The Berlin Lamp, gifted by Willy Brandt in 1963, covered in German and UK flags at a rededication ceremony in 2019
Hammersmith & Fulham remains at the heart of Europe with an unmatched cultural connection to our continent.
More than 45 per cent of the borough's population were born outside of the UK and a growing number from the EU continue to move to H&F thanks to our great connections and amenities.
We have a centuries-old partnership with the continent, and our cultural and historical ties can be seen throughout the borough.
The most obvious include the dozens of restaurants serving some of the best food Europe has to offer. Check out our guide to some of the top European restaurants in the borough.
If you want to learn more, join a course at our Macbeth Centre and get a taste of European languages and cuisines. Sign up to a European language or cooking course here.
Culture on your doorstep
H&F is home to two major European cultural centres. One is the biggest Polish centre outside of Poland, located in King Street, Hammersmith.
The Polish Social and Cultural Association POSK was set up in 1964 to promote education, art and cultural ties between the UK and Poland.
Since then, it has grown to include a Jazz Café, art gallery, library, and theatre. The Centre is run by volunteers and is open to everyone, with events taking place throughout the year.
And the other is the UK's premiere Irish Culture Centre, also in Hammersmith. The Irish Cultural Centre in Blacks Road hosts a huge variety of events, from comedy nights to family fun days and live theatre performances. The centre was recently refurbished and is open to everyone.
Connected cities
Our borough is also economically aligned with Europe. In 2022, H&F Council partnered with the city of Barcelona and a network of other cities as a part of our pioneering Industrial Strategy.
We're also twinned with eight towns across Europe. This includes three cities in Poland, Siemiatycze, Rsezsow, and Sopot, through the Local Governments for Sustainability partnership.
Our other twinned cities are:
- Anderlecht in Belgium
- Boulogne-Billancourt in France
- Montefiore Conca in Italy
- Neukölln in Germany
- Zaandam in the Netherlands.
Historical ties
To celebrate our twinning with Neukölln, the Mayor of Berlin – Willy Brandt – gifted a West Berlin streetlamp in 1963 to the council.
You can see this lamp in the east corner of Furnivall Gardens.
H&F's physical European history doesn't stop there.
Going back centuries, Fulham Palace's famous moat is considered by some historians to be the creation of the Danish army in 879AD as a layer of protection while they were encamped on the riverside during the winter.
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