Long before street performers and cafés, this was the “convent garden” of Westminster Abbey’s monks. In the 1630s, architect Inigo Jones transformed it into London’s first public square, inspired by Italian piazzas. In 1828 the architect Charles Fowler was commissioned to design the neo-classical Market Building. Market stalls soon filled the cobbles with flowers, fruit, and shouts of trade. For three centuries, Covent Garden thrived as the city’s bustling marketplace — until 1974, when the market moved to Nine Elms. Saved from demolition by locals, its grand halls were reborn as a hub for culture, food, and street art. From monastic soil to modern stage, Covent Garden has always been the heart of London’s performance of life. Speaking of performance…