London is surely the largest city in the European Union with population over 8 million, many historic places, museums, architectural features and parks, shopping centres and historical street markets – it would take a book to encompass everything. I had to pick just a few most significant in my view.
Kensington Gardens – Originally a part of Hyde Park, the 111 hectare (274 acre) Kensington Gardens were partitioned into an exclusive preserve of royalty in the 18th century, and were opened to the public only in early 1800s. Originally laid out in Dutch style (emphasizing water, avenues and topiaries), the attractive gardens are especially popular with families.
London’s Eye Take photos from the top of the London Eye. The top of this Ferris Wheel is the best place to get a perfect shot on London’s far-reaching landscape. The Tickets better to buy on internet.
Westminster Abbey - Westminster abbey is one of the finest examples of medieval architecture in Europe. Some 3300 memorials to kings, nobles and an assortment of church worthies are here to view.
Big Ben. The iconic Clock tower at the eastern end of the Palace of Westminster has come to be known as Big Ben, though that this appellation really refers to the largest bell in the clock’s chime. The 14-ton bell, installed in 1858, is believed to be named for the commissioner of public works of the time – Sir Benjamin Charles. Big Ben tower is 96 meters high.
Houses of Parliament – the immense 3-hectare (7.4 acre) Palace of Westminster is a splendid example of Gothic Revival architecture and dates back to 1840 (the original palace was completely destroyed by fire in 1834)
Tower of London Built by William the Conqueror in 1066, this fortress was added to by subsequent generations of kings and queens up to the Victorian Age, and is now an incomparable collection of buildings that reflect the range of England’s architectural styles over the past millennium. The Tower has a bloody past marked by power struggles, executions and cruelty.
Tower Bridge has spanned the Thames since 1894. It’s a beautiful neo-Gothic bridge with skeleton of steel girders clothed with ornate masonry using Cornish granite and Portland stone designed to harmonize elegantly with the neighbouring Tower of London. Tour participants can also ascend to the bridges top level for a bird’s-eye view of the Tower of London and Thames, 43 meters (141 ft.) below.
Tate Britain The Tate Britain, located on the bank of Thames, is one of England’s most prestigious art museums. The Tate features a collection consisting chiefly of British art from the 16th century to the dawn of 20th century. The notable British artists whose works you can see here include satirist William Hogarth, illustrator William Blake, portraitist Thomas Gainsborough, traditionalist Joshua Reynolds and others. The Tate Gallery was opened in 1894 thanks to generous donations of money and art from sugar mogul Sir Henry Tate.
Tate Modern – Britain’s premier modern art museum, located on the opposite bank of Thames. Here you will find some of the world’s most important and exciting art represented in works by Dali, Matisse, Picasso, Duchamp, Klee and others. Think of the most ground-breaking artists of the last century and you will most likely find some of their works here.
Visit the Buckingham Palace, the queens famous abide in London (if the yellow-and-red Royal standard is flying, it means she’s there). It is located in a calm place in between two great parks – St. James’s park and Green park – with a statue of Victoria in front of the palace.
Trafalgar Square – the square is named after Britain’s most revered naval hero, Horatio Viscount Nelson, who fell at the Battle of Trafalgar (the most fierce naval battle of the Napoleonic wars) in 1805. His statue stands on top of a 44 meter (144-ft.)pillar of granite guarded by kingly lions at the base. Street lamps around are decorated with small replicas of the ships he commanded. The square is the scene of many rallies, demonstrations and celebrations, and it’s perfect for people watching.
St. James’s Park – arguably the prettiest park in London. The former swamp was tidied up in 18th century and now it’s a very nice park with a duck and pelican pond, lots of squirrels asking to be feeded, and numerous paths lined up with flower beds.
Greenwich – visit the Royal Observatory and National Maritime museum here, put your feet on the Prime Meridian of the world! The Royal Observatory was founded in 1675 and designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It is the home of the Prime Meridian (Longitude 0° 0' 0") and GMT - Greenwich Mean Time. You can also learn all about the world famous Harrison marine timekeepers, modern methods of astronomy and much more. A few steps from there you can also visit a National Maritime museum, the Old Royal Naval College and Royal Hospital from the 17th century.
Canary Wharf – If you want to see a completely different, non-traditional, very modern and may be futuristic London, you should go to Canary Wharf! It’s about half an hour from the historical centre of London, one of the two major financial centres of London. It contains many of the UK’s tallest buildings and is a home to the world or European headquarters of numerous major banks, professional services firms, media organizations. The best way to get there is by Docklands Light Railway (DLR)- the first automated regular train service in London without a driver.
