Sightseeing in London - Monuments:
On a first trip to London the major sights are a must. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and on Horse Guards Parade are free displays of colourful Royal pageantry. In August and September Buckingham Palace itself is open to visitors. Take a look at the Houses of Parliament and the famous clocktower that houses 'Big Ben'. Other unmissable sights include the Tower of London with its colourful 'Beefeaters' (yeoman warders), Tower Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's elegantly-domed masterpiece. One of the best ways to see London's famous landmarks is to take a guided bus tour, or one of the many other tours including boat and horse-drawn omnibuses.
Big Ben
On a first trip to London the major sights are a must. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and on Horse Guards Parade are free displays of colourful Royal pageantry. In August and September Buckingham Palace itself is open to visitors. Take a look at the Houses of Parliament and the famous clocktower that houses 'Big Ben'. Other unmissable sights include the Tower of London with its colourful 'Beefeaters' (yeoman warders), Tower Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's elegantly-domed masterpiece. One of the best ways to see London's famous landmarks is to take a guided bus tour, or one of the many other tours including boat and horse-drawn omnibuses.
Big Ben
Big Ben is not open to the public. Possibly the most famous clock face and chimes in the world, Big Ben is actually the name of the biggest bell (13.5 tons) inside The Clock Tower (320ft) which forms part of the Houses of Parliament. Built in 1858/9 the bell was named after one Sir Benjamin Hall and when it was cast it was Britain’s heaviest bell. The clock’s four dials each have a diameter of 23ft, the minute hands are 14ft long and the numerals on each face are nearly
2ft high. The placing of old pennies in the mechanism controls the accuracy of the clock movement, yet it is incredibly accurate.The tower which houses Big Ben has been called by many names, one of the most popular is St Stephen’s Tower. The official line, from the Head of Public Information at the Palace is that the Clock Tower is simply called The Clock Tower. However, the name Big Ben has now passed into every day use and the locals call it Big Ben so we’ll go along with that too. Nearest Tube: Westminster
2ft high. The placing of old pennies in the mechanism controls the accuracy of the clock movement, yet it is incredibly accurate.The tower which houses Big Ben has been called by many names, one of the most popular is St Stephen’s Tower. The official line, from the Head of Public Information at the Palace is that the Clock Tower is simply called The Clock Tower. However, the name Big Ben has now passed into every day use and the locals call it Big Ben so we’ll go along with that too. Nearest Tube: Westminster Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837 and evolved from a town house that was owned, from the beginning of the eighteenth century, by the Dukes of Buckingham. Buckingham Palace is the London home of The Queen and Prince Philip. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to take up residence here after the architect John Nash transformed it from Buckingham House into a palace. In 1845 Queen Victoria asked for the Palace to be extended to make more room for her growing family of four children. As part of the alterations, Marble Arch, which was originally the entrance to the palace, was moved to a new position at the corner of Hyde Park.The Palace is also the administrative headquarters of the monarchy. The Queen receives visiting heads of state at the palace and it is here that the Queen holds garden parties and bestows knighthoods and other honours. Foot Guards from the Household Division, in their distinctive red tunics and black bearskins, can be seen on guard duty outside the palace daily. The Changing The Guard ceremony now takes place only every other day in the winter but it is still daily in the summer months.After a serious fire damaged Windsor Castle in 1993 the Queen allowed the Palace State rooms to be opened to the public for the first time, to help pay the Windsor Castle repair bill. When not away, The Queen and Prince Philip spend most weekends at Windsor Castle, where they enjoy horse riding.
House of Parliament - Palace of Westminster
Now more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace of Westminster began life as a royal residence in 1042 under Edward the Confessor. The major structure to survive various fires, Westminster Hall, was built between 1087-1100 and is one of the largest medieval halls in Europe with an unsupported hammerbeam roof. During the fourteenth-century
the hall housed shops and stalls selling wigs, pens and other legal equipment and the courts of law met there. Thomas More, Charles I and those accused of trying to blow up parliament (1605) were all tried in Westminster Hall.Following a fire in 1512, Henry VIII decided to abandon the palace and from this moment onwards it became home to the two seats of parliament - the Commons and the Lords. However, it was to suffer from another disastrous fire in 1834 and everything was lost except Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower. A competition was launched to redevelop the whole site. Sir Charles Barry was responsible for the mock gothic building that has become such a familiar landmark today; including the Clock Tower that houses Big Ben, the bell that chimes on the hour, and is home to the largest clock face in the country. Members of the public can watch debates when parliament is in session. Tickets can be obtained from a member of parliament (British citizen) or from your consulate or High Commission
the hall housed shops and stalls selling wigs, pens and other legal equipment and the courts of law met there. Thomas More, Charles I and those accused of trying to blow up parliament (1605) were all tried in Westminster Hall.Following a fire in 1512, Henry VIII decided to abandon the palace and from this moment onwards it became home to the two seats of parliament - the Commons and the Lords. However, it was to suffer from another disastrous fire in 1834 and everything was lost except Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower. A competition was launched to redevelop the whole site. Sir Charles Barry was responsible for the mock gothic building that has become such a familiar landmark today; including the Clock Tower that houses Big Ben, the bell that chimes on the hour, and is home to the largest clock face in the country. Members of the public can watch debates when parliament is in session. Tickets can be obtained from a member of parliament (British citizen) or from your consulate or High CommissionTower of London
At The Tower of London, guarded by the celebrated Beefeaters, visitors can see Traitors' Gate, the priceless Crown Jewels and the famous ravens. Over the centuries, this amazing building has been fortress, prison, palace - and even a zoo. The carefully-restored medieval part of the Tower is brought alive by costumed guides. There is also exhibitions of armour and swords and you can see the spot where Henry VIII's Queen, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded
No comments:
Post a Comment