Essential Hotels > England > Middlesex > Wembley

The town of Wembley is situated to the north-west of London city centre and is famously home to both Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena which are nestled next to each other with just the Arena Square between them. As you may imagine for two of the country’s major sports and entertainment centres the transport links to the area are extensive and so central London is just 10 minutes away while there are also trains to the north from the vicinity too; the stations are Wembley Central, Wembley Stadium and Wembley Park. Positioned between Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena is the aforementioned Arena Square which houses the Square of Fame, paying testament to the many famous visitors to the area for musical purposes. The square has a series of bronze handprints of famous artists such as Sir Cliff Richard, Madonna and Status Quo. Wembley Arena hosts a number of big name acts throughout the year and so many fans and visitors flock to the setting for some live music.

The stadium meanwhile was opened in 2007, although football had been played on the site, at the Old Wembley Stadium, since 1923 when it was opened in time for the FA Cup that year. Today’s stadium can hold 90,000 people and it hosts all the year’s football finals as well as England international fixtures and rugby league ties. The stadium is also a London 2012 Olympics venue, holding the men’s and women’s football finals. The £827 million stadium is visible from far off thanks to its 133-metre tall arch over the northern half of arena, and the stadium as a whole has brought employment to this part of London as well as improved transport and regeneration.

Wembley was first mentioned in 825 in a charter of King Beornwulf and was initially known as Wemba Lea. In 1547 it was recorded as being a small and wealthy setting and remained largely rural until the 19th century. What is now called the West Coast Main Line opened through Wembley in 1837 which helped increase knowledge of the village and ensured the ability of inhabitants to easily reach further afield.

In 1923 Wembley Stadium opened for the FA Cup final although it was closed in 2000 for a total overhaul and redevelopment. The years 1923 and 1924 brought the British Empire Exhibition to this part of London meanwhile. Wembley took on a role in the world of manufacturing until the 1980s but in more recent times has seen the development of the Central Square and Wembley City.