The headquarters of the British Secret Intelligence Service MI6 - the very place where every time returns after puzzling missions James Bond. The building is absolutely real and so secret that he knows the whole of London. Inside the fall, of course, is impossible, but a glance at the "Babylon-on-Thames," as it is sometimes called, it makes sense.

British spies jack located on the waterfront of Albert, near Vauxhall Bridge, it can be clearly seen from the bridge and from the opposite bank of the Thames. The building is modern, designed by its architect Terry Farrell, known for its giant post-modern creations - the world's largest train station in Guangzhou, the international airport "Incheon" in Seoul. To build a house to accommodate the Secret Service agreed to Margaret Thatcher's government, concerned about the safety department. The work was done in the privacy mode as much as possible in London. At that time (early nineties), the British government do not officially recognize the existence of MI6.

Farrell designed the building resembling Babylonian ziggurats and Mayan temples. From the river still rising above the flat roof-deck. The walls are partly glazed and look vulnerable, but in reality there is used 25 different types of glass to provide protection from intrusion or scanning. Blast walls were erected artificial granite. The building goes to 10-11 floors underground. The rooms inside are shielded to protect against data interception. Part of the plan is secret, but people say that between MI6 and Whitehall there is a tunnel under the Thames.

The appearance of this part of London has not caused a huge ziggurat delight Londoners. The architecture of the building was subjected to devastating criticism, it was called one of the ugliest in the world. However, the base of the Secret Service quickly became part of the myth of James Bond. Already in the movie "Golden Eye" (1995) Bond's office is located in a house on the waterfront. This same address appears in the "coordinates Skayfoll", which shows the impressive scene of the explosion headquarters. The event has a real basis: in 2000, MI6 has been fired, anti-tank missile of Russian production hit a few meters below the center of the satellite on the roof. The shelling of suspected IRA.

Now the existence of MI6 is officially recognized, it can even take pictures of the building (but from a distance, or require a special permit municipalities District Lambeth).