Buckingham Palace Big Ben Tower. Central London: description and photo. Tower of London. Big Ben. The main attractions of London. Other famous structures located in Trafalgar Square
Big Ben (Great Britain) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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Clock tower Palace of Westminster in London is known throughout the world as Big Ben. Meetings of the House of Lords and the House of Commons are held in the Palace of Westminster, in the many kilometers of corridors of the palace it is easy to lose the right direction, there is hardly a person who has visited all of its 1200 rooms, but the most famous part of the palace - the clock tower - is known, without exaggeration, to everyone world and is one of the most striking architectural symbols of the city.
The height of the tower is 96 meters, and a narrow spiral staircase of 334 steps is hidden inside it. After passing them all, you can get to a small open area, on which the famous bell Big Ben is located. It is he who strikes the time every hour, and it is his sounds that are transmitted every hour on BBC radio. It was this bell that gave the name to both the clock and the tower itself.
The bell is large: 2 meters in height and 3 meters at the base. The dimensions of the watch are no less striking: their diameter is 7 meters, and the hands are 2.7 and 4.2 m long.
The clock was put into operation on May 21, 1859 (the tower itself was built a year earlier) and to this day is listed as the largest clock in the world. Their four dials are made of opaline glass, bordered by gilded frames and have a Latin inscription, which means “God save our Queen Victoria”. These watches also have global significance: officially New Year on planet Earth begins with the first stroke of Big Ben on January 1st.
It is interesting that Londoners living near the Palace of Westminster New Year's Eve hear the thirteen chimes of Big Ben: the effect is due to the fact that the speed of sound is slower than the speed of radio waves.
Unfortunately, the general public does not have the opportunity to climb the Big Ben tower: safety concerns come first. But from time to time, representatives of the press and various important guests of Great Britain get the opportunity to climb it. But even important guests are forced to climb the steps of the stairs on their own: there are no lifts inside the tower.
The Big Ben Clock Tower systematically becomes the “heroine” of many films, personifying the image of London.
Let's start with the most famous ones, such as Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. Even those who have never been to London have heard about them, but not everyone knows that the Parliament is located in the Palace of Westminster, about the history of this palace, about the changes that it has undergone over the centuries.
Tours are available even when Parliament is in session, for both British citizens and foreigners. Some centuries-old traditions have been preserved here. After the election of a new Speaker of the House of Commons, other members of Parliament literally force him to the Speaker's chair. In the old days, the Speaker of the House of Commons, who did not find a common language with the House of Lords, lost not only his job, but also his life. One day they cut off the heads of two speakers in one day. Now heads are no longer cut off, and in parliament, with its bicameral system of checks and balances, disputes are resolved through debate.
Big Ben was added to the building after a fire in 1834, and after the first bell cracked while still being tested, a second one was raised up the bell tower and sounded for the first time in July 1859. This too soon cracked, so it was turned to the hammer of another side, instead of changing the bell itself.
Another well-known building is Buckingham Palace, which everyone who visits London should see. Buckingham Palace - official residence the English queen and royal family since the end of the 18th century. It's in Westminster and easy to get to public transport, as it is one of the most frequently visited places in London by tourists.
Every year in August and September, visitors can see main hall. It contains priceless paintings by great artists, beautiful sculptures and some of the most remarkable furniture in the world. Many also want to see the changing of the guard of the royal guard.
Tower of London in different historical eras it was a palace, a fortress, and a prison. Perhaps its current purpose - a museum - is the best of all. Its defensive walls and towers were built by the various kings who resided here. The fortress moat, which received water from the Thames, was drained in 1830. William the Conqueror began building the Tower, but it was never completed during his lifetime.
Many famous captives were held here for years, so now there is an opportunity to regale tourists with chilling ghost stories. Tower Bridge and each of the towers has its own story. Here you can also see the crown treasures. The Tower also serves as a zoo and an arsenal.
St Paul's Cathedral The first service was celebrated back in 1697. This is the fourth cathedral that stands on this site. The first St. Paul's Cathedral was built back in the 7th century. The third was destroyed during the Great Fire of London. The present cathedral took 35 years to build according to the design of Christopher Wren. He was obsessed with the idea that London's main church should amaze the imagination, and now every corner of the cathedral, including the organ, lives up to his expectations.
The official name of Westminster Abbey is Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, but in the world it is better known unofficially. Since the Battle of Hastings back in the 11th century. Almost all coronations took place here, and it is still the site of all important national events. Previously there was a Benedictine monastery here, but now it is no longer there.
The building at the intersection of Whitehall and Downeen Streets has been strongly associated with the English Prime Minister since 1730. The house was originally given as a gift to Prime Minister Robert Walpole, but he refused the gift and insisted that the building be used by future First Lords of the Treasury. This building is the heart of the British government.
Attempts by contemporaries to contribute to the architecture of London evoked a variety of responses. Ferris wheel, which was named "London Eye" was received positively because it offers magnificent views of the River Thames.
And here Millennium Dome in Greenwich, from an architectural point of view, was not received as well, but as the largest premises in England for exhibitions, shops, restaurants and other entertainment venues, Londoners liked it.
These are just a few of the huge amount interesting and remarkable places in London. New or old, they all attract tourists who want to see for themselves what they previously only saw on TV. Even after seeing a small part historical buildings and buildings of London, you will know that your time and money were well spent.
The question of which part of London is considered its geographical center worries not only those who like to study their native planet using maps. Many tourists, arriving in the capital of Great Britain, have difficulty finding their way around this metropolis. Luckily, most of the more interesting attractions are fairly easy to find. Guided tours can also be booked.
Buckingham Palace
There is hardly a person who has never heard of Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second. So, her official residence - Buckingham Royal Palace - is located in the area of Pall Mall and Green Park streets. If a standard flutters over the building, this means that the monarch is in her beloved capital.
Royal Palace acquired its status with the accession of Elizabeth II's great-grandmother Victoria to the throne in 1837. Today, the statue of this monarch is the first to greet everyone who approaches the fence of the residence to inspect the ceremonial home of the Windsor dynasty.
Buckingham Palace consists of 775 rooms. 52 of them are the royal family's chambers and guest rooms. There are also about 20 government premises there. 92 of them house offices, and 188 are used for technical needs and recreation for service personnel. In addition, the royal residence has 72 bathrooms. The total area of the palace is 20 hectares, and on 17 hectares there is the largest private garden in London with an artificial lake.
Changing of the guard ceremony
The guards, dressed in bright red uniforms and tall fur hats, are as much a landmark as the palaces and temples that adorn central London.
The changing of the guard ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace daily at 11:30 in the summer, and every other day in other seasons. The duration of the ceremony is 45 minutes. Sometimes the military parade for the ceremonial changing of the guard is canceled due to bad weather.
The tradition dates back to 1660. It began to be held at Buckingham Palace in 1837, when Queen Victoria moved there.
The colorful action is accompanied by the sounds of orchestral music. Part of the parade takes place outside the fence of Buckingham Palace, and the rest of the ceremony is usually watched by tourists and Londoners through its fence.
Tower of London
This fortress is one of the main attractions of the British capital. It is believed that it was around him that the modern London. It is impossible to imagine the city center without it today. The castle covers an area of 1170 square meters. m and is a square. From the outside, the Tower of London is surrounded by two rings of walls with big amount towers There are 13 towers on the inner defensive line. As for the outer ring, it is significantly longer than the first one. To protect it from the water, 6 towers were erected along the banks of the Thames, offering a beautiful view of the magnificent city center of London.
In the south-west corner of the space, which is located between two belts of walls, there is a meadow with a scaffold on which many prominent members of the English nobility were executed over the centuries, including the three queens - wives of Henry the Eighth. The last beheading on Tower Meadow took place in 1747.
Today this fortress in central London is open to tourists. They are invited to get acquainted with the exhibits on display in the Tower Museum and in the Armory. Among them, the British Crown Treasures are of particular interest.
On the territory of the castle there is also the oldest christian temple capital of Great Britain - St. Peter's Chapel, which is almost 1000 years old.
Tower Bridge in central London
Although this structure is considered by many to be medieval, it was only built in 1894. Tower Bridge, decorating the center of London, is a drawbridge with two towers placed on intermediate supports. The total length of the structure is 244 m, and its height is 65 m. The pedestrian galleries of the bridge have been used as a museum since 1982.
The management of Tower Bridge to this day is carried out in the old fashioned way: it has a captain and a crew consisting of military sailors. They beat the bells and stand watch.
Initially, the bridge was raised daily, but this moment this ritual occurs only a few times a week and crowds of tourists flock to watch it.
Palace of Westminster
When talking about the main attractions of London, one cannot ignore this majestic building in the neo-Gothic style, built in the mid-19th century, where the English Parliament sits today. The palace has 3 towers. The tallest of them reaches a height of 98.5 m. It is named after Queen Victoria of Great Britain. At the time of its construction, the tower was considered the tallest secular structure in the world.
At the base of the building is the Sovereign's Entrance, which is a 15 m high arch surrounded by statues. The cast-iron pyramidal roof of the building is crowned with a 22-meter flagpole. The parliamentary archives for more than 500 recent years. They occupy 12 floors and contain almost 3 million documents of national importance.
In the northern part of the palace is located It is better known as Big Ben ( detailed information see below).
One more interesting building The palace is the Central Tower. It is octagonal and has a height of 91 m. The tower is located in the middle of the palace building and rises above the Central Hall. The structure was originally designed as a chimney for 400 fireplaces located in different rooms of the palace. However, it turned out that the architects made a mistake in their calculations and today the structure serves a decorative function.
In the middle of the western façade of the Palace of Westminster is St Stephen's Tower. Two more similar structures are located at the ends of the facade, which is located on the Thames side. These are the Speaker's and Chancellor's towers.
Big Ben
When London's top and most recognizable landmarks are described, Britain's most famous tower often tops the list.
It was built as part of the new Royal Palace, erected after a fire in 1834, and is a magnificent structure in the neo-Gothic style. The author of the construction project was Augustus Pugin. The height of the Big Ben tower with its spire is 96.3 meters. At its base there is a 15-meter concrete foundation with a thickness of 3 meters.
At the top of the tower, at a height of 55 meters, there is a clock with four dials with a diameter of 7 m made of smoked glass. At night they are illuminated from the inside. Above the clock there is a bell tower with 5 bells. The largest of them was called Big Ben. According to one legend, it was so named in honor of the construction manager of the structure, Sir Benjamin Hall.
Although Big Ben is one of the most recognizable landmarks on our planet, access to it is closed to tourists. This was done for security reasons. In addition, there are no lifts in the tower, so those few who are allowed to climb to the clock mechanism have to overcome 334 not the most comfortable steps.
Trafalgar Square
In response to the question about what square is located in the center of London, any person who has visited the British capital at least once will no doubt name Trafalgar Square.
This famous landmark is located at the intersection of Whitehall, Strand and Mall streets. Until the 19th century, the square bore the name of William the Fourth and received its modern name in 1805 after the famous naval battle that cost the life of Britain's best admiral.
In the center of Trafalgar Square rises. It is built of dark gray granite, has a height of 44 m and is a kind of pedestal for the statue of the famous admiral. The column is decorated with three-dimensional images made from Napoleonic cannons.
Other famous structures located in Trafalgar Square
If the Tower - historical Center London, then Trafalgar Square is geographical. Along its perimeter are London National Gallery, the Church of St. Martin in the Fields, Admiralty Arch, as well as the buildings of several embassies.
Since the 1840s, the square has been decorated with 3 monuments installed at its corners. They represent statues of George the Fourth, as well as generals Charles James Napier and Henry Havelock. At the same time, a fourth pedestal was built on Trafalgar Square. It sat empty until 2005, when a sculpture of disabled artist Alison Lapper was installed. Four years later, the glass installation “Hotel Model” appeared in its place. Today on the fourth pedestal Trafalgar Square you can see a huge bottle, inside of which there is a model of the Victoria ship. It was on board that the admiral was mortally wounded, from which he died at the age of 47.
"London Eye"
This is one of the largest ferris spikes in Europe and was built from 1998 to 2004. It is located on south coast Thames. The authors of the project are David Marks and Julia Barfield. The total weight of the huge wheel with all mechanisms is 1,700 tons.
The London Eye has 32 booths shaped like huge eggs. Each of them comfortably accommodates up to 25 passengers, who can view the historical center of London, its outskirts and some suburbs from above for half an hour.
The wheel rotation speed is approximately 0.9 kilometers per hour. It does not stop to disembark passengers and “take on board” the next ones, and these operations must be carried out on the move. In good weather, visibility from the cabin is up to 40 kilometers.
Tourists and Londoners can ride the Ferris wheel every day. From September to March, passenger boarding is carried out from 10:00 to 20:30, and from April to August another half hour is added to the operating hours of the attraction.
Hyde Park
Royal or Hyde Park in central London (Rangers Lodge, W2 2UH, open from 5:00 to 24:00) is one of the most famous in Britain and covers an area of 1.4 square meters. km. It was founded before the conquest british isles Normans. However, it was only opened for Londoners to walk in the 17th century by order of King Charles II.
In addition, within the park there is the Serpentine Lake, where you can swim, and the gallery of the same name. By the way, open water swims took place on this reservoir during the London Olympics.
Serpentine Gallery
As already mentioned, this attraction is located on the territory of Hyde Park. It was opened in 1970 in a classic tea pavilion built in the mid-30s of the last century. At one time, Princess Diana was the patroness of the gallery. Today, at the entrance to the building where the permanent exhibition, you can see the work dedicated to her by Peter Coates and Ian Hamilton Finlay.
The Serpentine Gallery annually commissions the creation of new temporary pavilions from world-famous architects. They are happy to design unique structures that host art conferences, special film screenings, and cafes.
IN different years The Serpentine Gallery exhibited such world-famous artists and sculptors as Man Ray, Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Alan McCollum, Paula Rego, Bridget Riley, etc.
Westminster Abbey
This majestic temple has been the traditional place of coronation, marriage and burial of British kings for many centuries. Westminster Abbey (address: 20 Deans Yard London SW1P 3 PA), or rather the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, began to be built in 1245, and acquired its final appearance only almost 5 centuries later after numerous reconstructions.
The main building of the temple has the shape of a cross. The greatest length, from the western door to the outer wall of the Chapel of Our Lady, is 161.5 m, and the greatest height of the Western Towers is 68 m. total area premises - approximately 3000 sq. m. At the same time, the abbey can accommodate up to 2 thousand people.
At the very beginning of the central gallery of the abbey you can see images of all Christian saints by icon painter Sergei Fedorov. In addition, the abbey is a place of pilgrimage for lovers of English literature - Poets' Corner, which contains the graves of such famous writers of past centuries as Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Tennyson and Browning.
Few people know that in 1998, statues of 20th century martyrs were installed above the portico of the western entrance to the temple. Among them are the fighter against racial discrimination Martin Luther King, the priest Dietrich Bonhoeffer, executed by the Nazis in the Flossenbürg concentration camp, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, thrown by the Bolsheviks into a mine near Alapaevsk in 1918, and others.
Globus theatre"
Many of those who buy tours to London definitely want to visit the Globe Theater, located on the south bank of the Thames. The building, where many of Shakespeare's plays premiered, was built in 1599. Unfortunately, it burned down 14 years later.
The modern Globe building (address: New Globe Walk, SE1), erected in 1997, is an exact copy of the historical theater. Some of the seats in his auditorium are located directly under open air, so you can attend performances by the Shakespeare troupe from mid-May to September 20.
To visit the Globe, it is best to take the metro and get to Cannon St or Mansion House stations.
Covent Garden
The Royal Theater in the London district of the same name was founded in 1732 and was extremely popular among residents of the British capital.
The current building (address: Bow Street WC2E 9DD) is already the third. It was erected in 1858. The auditorium of the Covent Garden theater seats 2,268 people.
Covent Garden is also called the Royal Opera House and stars of the first magnitude shine on its stage.
Compared to other London attractions, the building does not seem so impressive from the outside, but the design of its interiors makes an indelible impression on viewers.
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is located in Westminster. The square was built in 1819. For its construction, it was necessary to demolish a house with a garden that belonged to Lady Hutton and interfered with the connection of Regent Street with the important shopping street Piccadilly.
The main attraction of the square is the Shaftesbary Memorial Fountain. The building is located in the southwestern part. It is dedicated to the famous philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury. At the top of the sculptural composition is a winged figure of a naked archer, symbolizing Anteros, who is the “god of selfless love.”
The square is also home to the underground Criterion Theatre, founded in 1874, and the London Pavilion music hall, built in 1859.
At the beginning of the century, the building was connected to the Trocadero Center.
Tate Gallery
Located at Millbank SW1B 3DG, close to the Palace of Westminster, tourists can explore the famous National Collection of British Art. It represents the world's largest collection of works of painting, sculpture and graphics by English authors of the 16th-20th centuries. The collection was founded by manufacturer Sir Henry Tait. The gallery was opened to the public in 1897.
30 years later, a wing was added to the building, which housed works by foreign painters. In 1987, the Clore Gallery began operating, which displays one of the most extensive collections of Turner's paintings.
Now you know what interesting architectural landmarks adorn the center of London. In addition, every year the capital of Great Britain becomes the venue for various cultural, sports and other entertainment events of a global and European scale. They, like historical and architectural monuments, are one of the reasons for the popularity of tours to London.
The capital of Great Britain is London, it is one of the largest capitals peace. The city's population exceeds 12 million people and the same number of guests and tourists come to London every year to see its attractions.
The sights of London are historical monuments And architectural ensembles, magnificent art galleries and world-famous museums, exquisite shady parks and royal traditions.
In the article "London Guide", there is an incomplete list of London attractions, which will now be discussed.
London Attractions
The Fortress and Her Majesty's Royal Palace, a historic castle located in the city center.
The fortress, built in the chivalric centuries to protect the city and the borders of the country, later, for many years, served as a prison where prisoners of high rank and noble birth were kept.
Now the Tower is a treasury where royal regalia and jewels are kept, where tourists can see exquisite jewelry and the royal scepter, crowned with the Cullinan Diamond. One of the attractions of the Tower was the “beefeaters” - the ceremonial guard and honor guard of the Tower.
The literal translation of the word beefeater means beef eater. Local crows are considered beef eaters; they are fed and their wings are clipped so that they cannot fly away. Otherwise, as the legend says, “If the ravens leave the Tower, the fortress and the kingdom will fall.”
One of the most beautiful and majestic bridges in the world. Built in 1894, the bridge was not to the taste of many and was given various unpleasant names; now, a hundred years later, the Gothic silhouette of the bridge has become a symbol of London. The construction of the bridge was a necessity of that time; it was made as a drawbridge for the passage of merchant ships, and at the same time pedestrians could cross it along the upper galleries.
Now in the upper galleries there is a small museum and exhibition about the history of the bridge, from where there is a beautiful view of the city.
The thousand-ton spans of the Tower Bridge rise in 90 seconds, at any time and in no more than 10 minutes. An application for the passage of a vessel with a height of more than 9 meters is submitted one day before the passage and the time of passage does not matter. Tourists like this tradition; it allows you to take some wonderful pictures of the bridge with its spans separated.
Since 1837 - the residence of the royal dynasty in London, it is palace complex forming a square of four buildings with a courtyard.
The palace has more than 770 rooms, of which: 52 are royal and guest bedrooms; 19 - state rooms; 78 - bathrooms; 280 - office premises and rooms for service personnel.
Every year, Buckingham Palace is visited by more than 50 thousand guests, officially invited to dinners, banquets and garden receptions. The presence of a member of the Royal Family alerts the raised Royal Standard over the roof of the palace.
One or two months a year, in the absence of a member of the royal family, some rooms of the palace are open to visitors, during which time you can see the Throne Room, where receptions are held on special occasions, and see the Ballroom, for receptions and concerts.
One of the attractions of Buckingham Palace is the daily changing of the guard.