London - Places to Visit
Buckingham Palace
The London home of the Queen, Buckingham Palace has some 600 rooms and gardens covering more than 4 acres. During the summer the staterooms, such as the Throne Room, are open to the public. The famous Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place daily at 11:30 between April and July, and on every other day for the rest of the year.
top ↑The Palace of Westminster
With its clock tower and the world famous bell, Big Ben, The Palace of Westminster is home to the Houses of Parliament. It is possible to watch debates in the House of Commons and the House of Lords by joining one of the queues outside the Palace.
top ↑Westminster Abbey
This beautiful building houses an extraordinary collection of tombs, monuments and memorials of great public figures, from politicians, such as Winston Churchill, explorers such as David Livingstone, inventors as Isaac Newton, to poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer.
top ↑The London Eye
One of London's newest attractions, offering panoramic views of the city, is the London Eye. It is a huge wheel, standing 135m tall, located on the south bank of the Thames near to Westminster Palace. Its enclosed passenger capsules offer a gentle ride as it takes about half an hour to complete one revolution.
top ↑The Tate Modern Gallery
At Bankside is dedicated to 20th century art the Tate Modern Gallery includes work by Matisse, Picasso, Rothko and Warhol. The building itself, opened in 2000, was converted from a power station at a cost of £130-million.
top ↑Greenwich
A visit to Greenwich cannot easily be undertaken in one day, as it encompasses possibly 3000 or more years of London’s history, however for many visitors the best known attractions are from the Tudor times onward. Although there is so much to see in Greenwich, its two most famous attractions are the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory.
top ↑O2 Arena
The O2 Arena located on the Greenwich peninsula has since its shaky start as the Millennium Dome has become one of Europe’s top sport and entertainment venues. Since it reopened in mid 2007 the O2 has hosted many major sports events as well as American wrestling, additionally numerous top musical artist have performed at the Arena. The O2 is also an excellent location for exhibitions including the Tutankhamun Exhibition in 2007/8. One of the O2’s great advantages is that everything is undercover so a rainy day is not a problem and with various restaurants providing every thing from fine dining to hamburgers it’s a good choice for a winter day out.
top ↑Trafalgar Square
The recently-pedestrianised Trafalgar Square is famous for Nelson's Column and the bronze lions, and it is rightly regarded as one of the world's great public squares, which every visitor to London ought to get a glimpse at. Also nearby is the historic St Martin in-the-Fields church.
top ↑Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the biggest green spaces in central London. The north-east end of the park contains London Zoo, the world's first scientific zoo, which houses a collection of more than 650 different species of animals. South of the river, Battersea Park features the Festival Gardens, an attraction of the 1951 Festival of Britain.
top ↑The South Bank
The South Bank of the Thames hosts many of London's finest attractions, many of which can be taken in on a scenic walk along the river. West of Tower Bridge, one of the capital's most famous landmarks, is the modern glass ovoid City Hall, the headquarters of London's regional assembly.
top ↑The Tate Britain
London is renowned for its culture, and many of its institutions can be visited free of charge. The Tate Britain is situated on Millbank, (Tube: Pimlico) was initially concentrated on the works of Victorian painters. Its collection was later expanded to include foreign works, but still remains largely devoted to British art from 1500 to the present day.
top ↑The British Museum
The British Museum in Bloomsbury (Tube: Tottenham Court Road) offers such treasures as the Rosetta Stone and Easter Island statues, and has been free to the world since 1753.
top ↑The Tower of London
Located on Tower Hill The Tower of London was brought to life in 1078 by William the Conqueror. It is currently home to the Crown Jewels and the Royal Armouries but during its long history has been a royal residence and also served as a prison for enemies of the Crown.
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