Covent Garden

Covent Garden is one of Westminster's best known conservation areas, situated in the eastern part of the City of Westminster, on the border with the London Borough of Camden.

The focal point to the area is the Piazza, first laid out by Inigo Jones in 1630s. Later in the seventeenth century, a small fruit and vegetable market was established here which grew to dominate the central square. The covered market dates from 1830. In the streets leading off the Piazza the seventeenth and eighteenth century street pattern survives. The southern part of the conservation area is characterised by buildings occupying long, thin medieval plots, divided by historic alleyways. The northern part contains a more varied mix of larger Victorian warehouses and commercial buildings.

Today, the conservation area is a popular shopping and tourist destination with a mix of retail, entertainment, restaurant, office and residential uses. The area is also famous for its theatres, including the Royal Opera House, Theatre Royal and Lyceum, which add to its vibrant character.

The Covent Garden Conservation Area was first designated in 1971 and extended in 1974, 1978, 1987 and 2007.