"When the man is tired of London he is tired of life" v London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland v It was founded more than one thousand years ago v More than 8 million people live there. v There are many interesting places to visit: Trafalgar square, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace v London is famous for its museums, galleries and parks
• What is London ? • How old is it ? • How many people live there ? • What are the most famous places in London ?
It consists of three parts: the City of London, the West End and the East End.
Buckingham Palace is the place where British Queen Elizabeth II lives. The palace was originally built in 1705 for the Duke of Buckingham. When the Queen is at home we can see the flag above the palace.
• Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official London residence since 1837 and is used to receive and entertain guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions for the Royal Family.
Important visitors often go to the palace. They meet Queen Elizabeth and the royal family inside the palace. They stand outside and see the Changing of the Guard. It happens every day at 11. 30 a. m. The ceremony lasts about 45 minutes and is free to watch.
The balcony of Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous in the world.
• Most of the year Buckingham Palace is closed to the public. However during the summer months, when the Queen heads on holiday to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, part of the palace is open to the public.
• Every year millions of Londoners and tourists visit Kensington Gardens, one of the capital's eight Royal Parks.
• St. James's Park is a 23 hectares (57 acres) park in the City of Westminster, central London - the oldest of the Royal Parks of London. • It is surrounded by three palaces, the most ancient of which is Westminster, now the Houses of Parliament, St James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace.
• St James’s Park in London is ideal for escaping the hustle and bustle of the centre and enjoying a moment of tranquillity.
• The Queen's Residence is a perfect place to host special events such as weddings, bridal & baby showers, receptions, and also business meetings and functions.
• Also, packages are available for romantic getaways, girls' nights, and other special rendevous.
• The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster is the seat of Britain's two parliamentary houses, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The House of Parliament is a very large building which stands near the Thames. It has two tall towers at the corners of the building and one of them is the Clock Tower.
Big Ben is a great attraction of tourists. They want to see the clock in its tower and to hear the bells. Big Ben is really a bell. You can hear it every hour.
Westminster Abbey, located near the Houses of Parliament, is more a historical site than a religious site. It is the most famous Gothic style church in England. It was built by King Edward in 1065. Some famous English people are also buried here.
• The coronation of all British Kings and Queens takes place in it. • In April 2011, the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was held there.
The Tower of London You can see the Tower of London from the river Thames. The tower is very old. It has a long and cruel history. The Tower was King’s palace, prison, zoo. Now it is a museum. Where one can see treasure of British monarchy.
The Tower of London is a very old building. It is nine hundred years old. In the early days of England the English kings lived in the Tower.
Then it was a prison where many people died. Black ravens had much food near the walls оf the Tower in those days. Black ravens live outside the Tower now. The English people like them very much. Now it’s a museum housing the National Collection of Armour and Royal Regalia. Many tourists from other countries come to see it. They see the dark stone halls with small windows and thick doors.
The Tower is still guarded by the famous Beefeaters who wear a traditional Sixteenth century uniform.
• Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest bridges in the World. • It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London.
London is very rich in museums and art galleries. If you are fond of painting you'll go to the Tate Gallery.
The British Museum is the largest and richest of its kind in the world. The present building was built in 1852.
• The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 in Southwark on the south bank of London’s River Thames by Richard Burbage and Shakespeare's playing company. • The Globe was built as a large, round, open air theatre. • It was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613.
• At the time, women were not allowed to perform and work as actresses in a theater. Instead, men had to dress up as the women and wear a ton of make-up. • Strangely enough, this make-up led to many early deaths due to the high lead content in the make-up.
• In 1997 a third version and faithful reconstruction of The Globe Theatre was built as “Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre”, close to the original site in Southwark. • It was also the first thatched building allowed to be built in London since the Great Fire of 1666.
Trafalgar Square Trafalgar square is the center of London. In the center of square we can see Nelson Column in honor of admiral Nelson who defeated Napoleon fleet in 1805. There are four bronze lions around the column.
• Piccadilly Circus is a square in the central part of London. In the square you can see people of many nationalities. • Piccadilly Circus is the meeting-point of 6 streets. • London’s famous restaurants and best- known theatres and cinemas are on Piccadilly Circus.
• Situated right in front of Buckingham Palace, this large memorial • was built in honor of Queen Victoria, • who reigned for almost 64 years • (from 1837 until her death in 1901).
