Whitehall
Travel

The Heart of Whitehall

UNITED KINGDOM – London, Old War Office Building // Octopussy (1983), A View to a Kill (1985), Licence to Kill (1989), Skyfall (2012) & Spectre (2015)

The War Office is a relict of the old empire, but still shapes the heart of the new kingdom. It is a Bond home for the ages.

Why Bond was here
The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army. In that function it was home of Bonds office for some times. It was first shown in 1983 – and the last time in 2015. Though this time Bond doesn’t head to office, but rather escapes from it: At the end of Spectre he and Madeleine Swann drive off in an old Aston Martin. They leave directly in front of the building at Whitehall 55, with the Old War Office Building right next door.

Whitehall War Office

Whitehall with the War Office to the left

How you gonna get there
Filming for the movies took place directly at Whitehall street. In Spectre at Whitehall 55, the number sign is visible in the movie – and in the other movies at the spot between the War Office and the Horse Guards Building right across.
It is within walking distance to Trafalgar Square and the tube station “Charing Cross Station”. You can reach it with multiple subway lines such as Circle and District (find out more at the London Transport Site). The Skyfall location Embankment Station is also nearby.

Good to know
Whitehall 55 is actually the location of the Department of Energy and Climate Change. But it was used as a location in Skyfall: It is the final scene, where Bond stands on the roof and looks south at the Old War Office Building.

 

War OfficeWe went to Westminster and the Whitehall area quite often. You have touristic spots around – famous Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square and Parliament – but you can also breathe the politic atmosphere of London. This is, where the important desicions are made.

© 2015 Huntingbond (1,3,4), © 2015 Danjaq, LLC, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. (2)

Standard