London
London is one of the most exciting cities in the world, with a thousand years of history. A big, vibrant ever changing place, renowned for its history, pageantry and architecture,
London is crammed with more than 300 museums and collections, including some of the greatest in the world. It is a city full of galleries that hold great paintings from the last five centuries - and the wackiest of modern art. It is a city full of treasures from the greatest civilisations of the world - and tiny homely details of life in times past. Museums about decorative arts, and war, toys,tennis. design, and domestic interiors,movies and medicine
The Queen's official London residence,
Originally designed as the front entrance to Buckingham Palace, Marble Arch had to be placed to one side because it wasn't wide enough to allow State coaches to pass through. Watched over by traditional Yeoman warders and the famous ravens, the Tower of London is a marvellous testament to its 900 year history.
Moved to Buckingham Palace during the 1760s, were rebuilt by Nash in the 1820s and remain some of the finest working stables in existence. The magnificent gilded and polished state carriages and coaches, together with their horses and equipage, are housed here. These vehicles are at the very essence of British state occasions, epitomised by Her Majesty's Gold State Coach used at every Coronation since 1831.
Official residence of The Queen and royal residence for 9 centuries. Windsor is one of the largest and oldest inhabited castles in the world. Largely a result of massive 19thC rebuilding by George IV, the castle covers some 13 acres and its precincts are almost a mile around
Part of the original medieval fortress, the Round Tower at Windsor Castle is one of the oldest surviving parts of the ancestral home of the British monarchy.
Set amid the extensive grounds of Home Park of Windsor Castle. The house dates from the 1680s and was a favoured retreat of Queen Victoria and later of King George V and Queen Mary.
This romantic 13thC moated castle was once Anne Boleyn's childhood home. It was acquired in 1903 by William Waldorf Astor who restored it'
One of the most fortified buildings in the world, is guarded by the famous Beefeaters. Begun in 1078 by William the Conqueror, the Tower has been a palace, prison, treasury, arsenal and even a zoo! Today the Tower houses the priceless Crown Jewels.
A huge, historical clock tower, that rings out the old and rings in the new on 31December,
standing in the centre of Trafalgar Square, Britain's greatest naval hero
Tower Bridge one of the great symbols of London,
The Royal Albert Hall built between 1867 and 1871, the design of this simple domed brick and terracotta structure is thought to have been influenced by Gottfried Semper, a refugee friend of Prince Albert.
This elaborate statue has overlooked Piccadilly Circus since it was erected there in honour of the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, who revitalised the former slums of Soho.
Built between 1514 and 1520 for Cardinal Wolsey, this fine old red brick manor house has been enhanced over the years by many monarchs. Today Hampton Court Palace is a famous landmark on the banks of the River Thames.
At the Houses of Parlianent in Westminster, the public may watch the debates when Parliament is in session. This is a working institution. It is in a superb building by Barry and Pugin with medieval survival, (Westminster Hall).
Hampton Court Palace is the oldest Tudor palace in England.
At Kensington Palace State Apartments a series of rooms from the Victorian era, the restored Kings Apartment, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection and works of art from the Royal Collection.
The only remaining part of the 17th-century Palace of Whitehall and is famous for its Rubens ceiling and architecture by Inigo Jones.
Eltham Palace is home to a spectacular 1930s Art Deco country house and a magnificent medieval Great Hall, which stood at the heart of the medieval palace, the boyhood home of Henry VIII.
Once, famous people like Karl Marx, Thomas Hardy and W B Yeats used to work in the British Museum's Reading Room. In spring 1998, a new British Library and Reading Room opened in St Pancras. The exciting new building was designed by Sir Colin Wilson. Housing the National Library of the United Kingdom, it is one of the great libraries of the world, with an amazing 150 million separate items in storage. This is a treasure house of the written word! which include rare and unique items such as the Lindisfarne Gospels from the Gutenberg Bible , the first Western printed book using movable type, and Shakespeare's First Folio of 1623
Built upon 2 islands in a lake, dates from the 9thC and was a favourite home of medieval queens. Henry VIII converted it from a stronghold to a royal palace but the most recent restoration was in the 1920s one of Britain's finest Gothic buildings.
The Queen's Chapel of Savoy stands on an area of land presented to Count Peter of Savoy by Henry III in 1246. Henry VII caused a great hospital for 'pouer, nedie people' to be built here in 1512. The hospital boasted 3 chapels of which only the one dedicated to St John Baptist still remain
Built 1731-33 and designed by the architect Flitcroft, the church contains parish records from 1615. The Plague started in the parish.
Historic church overlooking Trafalgar Square, designed by James Gibbs and built in 1726.
