Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London,[1] and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower.[2]The tower is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, renamed as such to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II(prior to being renamed in 2012 it was known simply as "Clock Tower"). The tower holds the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world (Minneapolis City Hall being the largest).[3] The tower was completed in 1858 and had its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009,[4] during which celebratory events took place.[5][6] The tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom and is often in the establishing shot of films set in London.
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse in the London Borough of Southwark, on the south bank of the River Thames that was originally built in 1599, destroyed by fire in 1613, rebuilt in 1614, and then demolished in 1644. The modern reconstruction is an academic approximation based on available evidence of the 1599 and 1614 buildings. It was founded by the actor and director Sam Wanamaker, built about 230 metres (750 ft) from the site of the original theatre and opened to the public in 1997, with a production of Henry V. The site also includes the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, an indoor theatre which opened in January 2014. This is a smaller, candle-lit space based on the indoor playhouses of Jacobean London.
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is an Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of theDiocese of London. It sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604.[1] The present church, dating from the late 17th century, was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren. Its construction, completed within Wren's lifetime, was part of a major rebuilding programme which took place in the city after the Great Fire of London.[2]
The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. Also known as theMillennium Wheel, its official name was originally published as the British Airways London Eye, then the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, then the EDF Energy London Eye. Since mid-January 2015, it has been known in branding as the Coca-Cola London Eye, following an agreement signed in September 2014.[8]
Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London.
Buckingham Palace (UK /ˈbʌkɪŋəm/ /ˈpælɪs/[1][2]) is the London residence and principal workplace of the monarchy of the United Kingdom.[3] Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing.
Madame Tussauds (UK /təˈsɔːdz/, US /tuːˈsoʊz/; the family themselves pronounce it /ˈtuːsoʊ/[1]) is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's"; the apostrophe is no longer used.[2][3] Madame Tussauds is a major tourist attraction in London, displaying waxworks.
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo.[5] It was opened in London on April 27, 1828,[6] and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847.[5] Today it houses a collection of 806 species of animals, with 19,178 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.[7] The zoo is sometimes called Regent's Zoo.
The British Museum is a museum dedicated to human history and culture, located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works,[3] is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence[3] and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.[a]
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, known as the Tower of London, is a historiccastle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within theLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of theCity of London by the open space known asTower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England.
Westminster Abbey, formally titled theCollegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in theCity of Westminster, London, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the most notable religious buildings in the United Kingdom and has been the traditional place of coronation and burial site for Englishand, later, British monarchs.
The Sea Life London Aquarium is located on the ground floor of County Hall on the South Bank of the River Thames in central London, near the London Eye. It opened in March 1997 as the London Aquarium and hosts about one million visitors each year. It is the largest aquarium in London.
