Covent Garden, is the name of a district, but also the name of the central square which formerly hosted a fruit-and-vegetable market.
The central square is often called ’Covent Garden Piazza’ to distinguish it from the surrounding area of the same name.
It was designed and laid out in 1630 as the first modern square in London.
A market started on the south side and by 1830 the present market hall had been built when the 4th Earl of Bedford, Francis Russell, commissioned Inigo Jones to design it.
After the fruit and vegetable market departed, the space became popular with street performers and tourist-oriented shops.
