Cathedral in London next to Big Ben. Great Britain: memorable places of London. Changing of the guard ceremony
We all know from school that the most famous bridge London is Tower Bridge. Unusual appearance makes it easily recognizable: on imposing river piers there are two Gothic-style towers, which are connected by drawbridges and pedestrian galleries.
Its main difference from other bridges is that it is a drawbridge and the lowest located above the Thames. It got its name due to its proximity to the Tower, which is located on the north side.
Short story
For a long time, the Thames was crossed by one bridge, the London Bridge. However, the sharp economic recovery and population growth that began in the 19th century showed the need for the construction of additional bridges, which were supposed to help solve the capital’s transport problem.
Over the course of several years, more than one bridge was built, but problems with traffic flow did not decrease. Soon a committee was created that studied dozens of projects, and only in 1884 the project of John Wolf Bury and Horace Johnsan was approved.
More than 400 workers worked on the construction of the bridge for 8 years. The opening took place on June 30, 1894, and was attended by Prince Edward of Wales and his wife Princess Alexandra.
The bridge was made in the Gothic style, but using a number of innovative developments. Thanks to the presence of a hydraulic system, just a couple of minutes are enough to ensure free passage for a sailing vessel. Until 1974, the bridge was raised by the operation of steam engines, in the furnaces of which coal was burned, which drove the pumps. They pumped water into reservoirs, storing energy. But progress did not stand still, and the entire mechanism was replaced with an electro-hydraulic system, which significantly saved time and costs. Now the bridge was raised not according to schedule, but out of necessity.
Over the years, Tower Bridge along with Big Ben have become real symbols and one of the main attractions of London.
Today, Tower Bridge is one of the most visited attractions in England. Many tourists coming here consider it an honor to take a walk through the legendary building, especially since many London hotels offer very informative and comprehensive excursions around the city.
Information for visitors
Address: Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP, United Kingdom
You can take a walk along Tower Bridge:
- V summer season(from April 1 to September 30) - from 10:00 to 18:30 (last entry at 17:30);
- during the winter season (from October 1 to March 31) - from 09:30 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:00).
Ticket prices:
You can buy tickets at
In Great Britain, Big Ben, the northern tower, is considered such a symbol. Palace of Westminster London.
Important news!
Big Ben has been closed for renovation since 2017
On August 21, 2017 at 12:00 the clock sounded for the last time before the start of the big reconstruction.
Updated Northern Dial Unveiled
21 March 2019 - The newly restored North Dial of the Elizabeth Tower is unveiled.
It is very convenient to visit Big Ben and other main symbols of the city as part of a sightseeing tour. bus tour with a personal audio guide in Russian. It also includes a Thames cruise which adds even more locations to the trip! Ticket price is £35.10. .
Don't forget to buy Big Ben souvenirs!
How to get to Big Ben?
Address: Palace of Westminster, Old Palace Yard, London SW1.
You can get there by bus, which goes to Parliament Square or to the Whitehall Street stop ( Trafalgar Square). Those who prefer the tube should get off at Westminster (District Line) or Victoria (Jubilee Line) stations.
Located close to major attractions, and save time on travel.
We are waiting for your comments about the new image of the famous Beg-Ben!
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. Once, in one day, they cut off the heads of two speakers. 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 be amazing, 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 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
Fortress and Royal Palace Her Majesty's, 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 is signaled by the raising of the Royal Standard above 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.
Big Ben (Great Britain) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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The clock tower of the 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.