Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is in fact long gone – closed by Puritans in 1642 and taken down 2 years later. Fortunately for fans of the bard, there’s a faithful reproduction housed only a few hundred meters from the original site. Read more
Tower of London
Few prisons can claim to be as popular as the Tower of London, an attraction – unpleasant for some – for over 900 years. Its twenty towers are filled with an ancient tradition of royal blood, armor and jewels and the history to match.
The central structure began as a fort – used by the original builder William the Conqueror who completed the first tower around 1100 AD. At its completion it was the tallest building in London. Henry III had it whitewashed in the 13th century and the name, White Tower, has stuck. Read more
St Paul’s Cathedral in London
For three hundred years St Paul’s Cathedral has served as one of the enduring symbols of London, a role it richly deserves. Completed in 1708, Sir Christopher Wren’s masterwork is recognized the world over by its large dome and classical architecture. Read more
Westminster Abbey in London
Church, burial ground, coronation site and much more, Westminster Abbey continues to attract visitors over 900 years after its founding.
In many respects the architecture is common. There’s the traditional cross-shaped floor plan with a nave, north and south transepts and several round side areas. But both its execution and use raise The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster (the official name) to among the highest examples of church construction. Read more
Trafalgar Square in London
Trafalgar Square is the center of England in more ways than one. At its south end lies what used to be Charing Cross, the point from which all distances to London are measured. Long since, the cross erected by Edward I in 1290 (as a tribute to his wife, Eleanor) has been replaced by a statue of Charles I atop a horse. Read more
Buckingham Palace in London
Though one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, Buckingham Palace is still the official residence of Britain’s monarchy, as it has been since Queen Victoria’s designation in 1837.
Much of the building was constructed as early as 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham House (as it was then known) was purchased in 1762 by George III, who used it as a private residence. Over the following 75 years the house was expanded to form three wings around a central courtyard. Read more
Piccadilly Circus in London
At the junction of Regent Street and Shaftesbury Avenue lies a trapezoidal area near London’s West End known to the world as Piccadilly Circus.
It’s an odd name, since there’s no circus there, but even odder is that ‘circus’ usually denotes a round city area where several streets meet in a circle. After the Roman plan. But that eccentricity fits Piccadilly, since this area of the great British capital attracts the most diverse set of people in an already diverse town. Read more
London Zoo
London has such a long history, filled with great churches, monuments, art and history museums that seeking nature here often isn’t what immediately comes to mind. But that’s an error, since London is home to one of the oldest zoos in existence and one of the newest aquariums. Read more
National Gallery in London
Throughout its troubled history, the National Gallery in London has persevered to maintain one of the greatest art collections in the world.
Having no Royal collection with which to begin, the museum found its start with the purchase of a mere 38 paintings from the estate of a recently deceased banker, J.J. Angerstein. Housed in his home at 100 Pall Mall for the first 10 years of its existence, the National Gallery opened to the public there in 1824. Read more
The British Museum in London
Like most museums in London, The British Museum is free of admission (though some events and special exhibitions have an admission charge). But were it the most expensive attraction in the city, it would be worth the price. Often rated the number one tourist attraction, it houses millions of artifacts from around the world and through history. Read more