The Thames divides the capital, a great number of popular tourist attractions can be found in its northern part. Central London is where most of the famous sights are. The City is the oldest part of London in the East, and now is the home to the financial district. It is the largest financial and commercial centre of Europe. The East End is where many new immigrant groups live and many working people. The West End has everything from chic shops, theatres, beautiful residential areas, great parks and the famous Trafalgar Square which many Londoners think of as the centre of their city.
The capital’s top tourist attraction is the Tower of London. Built by William the Conqueror in 1066, it served till the 16th century as a royal home, a prison, and an execution site. Now it is a museum where tourists go to see an arsenal of weapons, the Crown Jewels, the prison and the execution block. The Tower is guarded by the Yeomen Warders who still wear the uniform of Tudor times. Six ravens are kept in the Tower to protect the whole kingdom. The legend says that the Kingdom will cease to exist when the ravens leave the Tower.
Next to the Tower stands Tower Bridge, the most distinctive bridge of London which is raised in the middle to allow ships to pass up the river.
The largest and best-known church of the City is St. Paul’s Cathedral, the largest church in the world after St. Peter’s in Rome. Inside the dome along the cupola runs the Whispering Gallery whose name refers to the remarkable acoustics which make it possible to hear words on one side whispered against the wall on the on the opposite side.
Great Britain, with its Houses of Parliament is the oldest democracy in the world today. The House of Lords is a Gothic hall with the throne of the Sovereign. Above the Parliament rises the clock tower called Big Ben, one of the best-known of London’s landmarks. Big Ben is not really the name of the clock; it is the name of the bell.
Close to this complex is Downing Street, a closed street whose number 10 has been the home of the Prime Minister since 1735.
Facing the Houses of Parliament is the most important church in the country – Westminster Abbey, where monarchs are crowned and heroes buried. Its history goes back to the 11th century. You can see the Coronation chair and rest in the Poet’s Corner.
Not far from the Houses of Parliament is Buckingham Palace, the London home of the kings and queens of Great Britain. Outside the Palace the Changing of the Guard takes place to the accompaniment of the Guards bands. The Royal family occupies the north wing of the Palace and the Royal Standard is flown when the Queen is in residence.
Trafalgar Square is said to be the largest in London and is place of political demonstrations and busy traffic. It originated in the 19th century and its name commemorates the naval victory of Admiral Lord Nelson over the French and Spanish fleet at Spanish Cape Trafalgar in 1805.
The famous National Gallery forms one side Trafalgar Square. It houses one of the greatest collections of Western painting from the 13th to the 20th century.
A short way from Trafalgar Square is Piccadilly Circus. It is the busiest and noisiest place in London. It also became notable as the centre of entertainment in the West End with its night clubs, theatres, cinemas and music. In the centre of the Circus at the top of the Fountain stands Eros, the Greek God of love.
London is world famous as a musical centre. This has long been true of classical music but applies also to pop and jazz. Major music centres are the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Royal Albert Hall(classical m.) and London Arena and Wembley Arena(pop and rock).
London is rich in museums and galleries. The most famous of them is the British Museum. It includes the Museum and the British Library with more than 11 million volumes of printed books and manuscripts. The Museum contains outstanding displays of antiquities from Egypt, South and South- East Asia, China, Greece, Rome and the East. Notable exhibit includes the Magna Carta which limited the kings powers in 1215, William Shakespeare’s folio from 1623, Egyptian mummies, Anglo-Saxon treasure, a Gutenberg Bible, authors’ original manuscripts etc.
The West End is the place where you can find most of the busiest streets and shopping centres as Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, Piccadilly, Covent Garden, Soho etc.
London is also famous for its parklands and gardens. All major parks were once royal gardens. The oldest of them is St. James’s Park. Regent’s Park is perhaps London’s most elegant park with its attractive gardens, lakes and a zoo. Probably the most famous among tourists is Hyde Park with its Speaker’s Corner, the place where everybody can speak publicly without fear of being arrested for their opinions.