Sightseeings of London t The Tower of

Sightseeings of London t

The Tower of London The infamous royal fortress on Tower Hill, the Tower of London, was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 and remained a royal residence until the mid 16 th century. Today, it houses the priceless Crown Jewels and the Royal Armouries collection. The history of the tower is a catalogue of intrigue and bloodshed - key historical figures, including members of the royal family were imprisoned, tortured and/or executed here.

Big Ben is probably the world’s most famous clock. Big Ben is one of London’s best-known landmarks and looks most spectacular at night when the clock faces are illuminated. The four dials of the clock are 23 feet square, the minute hand is 14 feet long and the figures are 2 feet high. Big Ben is an excellent timekeeper, which has rarely stopped. The name Big Ben actually refers not to the clock-tower itself, but to the thirteen ton bell hung within. The bell was named after the first commissioner of works, Sir Benjamin Hall.

England's most visited religious site, Westminster Abbey is a living monument to British history. Inside there are buried kings, statesmen, scientists, musicians and poets, including Charles Darwin, , Charles Dickens and others. The abbey has seen the coronation of every English monarch. The abbey continues to play a crucial role in royal state occasions.

Madame Tussauds is a waxworks museum that contains wax sculptures of famous celebrities, world leaders and cultural icons. Set up by wax sculpture Marie Tussaud in the late 19 th century, it is over 100 years old and is one of London’s favourite tourist attractions. The sculptures are lifesize and range from Princes Diana to Hollywood A list stars like Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig to David and Victoria Beckham and Adolf Hitler. One of the most popular sculptures is of High School Musical’s Zac Ephron.

Archaeologists believe the iconic stone monument was constructed anywhere from 3000 BC to 2000 BC, as described in the chronology below. Radiocarbon dating in 2008 suggested that the first stones were erected in 2400– 2200 BC, [2] whilst another theory suggests that bluestones may have been erected at the site as early as 3000 BCThe surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury Henge monument. It is a national legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage, while thesurrounding land is owned by the National Trust

The Sherlock Holmes Museum Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John H. Watson lived at 221 b Baker Street between 1881 -The Sherlock Holmes 1904, according to the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The house is protected by the government due to its "special architectural and historical interest", while the 1 st floor study overlooking Baker Street is still faithfully maintained for posterity as it was kept in Victorian Times.

The British London Eye At 135 m high the World's largest observation wheel. Offering fine views over the Capital , west looking down on the nearby Houses of Parliament, north across to Buckingham Palace, over to Canary Wharf in the East. On a really clear day Windsor Castle some 25 miles away can be seen. From a height of 135 meters (approximately 45 floors) have a view of almost the whole city.

The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It is the home of British Government and as well as being of immense historic importance is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

Saint Paul's Cathedral The dome of St Paul's Cathedral is the third largest in the world. The present building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was completed in 1710, on the site of the original cathedral that was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. On the inside of the dome, the Whispering Gallery, named for its incredible acoustics, offers a close-up of the frescoes of the life of St Paul that decorate the interior of the dome. From there, visitors can climb higher, up to two further galleries and see magnificent views across the whole of London.