The world famous Abbey Road Studios is situated in a nineteenth century stately building. Nearby is the world’s most famous zebra crossing where the Beatles album cover for their ‘Abbey Road’ album was shot; people try to recreate the famous shot hundreds of times a day, much to the frustration of local drivers!
The studio was built as a family home in 1830. EMI began recording on the premises in 1931, when the majority of recordings were orchestral works. The Beatles first recorded at the studio in 1962, a four track demo, with battered equipment and instruments.
The facilities at Abbey Road Studios are now considered amongst the best in the world. Numerous movies scores like ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Braveheart’ have been recorded at the studios.
Sir Paul McCartney used to live around the corner from the studios and the Beatles recorded many of their greatest and musically elaborate songs there. ‘Help!’, ‘I want to hold your hand’ and ‘She loves you’ were all recorded at Abbey Road Studios. The building is actually home to four separate studios; the largest of which is able to hold a 100 piece orchestra and 120 person choir!
On the top floor is the Penthouse Studio which incorporates a restaurant, licensed bar and two private flats.
The Studios were opened to the public in the past, but this is no longer the case. But for many Beatles fans the idea of visiting the area in which John Lennon and Paul McCartney lived and worked is an undeniably worthy journey.
Abbey Road Studios
Visitor Attraction in St. John's Wood
rated 6 / 10 from 1 review
Address
3 Abbey Road, St Johns Wood, St. John's Wood, NW8 9AY
3 Abbey Road, St Johns Wood, St. John's Wood, NW8 9AY
Telephone
020 7266 7000
020 7266 7000
Category
Visitor Attractions
Visitor Attractions
Region
St. John's Wood
St. John's Wood
Website
https://www.abbeyroad.com/
Abbey Road Studios Picture Gallery
User Reviews
Sooz
Aug 5, 2014
I agree that this is only worth a special trip for a dedicated Beatles fan, but for those fans its great. Just a short bus journey out of Oxford Street and you can recreate the famous zebra-crossing album cover yourself (as many do, and constantly hold up my bus in the process!). The walls outside are always on a cycle; get progressively more covered in graffiti and then painted white again, so don't expect your 'I woz ere' to win it's place in history there!
TheMog
Aug 6, 2004
I live around the corner from Abbey Road Studios. Unless you're a massive beatles fan don't bother going to see it, it's a big dissappointment as you can't even go in. The other day I walked past and saw a couple of unknown musicians thinking they were the mutts nutts having a smoke on the steps, clearly just tambourine players as any self respecting famous musician would smoke out the back away from the public.