The Globe from Southark Bridge
	The closest Tube stop to the Globe is Mansion House on the Circle/District Lines. From there you must walk across the Thames River via the Southark Bridge. This is the view as you approach the Globe. The large brown building next to the Globe is being renovated by the Tate Gallery of Modern Art to be used as their gallery for contemporary works. This will be another step in the revitalization of the South Bank of the Thames which now includes restaurants, shops, galleries, museums and of course the Royal National Theatre, National Film Theatre as well as the Globe.
The Globe Up Close
	This is it. The original idea for this project came from Sam Wannamaker who began raising money for the project in 1970 when he established the Shakespeare's Globe Playhouse Trust. It took 17 years to find a site, but construction began bankside in 1987 on a site just a few blocks from the original Globe Theatre (which now rests, unfortunately, under a large office building). Ten years of construction, done with traditional materials and techniques, has produced the Theatre as well as a complex of buildings which house restaurants, gift shops, exhibition space and offices. Work continues and when all is finished there will also be an indoor theatre based upon an original design by Inigo Jones as well as a huge exhibition and education centre underneath the current complex.
The Magnificent Gates
	Teams of blacksmiths from all over the world converged on London in the Spring of 1997 and set up forges along the Thames. The product of their efforts is this set of gates with hundreds of symbols taken from Shakespeare's works. The gates remain closed and locked to all but the Queen who attended opening ceremonies at the Globe in June of 1997. She arrived via barge from across the Thames and entered the complex through these gates. Wouldn't you have loved to see that!!
Across the Thames from the Globe
	Looking across the Thames from the Globe Theatre you have a lovely view of St. Pauls. A permanent footbridge will be built across the Thames from the foot of the stairs you see to the left of this picture. The bridge will cross the Thames very close to the Globe and will allow easy access to it from the heart of London. Although you cannot see it here, these steps go right up to St. Pauls.

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