Little Venice, London

Little Venice is a scenic and affluent part of London, known for its canals and moored boats. Much of the property in the area consists of Regency-style white painted stucco terraced town houses and mansions. Little Venice surrounds the convergence of three waterways: the Grand Union Canal and the Regent's Canal, and Paddington Basin which meet in a large, picturesque pool, Browning's Pool (usually called by residents "Little Venice Lagoon" or "the Lagoon"), which forms the focus of the area.Little Venice is also a ward of the City of Westminster. The population at the 2011 Census was 10,633.Name and extentLittle Venice is a comparatively recent name for parts of Paddington and Maida Vale, in the City of Westminster, which had been referred to as London's "Venice" for a century before the "Little" became current. The name was in frequent use by the latter half of the 20th century.The boundaries of Little Venice are unclear, however the majority of its buildings have a Regency style architectural style of white painted stucco facades. This architectural style and the proximity to the canals defines the area. The name Little Venice is now being used for a wider area than previously to include new developments surrounding Paddington Basin (Merchant Square/Paddington Central). Although the Paddington Basin development is sometimes included as a part of Little Venice, the modern architectural style of Paddington Basin sets it apart from the rest of the area. The name Maida Vale is likewise fairly recent. Much of its area was known previously as Paddington, whilst the land north of Browning's Pool was referred to as Kilburn Fields.