LONDON HIGHLIGHTS
Every year London invites millions of tourists from around the world
to it`s great city . Most come to see the famous landmarks.
The history is everywhere . Keep your eyes open and wear a cumfy pair of training shoes. You will do a lot of walking.
Houses of Parliament
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal entertaining, and a major tourist attraction. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.
Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 and acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence, known as "The Queen's House". It was enlarged over the next 75 years, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th century, including the present-day public face of Buckingham Palace. The building is occasionally still referred to as "Buck House".
The London Eye (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 3 million people a year. The adult fare is just over £15. At the time it was erected it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang (160m) in May 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer (165m) 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).
Piccadilly is a major London street, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The
street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St. James's lies to the south of the eastern section of the street, while the western
section is built up only on the northern side and overlooks Green Park. The area
to the north is Mayfair.
It is the location of Fortnum & Mason, the Royal Academy, The Ritz Hotel and
Hatchards book shop. Simpsons, once amongst the United Kingdom's leading
clothing stores, opened on Piccadilly in the 1930s. The store closed in 1999 and
the site is now the flagship shop of the booksellers Waterstone's.
Park Lane is about three quarters of a mile (1.2 km) in length, and runs north from Hyde Park Corner to Marble Arch, along the length of the eastern flank of Hyde Park. To the east of the road is Mayfair. The road owes much of its fame to the fact that it is the second most valuable property in the London edition of Monopoly. Despite the traffic noise the road is still upmarket, featuring five-star hotels
(such as The Dorchester and Grosvenor House Hotel) and showrooms for several makes of sports car.
