Whitehall
Whitehall pictured in 2012, with The Cenotaph and Monument to the Women of World War II in the middle of the carriageway, and the clock tower housing Big Ben in the background.
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 Location within Central London
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| Former name(s) | The Street, King Street |
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| Part of | A3212 |
| Maintained by | Transport for London |
| Length | 0.4 mi (0.6 km) |
| Location | Westminster, London, UK |
| Postal code | SW1 |
| Nearest tube station | |
| Coordinates | 51°30′15″N 0°07′35″W / 51.504167°N 0.126389°WCoordinates: 51°30′15″N 0°07′35″W / 51.504167°N 0.126389°W |
| North end | Trafalgar Square |
| South end | The Cenotaph |
| Other | |
| Known for | |
Whitehall is a road in the City of Westminster, Central London, which forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Square. The street is recognised as the centre of Her Majesty's Government and is lined with numerous departments and ministries including the Ministry of Defence, Horse Guards and the Cabinet Office. Consequently, the name "Whitehall" is used as a metonym for British central governmental administration, and the geographic name for the surrounding area.
The name was taken from the Palace of Whitehall that was the residence of Kings Henry VIII through to William III, before its destruction by fire in 1698; only the Banqueting House survived. Whitehall was originally a wide road that led to the front of the palace; the route to the south was widened in the 18th century following the destruction of the palace.
As well as government buildings, the street is known for its memorial statues and monuments, including Britain's primary war memorial, the Cenotaph. The Whitehall Theatre, now the Trafalgar Studios, has been a popular place for farce comedies since the mid-20th century.
The name Whitehall was used for several buildings in the Tudor period. It either referred to a building made of light stone, or as a general term for any festival building. This included the Royal Palace of Whitehall, which in turn gave its name to the street.
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