Your Best London

Holborn

Mat Siems — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 07:57:13 +0000

Best of Holborn

Holborn is an area of Central London between Covent Garden on the west and the City in the East. Holborn is also the name of the area’s principal east-west street, running from St Giles’s High Street as High Holborn to Gray’s Inn Road to Holborn Viaduct, crossing the border between the London Borough of Camden and the City of London. Holborn was once famous for its journalistic profession as the first press to be setup in London was on Fleet Street, but is now mostly famous for legal professions.

Holborn Content

About Holborn
Holborn Map
Top 10 Holborn
Holborn Photographs
Holborn Videos

Holborn Map

Please click on the map to view it full size.

holborn-map

Best of Holborn

Top 10 Holborn

Top 10 sights to visit in Holborn include:

Lincoln’s Inn
Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Sir John Soane’s Museum
London Silver Vaults
Staple Inn
High Holborn and Holborn Circus
St Etheldreda’s Chapel
Holborn Viaduct
Fleet Street
Temple bar memorial

Best of Holborn

Lincoln’s Inn

Lincoln’s Inn is located in Holborn, just on the border with the City of London and the City of Westminster, and across the road from the Royal Courts of Justice.
The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray’s Inn.

Lincoln’s Inn Fields

The Lincoln’s Inn Fields, located south-west of High Holborn is the largest public square in London. It is even said to be one of the inspirations of Central Park in New York. It was once a public execution site where suspected traitors perished.

Best of Holborn

Sir John Soane’s Museum

Sir John Soane’s Museum is a museum of architecture located next to The Lincoln’s Inn Fields. It was formerly the house and studio of the neo-classical architect Sir John Soane, and today holds many drawings and models of his projects and the collections of paintings, drawings and antiquities that he assembled.

London Silver Vaults

The London Silver Vaults are located on Chancery Lane. It first opened as The Chancery Lane Safe Deposit in 1876 renting out strong rooms to hold household silver, jewellery and documents.

Best of Holborn

Staple Inn

Staple Inn located south of High Holborn and next to Chancery Lane tube station is a building that was once used as a staple to weight and tax wool. It is now used as the London office of the Institute of Actuaries and is the last surviving Inn of Chancery.

St Etheldreda’s Chapel

The St. Etheldreda’s Church which is dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon saint of the same name is located in Ely Place, off Charterhouse Street in Holborn. It is considered the oldest Roman Catholic church in England, and one of only two surviving buildings in London dating from Edward I’s reign.

Best of Holborn

Holborn Viaduct

The Holborn Viaduct is an iron bridge, built in 1860, which links Holborn, via Holborn Circus, with Newgate Street in the City. It passes over Farringdon Street and the now subterranean River Fleet. It offers remarkable statues of the City Heroes.

Fleet Street

Fleet Street is perhaps the most popular street in Holborn, being home to the first printing press in England in the 15th Century. Until the 80s it was home to the majority of the British press, and even today world known news agencies such as Reuters and Associated Press have their offices on the Street. Fleet Street takes its name after the River Fleet, a London stream that now flows underground.

Temple bar Memorial

The Temple Bar Memorial located on Fleet Street marks the entrance to the City of London and is the westernmost extension of the Strand road. Until 1878, this boundary was demarcated by a stone gateway designed by Christopher Wren, but has now a dragon, symbol of the city as the gatekeeper.

Holborn Photographs

Best of Holborn

Holborn Videos

City

Mat Siems — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:06:55 +0000

The City of London

Best of the City of London

The City is London’s first financial district and remains until this day a driving force in the economy. It is considered the historic core of London as it was built on the site of the original Roman settlement. It is also referred as the Square Mile as its area is just over one square mile. It is mainly a business district as few residents have lived there since the 19^th century.

City of London Content

About The City of London
The City of London Map
Top City of London
The City of London Photographs
The City of London Videos

The City of London Map

Please click on the map to view it with the original size.

London City map with key attractions

city

Top of the City

St-Katharine’s Dock
Tower Bridge
Tower of London
All Hallows by the Tower
St Dunstan’s Hill
St Paul’s Cathedral

St-Katherine’s Dock

The St Katharine Docks are located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, a bit hidden next to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. What used to be very popular commercial docks in the 19^th century, reopened in 1968 as a popular housing and leisure complex including a hotel and a yacht marina.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is perhaps one of the most iconic symbols of London. It was completed in 1894 and is a combined bascule and suspension bridge over the River Thames. It is located next to the famous Tower of London, which gives it its name. Inside the towers you may visit the Tower Bridge exhibition about the history of the bridge.

Tower of London

The Tower of London (historically only called The Tower) is her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, located next to the river Thames and Tower Bridge in the Borough of Tower Hamlets. For most of its 900 years history the castle was an object of fear as many prisoners where held there, coming by boat to the Traitors gate entrance. It is the oldest building used by the British government.

All Hallows by the Tower

All Hallows-by-the-Tower is an ancient Anglican church overlooking the Tower of London. It is a lovely church with remains of Roman Tiles.

city

St Dunstan’s Hill

St Dunstan’s Hill is an Anglican church located half way between London Bridge and the Tower of London. It was first built in 1100 but was severely damaged during the Great fire. The medieval ruins are now a public garden.

St-Paul

St Paul’s Cathedral is another symbolic icon of London. This Anglican cathedral located on Ludgate Hill, represents the highest point in the City and is the seat of the Bishop of London. It was completed in 1708 by Sir Christopher Wren, author of many other churches in the City.

The City Photographs

The City of London

St-Katharine’s Dock Photographs

St-Katharine’s Dock

Tower Bridge Photographs

Tower Bridge

Tower of London Photographs

tower-of-london

St Dunstan’s Hill Photographs

st-dunstans-hill

St Paul’s Cathedral Photographs

St Paul’s Cathedral

sSt Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral

The City of London Videos Photographs

The City of London

Bank Holiday London

Mat Siems — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:50:15 +0000

Charring Cross Road

On the last day of May, on a Bank Holiday I went to take some footage and some photographs in central London. The streets where quieter than usual with a more peaceful vibe.

Content

Bank Holiday London Video
Bank Holiday London Photographs

Bank Holiday London Photographs

Charring Cross Road
Soho
Chinatown
Shaftesbury Ave
Leicester Square

Charring Cross Road

Charing Cross Road is a London street which runs immediately north of St Martin-in-the-Fields to St Giles’ Circus (the intersection with Oxford Street) and then becomes Tottenham Court Road. It is so called because it serves Charing Cross railway station (named for the nearby Charing Cross).

charing-cross-road

charing-cross-road-with-bus

charing-cross-road-and-moor-street

charing-cross-road-and-moor-street-2

charing-cross-road-and-moor-street-3

charing-cross-road-and-moor-street-with-bus

charing-cross-road

Soho

Soho is an area in the centre of the West End of London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is an entertainment district which for much of the later part of the 20th century had a reputation for its sex shops as well as its night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s the area has undergone considerable transformation and is now a fashionable district of upmarket restaurants and media offices with only a small remnant of “sex industry” venues in the west of the area.

soho-street

Chinatown

The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. The present Chinatown is in the Soho area of the City of Westminster, occupying the area in and around Gerrard Street. It contains a number of Chinese restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets, souvenir shops, and other Chinese-run businesses.

Shaftesbury Ave

Shaftesbury Avenue is a major street in London, England, named after Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, that runs in a north-easterly direction from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus.

shaftesbury-avenue

Leicester Square

Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west. The park at the centre of the Square is bound by Cranbourn Street, to the north; Leicester Street, to the east; Irving Street, to the south; and a section of road designated simply as Leicester Square, to the west. It is within the City of Westminster, and about equal distances north of Trafalgar Square, east of Piccadilly Circus, west of Covent Garden, and south of Cambridge Circus.

leicester-square

Wednesday Night London Skates

Mat Siems — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:00:15 +0000

Every Wednesday night in Central London, during the summer months, the skaters community meets up to take the capital roads. It is a true party vibe atmosphere.

Content:

London Skate Video
About London Skate
London Skates Routes
About London Friday Night Skate
London Skate Photographs

About London Skate

Things you need to know about Wednesday London Skates:

Cost: Free
Duration: about 2 hours (with a break in the middle)
Routes: different routes every Wednesday
Meeting point: Hyde park Corner
Participants: 200 to 500 skaters
Sound system : yes
Marshalled skate event: yes

The status of the night is shown on their page:

URL: http://www.londonskate.com/

London Skates Routes

A different route is taken every Wednesday nights and it is a great way to discover London. The routes include:

Camden
West End/Fitzrovia
Vice City
Shoppers Delight
Barnes
Up & Over

To view more information about the routes:

URL: http://www.londonskate.com/routes.php

About London Friday Night Skate (LFNS)

LFNS is a similar weekly marshalled skate event. As it name suggest it happens on both Friday and Sunday. It starts from Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner every Friday at 8pm and from Serpentine Road in Hyde Park every Sunday at 2pm.

The difference between the Sunday Stroll and the Friday night is that the first is more relaxed and fit for beginners as the second is faster for more advanced skaters.

As for the Wednesday skates both events are weather dependant and one should check their website for status.

For more information visit their website:

URL: http://www.lfns.co.uk/

London Skate Photographs

London Skate Photograph

Madame Tussauds

Mat Siems — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:13:12 +0000

Best of Madame Tussauds London

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in Central London which was set up by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud. This legendary attraction will set you face to face with history’s heroes and villain and with celebrities from the movies, music and sport. Madame Tussauds has different themes rooms including:

A-List Party
Premiere Night Movie Room
Sports Zone
A Royal Appointment
Culture
Music Megastars
World Leaders
Chamber of Horrors and Scream
Behind the Scenes and History of Madame Tussauds
Spirit of London ride
James Bond
Warhol’s Women
Madame Tussauds location and opening times
Madame Tussauds Photographs
Madame Tussauds Video

A-List Party

Formally Blush, this is the first room on the tour. Included in this room is the Big Brother experience, plus figures such as Samuel L Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Leo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, David and Victoria Beckham.

Mat Siems and Morgan Freeman

Mat Siems and Samuel Jackson and John Travolta

Mat Siems and George Clooney

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Johnny Depp

Premiere Night Movie Room

The movie room has different figures from both Bollywood and Hollywood. The most known including director Steven Spielberg and actor Jim Carrey It also has several fictional characters such as Shrek, Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. Not to forget some classic movie icons including the Terminator, Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe.

Salman Khan

Mat Siems and Steven Spielberg

Mat Siems and Jim Carrey

Mat Siems and the Terminator

Mat Siems and Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca)

James Dean

Mat Siems and Audrey Hepburn

Sports Zone

The Sports zone different celebrities from around the world including Tiger Woods, Mohammed Ali and Lance Armstrong.

Mat Siems and Mohammed Ali

Mat Siems and Tiger Woods

A Royal Appointment

In the Royals there is an opportunity to stand next to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Culture

A mixture of cultural icons fill this area, including Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Pablo Picasso and Charles Darwin.

Mat Siems and Alfred Einstein

Music Megastars

A mixture of music stars from across the decades appear in an area with a music stage complete with glitter balls. Music icons include Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Amy Winehouse, Tom Jones, Bob Marley, Justin Timberlake and Freddie Mercury. The Beatles in this area appear on the album cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Mat Siems and Jimi Hendrix

Mat Siems and the Beatles

Mat Siems and Micheal Jackson

Mat Siems and Bob Marley

World Leaders

The World Leaders area of the attraction contains political and spiritual leaders of the World – past and present. The new figure of Barack Obama dominates this area; he is standing in a mock-up of the Oval Office which has a replica of the Resolute desk. Other leaders in this area include Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Nicolas Sarkozy, Ronald Reagan, Tony Blair, Benazir Bhutto, Martin Luther King, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Gandhi.

The World Leaders area is also noted for its inclusion of controversial figures, including Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein and Robert Mugabe. Mother Teresa is one of the very few icons to ask not to be made, saying “her work was more important, not the person”.

Mat Siems and Richard Brandson

Chamber of Horrors and Scream

The Chamber of Horrors is the horror section of Madame Tussauds, which showcases serial killers and murders. Included in this area are Guy Fawkes and Dennis Nilsen. This area also exhibits the original guillotine blade that killed Marie Antoinette.

The Scream experience is a live-action, actor-led scare maze. It is based on the premise that several serial killers have been let loose in the chamber. This attraction is not suitable for pregnant women and children under 12 years of age.

Behind the Scenes and History of Madame Tussauds

This area shows the history of Marie Tussaud, and how she started creating wax figures. It also has an area on how the sculptors make the figures, using Beyoncé as an example.

Spirit of London ride

The Spirit of London is a sit-down ride in which visitors sit in London taxis and are taken on a journey through the history of London. The ride starts in Tudor times and ends in the 1980s, passing through the times of Shakespeare, the Great Fire of London, the Industrial Revolution and the Swinging Sixties.

James Bond

The James Bond area contains the figures of Daniel Craig and Judi Dench. It has on display an original motorbike used in the James Bond movie Casino Royale.

Warhol’s Women

The Warhol’s Women zone contains the figure of Andy Warhol as well as the female celebrities he famously portrayed, including Marilyn Monroe in the classic pose where her skirt is blown upward, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Jerry Hall and Jackie O.

Madame Tussauds location and opening times

Madame Tussauds is located on the corner of Allsop Place and Marylebone Road, to the north of Central London. The nearest underground station is Baker Street, which is on the Jubilee, Bakerloo, Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith and City lines. Its distinctive green dome used to house the London Planetarium.

Off-peak opening times are generally 9:30am to 5:30pm. Off-peak periods are weekdays and non UK school holidays.
Peak opening times are 9am to 6pm. Peak opening times are weekends, UK school holidays, bank holidays and the whole of the summer period (July through August). Occasionally the attraction shuts early if there is a corporate event happening.

For more information and book your ticket visit the Madame Tussauds official site:
http://www.madametussauds.com/London/

Madame Tussauds Photographs

Madame Tussauds Video

London Eye

Mat Siems — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:38:48 +0000

Best of London Eye

The London Eye (also known as the Millennium Wheel), at a height of 135 metres (443 ft), is the biggest Ferris wheel in Europe, and has become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over three million people in one year. At the time it was erected it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang (160 m) in May 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer (165 m) on 11 February 2008. However, it is still described by its operators as “the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel” (because the entire structure is supported by an A-frame on one side only). (also known as the Millennium Wheel), at a height of 135 metres (443 ft), is the biggest Ferris wheel in Europe, and has become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over three million people in one year. At the time it was erected it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang (160 m) in May 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer (165 m) on 11 February 2008. However, it is still described by its operators as “the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel” (because the entire structure is supported by an A-frame on one side only).

Sir Richard Rogers, winner of the 2007 Pritzker Architecture Prize, wrote of the London Eye in a book about the project:

The Eye has done for London what the Eiffel Tower did for Paris, which is to give it a symbol and to let people climb above the city and look back down on it. Not just specialists or rich people, but everybody. That’s the beauty of it: it is public and accessible, and it is in a great position at the heart of London

Big Ben and House of Parliament

Table of content:

Top 10 London Eye sights
London Eye location and opening times
London Eye Photographs
London Eye Video

Top 10 London Eye sights:

Big Ben
House of Parliament
The City
St Paul’s Cathedral
Thames River

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace
The South Bank
St Paul’s Cathedral
Canary Wharf
Windsor Castle

It is also possible to view so other famous sights including the Heathrow Airport to the west, Alexander Palace to the north and Crystal Palace to the south.

London Eye location and opening times

The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth in England, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The site is adjacent to that of the former Dome of Discovery, which was built for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

The nearest London Underground station is Waterloo, although Westminster is also within easy walking distance. Connection with National Rail services is made at London Waterloo station.
London River Services operated by Thames Clipper and City Cruises stop at the nearby Waterloo Millennium Pier.

London Eye on a sunny day

Opening times
October to March
daily 10.00am – 8.00pm
April
daily 10.00am – 9.00pm
May and June
Sundays to Thursday
10.00am – 9.00pm
Friday and Saturday
10.00am – 9.30pm
July and August
daily 10.00am – 9.30pm
September
daily 10.00am – 9.00pm

London Eye Photographs

Best of London Eye

London Eye from Big Ben

London Eye on a sunny day

London Eye and boats on the Thames

London Eye and House of Parliament

Best of London Eye

London Eye to the South

St Paul’s Cathedral

Elephant and castle, South London

House of Parliament

The City and the Gherkin

The City and Canary Wharf

St-James Park and Buckingham Palace

House of Parliament

London Eye Video

London Bars

Mat Siems — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:50:13 +0000

Your Best London TopBar

London’s Best Bars

What are your Best London’s Bars. Please let us by posting a comment. Here is a list of your Best London’s Bars:

Top 10 Bars in Central London
Top bars in Soho
Top bar in Covent Garden
Top bar in Mayfair
Top bar in the City
Top bar in North London
Top bar in South London

Top 10 Bars in Central London

Soho & Fitzrovia

Bar Red
Albanach
Milk and Honey
Lab

Covent Garden & Holborn

Detroit
Bungalow 8
Light Bar
Buddha Bar

Mayfair

Sketch
Kingly Club
Mahiki
Claridge’s Bar

City & East London

Match EC1
Vertigo 42
Bluu
Cargo

North & North West

Ana,
The Hill Bar
Albert and Pearl
Camino
The loft

South East

Village East
Oxo Tower
Baltic
Bar Equal

London Market

Mat Siems — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:00:02 +0000

London’s Best Market

What is your London’s Best Market? Here is a list of the most populat. Please feel free to add a comment below to add your London’s best market and the reason you love it.

Topics

Central London’s Best Market

North London’s Best Market

Central London’s Best Market include:

Borough Market

Cabbages & Frocks

Berwick Street Market

Earlham Street Market

Leather Lane

Lower Marsh Market

Whitecross Street

South Bank Book Market

North London’s Best Market include:

Archway Market

Camden Markets

Chalton Street Market

Chapel Market

Church Street

Inverness Street Market

Nag’s Head Market

Kew Gardens

Mat Siems — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:20:22 +0000

The best of London’s Kew Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. Created in 1759, the gardens celebrated their 250th anniversary in 2009.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the best attractions includes:

Pagoda
Temperate House
Treetop walkway

Temperate House

Pagoda

In the South East corner of Kew Gardens stands the Great Pagoda (by William Chambers), erected in the year 1762, from a design in imitation of the Chinese Ta. The lowest of the ten octagonal storeys is 49 feet (15 m) in diameter. From the base to the highest point is 163 feet (50 m).

Temperate House

This greenhouse has twice the floor area of the Palm House and is the world’s largest surviving Victorian glass structure. It contains plants and trees from all the temperate regions of the world. There is a viewing gallery in the central section where visitors may look down on the collection there.

Temperate House

Treetop walkway

A new treetop walkway opened on May 24, 2008. This walkway is 18 metres (59 ft) high and 200 metres (660 ft) long and takes visitors into the tree canopy of a woodland glade. Visitors can ascend and descend either by stairs or by the use of a lift. The floor of the walkway is made from perforated metal and flexes as it is walked upon. The entire structure sways in the wind.

Central London

Mat Siems — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:12 +0000

Central London’s must see sights

London is full exciting sites that one must visit. Here is Your Best London, top best of London list:

British Museum, the world’s oldest museum
London Eye, the largest observation wheel
Big Ben and House of Parliament
Tower of London, home of the Crown Jewels
National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, UK’s most important art collection
Tate Modern and Tate Britain, home of impressing international art
National History Museum, one of the world’s most impressing
Science Museum, home of the wonders of science
Buckingham Palace, home of the queen
Westminster Abbey, where the British Monarch have been crowned
St Paul’s Cathedral, a baroque masterpiece
Madame Tussauds, home of the heroes and villains
London Aquarium, home of the sea world
London Dungeon, which takes you back in London’s scariest moment

British Museum

The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture situated in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginning to the present.

british-museum

London Eye

london-eye

Big Ben and House of Parliament

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and is often extended to refer to the clock or the clock tower as well. Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in May 2009 during which celebratory events took place.

big-ben

Tower of London

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. It is located within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It is the oldest building used by the British government.

london-tower

National Gallery

The National Gallery in London was founded in 1824 and houses a rich collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900 in its home on Trafalgar Square. The gallery is anexempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection (though not some special exhibitions) is free of charge.

Tate Modern

The Tate Modern in London is Britain’s national museum of international modern art and is, with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives, and Tate Online, part of the group now known simply as Tate

National History Museum

The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England (the others are the Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum). Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road. The museum is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Science Museum

The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea . It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch.[1] Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality, and a major tourist attraction. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.

buckingham-palace

Westminster Abbey

The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to popularly and informally as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English, later British and later still (and currently) monarchs of the Commonwealth Realms. It briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1546–1556, and is a Royal Peculiar.

St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. The present building dates from the 17th century and is generally reckoned to be London’s fifth St Paul’s Cathedral, although the number is higher if every major medieval reconstruction is counted as a new cathedral. The cathedral sits on the highest point of the City of London, which originated as a Roman trading post situated on the River Thames. The cathedral is one of London’s most visited sights.

st-paul