafés, bars, and restaurants, eight grocery stores, five health clubs and a cinema. There are also numerous bars, restaurants, and food halls at street level, alongside plenty of outdoor seating enabling visitors to see the stunning wharf and riverside views.

Local government elections

Every four years, residents of Canary Wharf ward elect two councillors to represent them on

. † Andrew Wood was elected for the Conservative Party in 2018, but resigned to sit as an Independent in 2020.

Transport

Canary Wharf is served by London-wide, regional, national and international transport connections.

Rail

Canary Wharf is in London fare zone 2, and several stations can be found throughout the estate. * The

(DLR) calls at

Canary Wharf Canary Wharf is a financial area of London, England, located in the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The Greater London Authority defines it as part of London's central business district, alongside Central London. Alongside ...

and

stations. The line opened in 1987. ** DLR trains link Canary Wharf northbound to

Bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...

in the

, via

Shadwell Shadwell is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London, England. It also forms part of the city's East End of London, East End. Shadwell is on the north bank of the River Thames between Wapping (to the west) and Ratcliff and ...

. Northbound trains also travel to Stratford via Poplar and

Bow Church Bow Church is the parish church of St Mary and Holy Trinity, Stratford, Bow. It is located on a central reservation site in Bow Road (part of the A11), in Bow, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. There has been a church on the same site fo ...

. Southbound trains terminate south of the River Thames in

Lewisham Lewisham ( ) is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the Historic counties of England, historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in ...

, calling at

''en route''. *

London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The Undergro ...

Jubilee line The Jubilee line is a London Underground line that runs between in suburban north-west London and in east London, via the West End of London, West End, South Bank and London Docklands, Docklands. Opened in 1979, it is the newest line on the ...

services call at Canary Wharf station. Eastbound trains travel to Stratford via North Greenwich,

Canning Town Canning Town is a town in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, north of the Royal Victoria Dock. Its urbanisation was largely due to the creation of the dock. The area was part of the ancient parish and County Borough of West Ham, ...

and

West Ham West Ham is a district in East London, England and is in the London Borough of Newham. It is an inner-city suburb located east of Charing Cross. The area was originally an ancient parish formed to serve parts of the older Manor of Ham, a ...

. Westbound trains link Canary Wharf to the West End and key London interchanges including

London Bridge The name "London Bridge" refers to several historic crossings that have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark in central London since Roman Britain, Roman times. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 197 ...

Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces * Waterloo, Belgium Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Australia * Waterloo, New South Wale ...

and

Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder James Baker. The area was originally high class residential, but now is mainly occupied by commercial premises. The street is ...

. Trains towards Central London eventually terminate in North West London. * The

Elizabeth line The Elizabeth line is a railway line that runs across Greater London and nearby towns, operating similarly to the Réseau Express Régional, RER in Paris and the S-Bahn systems of German-speaking countries. It runs services on dedicated infras ...

(constructed by the

Crossrail Crossrail is a completed railway project centred on London. It provides a high-frequency hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system, akin to the Réseau Express Régional, RER in Paris and the S-Bahn systems of German-speaking countries, kn ...

project) calls at Canary Wharf station. The line provides the area with a frequent, direct connection to the City of London and the West End. Westbound trains serve Central London and key interchanges at Liverpool Street and

Paddington Paddington is an area in the City of Westminster, in central London, England. A medieval parish then a metropolitan borough of the County of London, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Paddington station, designed b ...

. Elizabeth line trains also serve

Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport , also colloquially known as London Heathrow Airport and named ''London Airport'' until 1966, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdo ...

and

Reading, Berkshire Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, England, and the county town of Berkshire. It is the United Kingdom's largest town, with a combined population of 355,596. Most of Reading built-up area, its built-up area lies within the Borough ...

to the west. Eastbound services terminate at

Abbey Wood Abbey Wood is an List of areas of London, area in southeast London, England, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and bordering the London Borough of Bexley. It is located east of Charing Cross. According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 ...

. Stations in Canary Wharf only offer direct connections to London and Berkshire destinations. Regional and national

National Rail National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, a group representing passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the passenger services previously provided by ...

connections can be found elsewhere in London, including at Liverpool Street,

, Stratford,

Stratford International Stratford International is a National Rail station in Stratford and a separate Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station nearby, located in East Village in London. Despite its name, no international services stop at the station; plans for it to ...

and

Road

Major roads near Canary Wharf include: * A12 - begins in nearby Blackwall and carries traffic northeast towards Stratford, the M11 (for

Stansted Airport Stansted Airport is an international airport serving London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, Uttlesford, Essex, northeast of Central London. As London's third-busiest airport, Stan ...

), and destinations in

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

and

East Anglia East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...

. * A13 (

East India Dock Road East India Dock Road is a major arterial route from Limehouse to Canning Town in London. The road takes its name from the former East India Docks in the Port of London. To the west it becomes Commercial Road and to the east Newham Way. It forms p ...

) - westbound to

Limehouse Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. It is east of Charing Cross, on the northern bank of the River Thames. Its proximity to the river has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains throu ...

and the

(

Aldgate Aldgate () was a gate in the former defensive wall around the City of London. The gate gave its name to ''Aldgate High Street'', the first stretch of the A11 road, that takes that name as it passes through the ancient, extramural Portsoken ...

); eastbound towards

Barking Barking may refer to: Places * Barking, London, a town in East London, England ** London Borough of Barking, 1965–1980 ** Municipal Borough of Barking, 1931–1965 ** Barking (UK Parliament constituency) ** Barking (electoral division), Greater ...

, the M25 and

Southend Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...

(). * A102 (

Blackwall Tunnel The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in east London, England, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and part of the A102 road. The northern portal lies just south ...

) - begins in nearby Blackwall and carries traffic southbound to

, the A2 and the A20 for destinations in

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

. * A1026 (Lower Lea Crossing &

Silvertown Tunnel The Silvertown Tunnel is a road tunnel, opened on 7 April 2025, beneath the River Thames in east London, England. The twin-bore tunnel runs between west Silvertown, east of the River Lea estuary, on the north side of the Thames and a portal adj ...

) - relief for Blackwall Tunnel and carries traffic eastbound toward

London City Airport London City Airport is an international airport in London, England. It is located in the Royal Docks in the London Borough of Newham, Borough of Newham, about east of the City of London and east of Canary Wharf. These are the two centres ...

() via Silvertown Way. * A1203 (

Limehouse Link The Limehouse Link tunnel is a long tunnel under Limehouse in East London on the A1203 road. The tunnel links the eastern end of The Highway to Canary Wharf in London Docklands. Built between 1989 and 1993 at a cost of £293,000,000 it ha ...

) - carries traffic eastbound to

and the City of London (

Tower Hill Tower Hill is the area surrounding the Tower of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is infamous for the public execution of high status prisoners from the late 14th to the mid 18th century. The execution site on the higher gro ...

). * A1205 (

Burdett Road The A1205 is a road in east London which runs north to south parallel to the Regent's Canal and connects South Hackney and Victoria Park with the A13 at Limehouse. It is approximately 2 miles (3 km) in length, and runs in a roughly SSW ...

) - carries traffic northbound to

Mile End Mile End is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in East London and part of the East End of London, East End. It is east of Charing Cross. Situated on the part of the London-to-Colchester road ...

and Hackney. * A1206 (

/Prestons Road) - loops around the western, southern and eastern edges of the Isle of Dogs. Links to the A1261. * A1261 (Aspen Way) - westbound to the A13 for Limehouse and the city; eastbound to the A1020 for City Airport () and the A13 towards Barking.

Air pollution

Transport for London Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom. TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...

(TfL) and the

monitor the

air quality Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...

around Canary Wharf. In 2017, an automatic monitoring station in Blackwall found that local air quality failed to meet UK National Air Quality Objectives, recording an annual average

Nitrogen Dioxide Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula . One of several nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxide is a reddish-brown gas. It is a paramagnetic, bent molecule with C2v point group symmetry. Industrially, is an intermediate in the s ...

(NO₂) concentration of 56 μg/m3 (

microgram In the metric system, a microgram or microgramme is a unit of mass equal to one millionth () of a gram. The unit symbol is μg according to the International System of Units (SI); the recommended symbol in the United States and United Kingdom wh ...

s per

cubic metre The cubic metre (in Commonwealth English and international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures) or cubic meter (in American English) is the unit of volume in the International System of Units (SI). Its symbol is m ...

). The National Objective is set by the government at 40 μg/m3. Alternative stations nearer Canary Wharf recorded cleaner air. Monitors at the Limehouse Link/Westferry Road junction and on Prestons Road recorded a 2017 annual average NO₂ concentration of 40 μg/m3, which Tower Hamlets argue fails to meet the UK National Objective.

Buses

London Buses London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL) that manages most bus services in London, England. It was formed following the Greater London Authority Act 1999 that transferred control of London Regional Transport (LRT) bus s ...

routes

135 135 may refer to: *135 (number) *AD 135 *135 BC *135 film, better known as 35 mm film, is a format of photographic film used for still photography *135 (New Jersey bus), a New Jersey Transit bus route *135 Hertha 135 Hertha is an asteroid from ...

, 277, D3, D7, D8, N277 and N550 call at bus stops near Canary Wharf. Bus 135 links Canary Wharf directly to Liverpool Street in the City of London, and bus D8 to Stratford.

Riverboat

Several

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...

services call at

Canary Wharf Pier Canary Wharf is a pier on the River Thames in Canary Wharf, London. It is located next to Westferry Circus. Services It is served by two commuter oriented services, both operated by Uber Boat by Thames Clippers under licence from London River ...

, including: * RB1 - eastbound to North Greenwich and

Woolwich Arsenal Pier Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) Pier, also known as the Royal Arsenal Pier, Woolwich, is a pier on the River Thames, at Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, England. Designed by Beckett Rankine and built by Mowlem in 2002, the pier is operated ...

; westbound to

Tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

, London Bridge City,

Bankside Bankside is an area of London, England, within the London Borough of Southwark. Bankside is located on the southern bank of the River Thames, east of Charing Cross, running from a little west of Blackfriars Bridge to just a short distance befo ...

, Blackfriars, Embankment, the

London Eye The London Eye, originally the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid Tourist attractions in the ...

and

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

. * RB1X - eastbound to North Greenwich and

Royal Wharf Pier Royal Wharf is a residential and commercial development in Newham, London located on the north bank of the River Thames. It is built on the former site of ''Minoco Wharf'' and is near the Thames Barrier, west of Thames Barrier Park, and close ...

; westbound to Tower, London Bridge City, Bankside, Embankment, the London Eye and Westminster (limited service to Battersea Power Station). * RB4 - the Canary Wharf – Rotherhithe Ferry crosses the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

to Nelson Dock. * RB6 - limited eastbound service towards

Putney Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ...

. Tower, London Bridge City and Blackfriars are in the

. Oyster Cards are valid for travel on TfL-coordinated riverboat services.

Airports

is from Canary Wharf. Over 4.8 million passengers passed through City Airport in 2018. The airport serves domestic and international destinations, including

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

is on the DLR train line. Passengers from Canary Wharf can change trains at Poplar for services to the Airport.

Cycling

The

and

(TfL) provide

cycling infrastructure Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of bicycle pedal, pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the ...

in and around Canary Wharf. Several leisure and commuter routes pass through or near the estate, including: Cable Street cycle superhighway

National Cycle Route 1 The cycle-path is located in the United Kingdom. Route Dover to Canterbury Dover , Deal, Kent, Deal , Sandwich, Kent, Sandwich , Canterbury Links with National Cycle Route 2, RCR 16, Kent, Regional route 16, and RCR 17, Kent, Regional r ...

(NCR 1) - a leisure cycle route from

Dover, Kent Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

to Shetland, Scotland. The route is indirect, running through London on low-traffic paths. In North London, the route runs from the

Greenwich Foot Tunnel The Greenwich Foot Tunnel crosses beneath the River Thames in East London, linking Greenwich ( Royal Borough of Greenwich) on the south bank with Millwall (London Borough of Tower Hamlets) on the north. Approximately 4,000 people use the tunne ...

Enfield Lock Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, north London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, and extends to the River Lee Navigation, including the En ...

via Canary Wharf,

and

Tottenham Tottenham (, , , ) is a district in north London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, ...

. The route runs to the west of Canary Wharf, parallel to the River Thames. * EuroVelo 2 ("The Capitals Route") - an international leisure cycle route from

Moscow, Russia Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

Galway, Ireland Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

. In North London, EV2 follows the route of NCR 1. * National Cycle Route 13 (NCR 13) - a leisure cycle route from the

City A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

to Fakenham, Norfolk. The route is indirect, running through East London on low-traffic paths. The route leaves London near Rainham. *

Cycle Superhighway 3 Cycleway 3 (C3) is a cycle route in London, England. It is part of the Cycleway network coordinated by TfL. It runs from Barking in the east to Lancaster Gate in central London. It is a popular route with both commuter and leisure cyclists, ...

(CS3) - a commuter cycle route from

to West London. The route runs east–west through nearby Poplar on low-traffic or residential streets. The route is signposted and unbroken. ** East of Poplar, the route to Barking predominantly runs on traffic-free

cycle track A cycle track or cycleway (''British'') or bikeway (''mainly North American''), sometimes historically referred to as a sidepath, is a separate route for cycles and not motor vehicles. In some cases cycle tracks are also used by other users such ...

. ** West of

, the route runs on low-traffic or traffic-free paths to

. The route is signposted and unbroken. After Shadwell, the route becomes a traffic-free cycle track which provides Canary Wharf with a direct link to

, Blackfriars,

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

Hyde Park Corner Hyde Park Corner is between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Mayfair in London, England. It primarily refers to a major road junction at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park, that was originally planned by architect Decimus Burton. The juncti ...

and

Lancaster Gate Lancaster Gate is a mid-19th century development in the Bayswater district of central London, immediately to the north of Kensington Gardens. History It consists of two long terraces of houses overlooking the park, with a wide gap between t ...

. * Cycleway from Hackney to the

- proposed cycle link which would link Canary Wharf directly to Mile End on traffic-free cycle track. *

Limehouse Cut The Limehouse Cut is a largely straight, broad canal in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in east London which links the lower reaches of the Lee Navigation to the River Thames. Opening on 17 September 1770, and widened for two-way traffic b ...

towpath A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, Working animal, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge. This mod ...

- shared-use path from nearby Limehouse to Stratford. The route is traffic-free. *

Regent's Canal Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in ea ...

towpath - shared-use path from nearby Limehouse to

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

. The route is traffic-free and passes through Mile End,

Haggerston Haggerston is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is in East London and part of the East End of London, East End. There is an Haggerston (ward), electoral ward called Haggerston within the borough. H ...

, and

Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...

Museums and archives

Opened in a Grade I listed Georgian warehouse by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

in June 2003, the Museum of London Docklands is one of the main attractions in the area. It is dedicated to the history of London's river, port, and people from Roman settlement to the present day. The museum offers a range of activities for children and families, including interactive displays and immersive activities.

''Pokémon Go''

Canary Wharf has been reported since 2017 as part of the ''

Pokémon Go ''Pokémon Go'' (stylized as ''Pokémon GO'') is a 2016 augmented reality (AR) mobile game originally developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for iOS and Android devices. It uses mobile devic ...

augmented reality Augmented reality (AR), also known as mixed reality (MR), is a technology that overlays real-time 3D computer graphics, 3D-rendered computer graphics onto a portion of the real world through a display, such as a handheld device or head-mounted ...

game to being the home for the most wanted Pokémon gyms in London including

Canary Wharf DLR station Canary Wharf is a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station in Canary Wharf in East London. Located next to One Canada Square and between two parts of a shopping centre (Cabot Place),

and Montgomery Square.

published an official Pokémon map for PokéStops and Pokémon Gyms, the managing director for retail Camille Waxer said in 2016 that ''Pokémon Go'' has serious potential to attract new audiences to the area, particularly food and drink outlets which saw an increase in foot traffic.

Events and festivals

Winter Lights Festival

Incepted in 2014, the Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival turns on in January every year. The public are free to visit a range of outdoor light, art and interactive installations created by artists from around the world. The festival has awarded the Best Creative Lighting Event award by the rc awards in 2017 and 2019. The 2023 Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival was described as the largest light art festival in London.

WaterAid Dragon Boat Race

It is an annual fundraising event organized by

WaterAid WaterAid is an international non-governmental organization, focused on water, sanitation and hygiene. It was set up in 1981 as a response to the UN International Drinking Water decade (1981–1990). As of 2025, it was operating in 30 countries. ...

, an international charity, in collaboration with the

. The funds raised through this event are used to combat the escalating water crisis that leaves people globally unable to access clean water and without a basic toilet. The

Dragon Boat Race A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

, based on a Chinese tradition dating back over 2,000 years, takes place in

South Dock South Dock may refer to: * South Dock (West India Docks), formerly known as South West India Dock, Isle of Dogs, London, England * South Dock, Rotherhithe South Dock is one of two surviving docks in the former Surrey Commercial Docks in Rother ...

of Canary Wharf on summer, and is open to corporate teams of between 11 and 17 participants. In 2022, 15 teams participated the race, and the event raised £26,000. With 19 teams taking place in the 2023 race, the raised funds was increased to £31,744.

Festival14

Hosted by the Canary Wharf Group, the festival was a four-day event from 21 to 24 July 2022. It hosted over 60 live acts including music, theatre, dance, poetry, comedy, family funs and children's activities throughout the estate. The majority of acts were free to attend, and the event transformed the estate's numerous parks, plazas, and open spaces as they hosted a line-up of artists and performers from across the world. The second year of Festival14 is extended to a five day event from Wednesday 26th to Sunday 30 July 2023.

Open water swimming

Canary Wharf has partnered with Love Open Water to launch its first outdoor swimming since summer 2022. The venue, located in the 220-year-old Middle Dock, offers of open water swimming.

Outdoor public art

The Canary Wharf Art Trail is the largest outdoor public art collection in London. People are free to visit more than 100 pieces of stand-alone sculptures, integrated architectural works, and outdoor art exhibiting outside buildings around the Canary Wharf area. Two printed maps are regularly updated by the

for visitors to discover and identify artworks permanently on display all over the estate. * Canary Wharf Art Map: over 100 pieces of artworks, with a brief description, are numbered sequentially as to their exhibition locations at Canary Wharf. * Children's Art Trail: a smaller trail of 12 sculptures and artworks for children. The Canary Wharf website provides information about Raise Your Art Rate, an ongoing event that allows visitors to explore the outdoor public art collection while exercising. The event offers 1, 3, and 5 km walking, jogging or running routes that traverse the artworks. The routes are tailored to showcase the over 100 artworks on display throughout the estate. The event is free and open to all visitors. A free minigolf pitch has been created with a vibrant 9-hole course in Montgomery Square.

Media

The ''East London Advertiser'' (formerly ''The Docklands & East London Advertiser'') is a local newspaper printing weekly and also online. ''Wharf Life'' is a fortnightly publication of 15,000 copies for Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London. An E-edition is also available.Wharf life
Wharf life. Retrieved 19 February 2023.

References

External links

Canary Development

Canary Wharf – Official Information Site

Canary Wharf Group plc

Canary Wharf projects on Skyscrapernews

Canary Wharf building information & photos

Listed Buildings in Canary Wharf Ward, Tower Hamlets
{{authority control Canary Wharf, Areas of London Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Central business districts in the United Kingdom Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange Economy of London Financial districts in the United Kingdom Geography of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Major centres of London Privately owned public spaces Redevelopment projects in London Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets