At the heart of the East End is Spitalfields, famous for its bustling markets, vibrant atmosphere, award-winning restaurants and cutting-edge independent fashion boutiques.
Historically famous for providing refuge for those fleeing persecution, Spitalfields continues to be an exciting melting pot of cultures today.
In the 18th Century the area was occupied by silk weavers largely descended from the Huguenot refugees (French Protestants escaping from Catholic persecution in France). A hundred years later, Jews fleeing the Pogroms in Eastern Europe founded a thriving community.
Nowhere is the diversity of Spitalfields more evident than in the history of the building that now houses the Brick Lane mosque.
It was first built as a church by the Huguenots but later became a synagogue when a Jewish community replaced the Protestant population.
By the middle of the 20th Century the Jewish community had mostly moved on and the building was converted in to a mosque to serve the Bangladeshi community.
The Bangladeshi influence on Spitalfields, particularly Brick Lane and the immediate surrounding area, has since led to it being dubbed Banglatown.
This influence is still evident today, no more so than in Brick Lane, known as the ‘curry capital’ of London. The road is lined with restaurants serving delicious Asian cuisine which, coupled with some excellent bars, makes Brick Lane a favourite tourist destination and ideal for Londoners looking for a great night out in a buzzing area of the capital.
Whatever you’re looking for, you're sure to find it in Spitalfields, an area of contrasts – historic, trend-settingly modern, quirky, tatty and smart. It’s the kind of place where it pays to look beyond the obvious.