London - Royal Exchange

The Royal Exchange building was founded by Thomas Gresham in 1566. He is commemorated by a statue on the east side of the 60m/197ft high tower and by the weather vane in the form of a grasshopper, the heraldic device of the Gresham family. The building was burnt down in 1666 and again in 1838. In 1844 Sir William Tite designed the Exchange in its present classical form.

Above the gable tympanum is a relief by Sir Richard Westmacott representing "Trade and the Freedom of the Exchange". Traditionally from the top of the steps the new monarch is always proclaimed, a declaration of war announced and the conclusion of a peace treaty made known. The carillon in the tower plays daily at 9 a.m., noon, 3 and 6 p.m. English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Canadian and Australian traditional tunes.