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 Long since, the cross erected by Edward I in 1290 (as a tribute to his wife, Eleanor) has been replaced by a statue of Charles I atop a horse.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