The Gordian Knot

Turn him to any cause of policy,
The Gordian Knot of it he will unloose,
Familiar as his garter…
– William Shakespeare, Henry V

Westminster Abbey feels profane. As I weave through the dense crowd, the air is stifling, filled with the clamour of countless voices and the relentless flashes of phone cameras. The grandeur I had imagined, the solemnity of centuries-old stones, is drowned out by this tourist cacophony. The sacredness I expected to find within these ancient walls seems lost, eclipsed by a spectacle that feels more commercial than consecrated.

Every space, every cranny, every corner is crammed with ecclesiastical junk and ceremonial dreck: plaques, marble tablets, statuary, cherubs, laurel leaves of stone, Latin inscriptions, and the memorabilia of ages. The marble and granite surfaces feel damp: sweating out the patina of centuries and the breath of the present. The transepts echo with the shuffle of feet and the jostle of bodies as modern pilgrims, cowelled in their North Face, Adidas and Helli Hansen robes, pay homage to their Instagram gods. 

These Facebook disciples are so engrossed in capturing the perfect selfie — the 21st-century iconography of social media likes and vicarious reverence for reality TV stars — that they are unaware of the history around them. In this new creed, the abbey’s ancient stories compete for attention with the ephemeral buzz of notifications and the digital devotions of trending hashtags. 

And yet, here I am, also a voyeur in this shrine. But despite my cynicism, I am captivated by Westminster Abbey. In its jumble of holy relics, burial plaques, Latin adorations, staring gargoyles, royal insignia, stone skulls, gold leaf and martyred saints, I see a microcosm of the city outside. Just as it does here inside Westminster Abbey, in London, time itself seems to fold in on itself. It is a city that is not confined to the present but extends its reach backwards and forward through time: a Gordian Knot of stories waiting to be unravelled.

In the heart of ancient Phrygia, there lay an intricate knot, so complex and tightly entwined that it was deemed impossible to untie. This was the Gordian Knot, tied by Gordius, a simple farmer who had become king. Legend foretold that whoever unravelled this knot would rule all of Asia. Many tried and failed until Alexander the Great arrived in Gordium.

Faced with this supposedly unsolvable knot, Alexander stepped up and slashed the knot open with his sword. 

“It doesn’t matter how the knot is untied,” he is reputed to have said. “All that matters is that it has been untied.”

Alexander the Great’s decisive action of simply cutting through the knot, instead of attempting to untangle it, signifies a bold and unconventional way of solving a problem. It is also a perfect way to approach travel. Just like the Gordian Knot, sometimes the best way to understand a complex, multi-layered city like London is not by methodically unravelling every detail, but by experiencing it in a more direct, intuitive way.

To me, London is not a city of tourist attractions. Its attraction for me lies in the opposite direction to the attractions. I look at the Tower of London and see the river beyond. The beauty of Westminster Abbey lies not in its cluttered interior but in its fabulous exterior. Trafalgar Square and the Mall are at their best when they are empty. And the real beauty of London lies in its suburban squares, in its deep tunnels, in back street pubs and corner shops.  

London is caparisoned with history. It has endured wars, revolutions, civic unrest and cultural upheavals. The very cracks and fissures in its aged buildings are like scars from the Blitz: silent yet eloquent reminders of resilience. The echoes of protests and uprisings — from the Peasant’s Revolt to the Poll Tax Riot — and the clamour for change and justice resonate through the streets of London. 

Its anfractuous alleys and viridescent squares hum with contemporary life. The city breathes and thrives amid the hustle, its historic fractures blending seamlessly with the sleek modernity of glass and steel. Here, the past is not forgotten but celebrated; its lessons are etched in stone and memory, guiding the city’s narrative.

London is a living entity where new buildings rise, adding to the skyline, yet the historic heart of London remains. The city honours its past while boldly embracing the future, a testament to human endurance and creativity. And the natural world of Jack-in-the-Green permeates it all. I see him everywhere: in the trees entwining the parks, in the ivy-covered walls, in the grasses growing through the pavements, in the waste ground where weeds flower and foxes roam.

Through wars, uprisings, and protests, through eras of peace and prosperity, London’s story is a tapestry of human experience. As I explore, I also journey through its timeline. The city reveals itself slowly: not just as a place of bricks and mortar, but as a living, breathing testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

London is like the Gordian Knot: a seemingly unsolvable puzzle until Alexander the Great simply sliced through it. By choosing to explore London’s lesser-known paths and intertwined streets, and delving into its obscure historical tales, I find a way to cut through the complexity of London, uncovering its essence in a simple, direct manner; finding clarity and understanding in what initially appears intricate and impenetrable.

London is a city of stories waiting to be unravelled, much like the Gordian Knot. Taking the streets less travelled gives me a deeper, more personal exploration of these stories. Each hidden street, each overlooked building, has its own narrative, rich with history and character. 

I find that in London, instead of queuing up in the heat with hundreds, possibly thousands of other people, to see all the iconic places that everyone knows about, I can just jump on a bus, ride the underground, sit in a local pub, or walk around an unknown park to find the small treasures.

London’s architecture is a visual palimpsest, with each building being a layer etched onto previous layers. This is what tells the story of the city’s immeasurable history. From medieval structures and Victorian engineering to modern skyscrapers and renovated facades, the city’s skyline is a mosaic of different eras, styles, and purposes. 

Walking through London, I feel like I am moving through time, juxtaposing the old and the new present in the very stones and streets around me. This patina can be seen on the surfaces of landmarks like Westminster Bridge or St. Paul’s Cathedral, where the centuries have left their mark. The city’s architecture tells a story of time passed, with each structure layering an additional narrative to London’s long history. 

The old structures of London, wrapped in their carapace of history, stand resilient against the march of time. This protective layer, worn like armour, shields them not just from the physical elements but also guards the stories and lives that have unfolded within their walls. This historical mantle isn’t just a barrier but a part of their very structure, integral to their identity and the legacy they hold in the labyrinthine jigsaw puzzle of the city.

Delving into the hidden corners of London gives me the authentic and intimate experience of the city that I treasure. By exploring beyond the well-trodden path of tourist icons, I can feel the true spirit of London flow through me. It’s in the back streets and small, unknown places where the city’s heart truly beats, offering a glimpse into the everyday lives of its residents and the history embedded in its architecture and culture. I walk through London like Alexander. The way becomes clear. The Gordian Knot is unravelled.