Everyone loves a model village, and now the City of London has opened up its to the public.

Less a village, than the Square Mile, rendered in miniature form in a basement underneath the Guildhall.

The model has existed for some years, and was occasionally opened on Open House Weekend, but its primary function has been the centre piece for conferences and sales meetings to promote the City to investors.

Now it’s open to the rest of us as well.

In addition, there are lunchtime talks on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month at 1pm to introduce the model.

As part of the opening, an upside down garden has been installed in the ground floor — a ceiling covered in fragrant dried flowers inspired by gardens within the City.

The City Centre is next to the Guildhall on Basinghall Street and the model is open to visit on Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm. Entry is free.

You might also like the model of London at The Building Centre, less detailed, but covers a lot more of Greater London.