Post Building roof garden & viewing platform

 The roof garden atop the Post Building in central London is a beautiful and peaceful place offering great views over London. It is not as high as the viewing platforms on the skyscrapers in the City, but is still tall enough to look over the landscape from a peaceful setting. And not many people know about it. When I went on a sunny September day there were only 4 other people there when I arrived and after a while I was the only person and had the place to myself.

The Post Building is located by the junction with 5 roads, with New Oxford Street on the north side and Museum St (which leads to the British Museum) on the west. The site used to be a Royal Mail sorting office and has now been transformed and used by corporate offices and although the main entrance is on Museum St, the entrance to the roof garden is through a small door on New Oxford St. There is now a permanent sign over the door.

Inside the small lobby you have to present photo ID and go through a security search. Fake staircase -

A lift then takes you up to the roof garden on level 9. Stepping out I was surprised at how quiet it was, no traffic noise except for the occasional siren.

The Shard on the right and the City centre background -

The Post Office tower and in the centre is St Georg'es Church with the British Museum behind -   

Along one wall is a series of bee houses with information about the bees -

Russel Square, this building is now a hotel -

Looking south into the sun, with the London Eye (and a crane in the way!) and Victoria coach station to the right -

There is an incredibly clean toilet. Although a large part of the roof is not open to public access, the roof garden is definitely worth a visit and it is especially nice to be away from hoards of tourists!

See more on The Londonist. And on Look Up London.