Tourist Attraction in London

Palace of Westminster, better known for its clock tower tourist attraction, Big Ben

Whilst on our Europe vacation package, we had taken the option of visiting London as well so that we could take in some of the tourist attractions in London before returning home.

First stop was the St Pancras International London railway station where we had taken the Eurostar Railway from Paris Nord Station.

St Pancras London station

Holiday Travel Tips:-
For fans of Harry Potter, be sure to visit platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross station for a perfect photo opportunity.  This is one tourist attraction in London that is a MUST visit for Harry Potter's fans.

Fans of Harry Potter posing...

 National Gallery of Art, London - an art gallery on Trafalgar Square which was founded in 1824 and houses art collection dating from the mid 13th century to 1900.

National Gallery of Art London

Trafalgar Square - public space and tourist attraction in central London with Nelson's Column in the centre.

Trafalgar Square - Nelson's Column guarded by 4 such lions

Sir Henry Havelock Statue Trafalgar Square

Fountain at Trafalgar Square

Nelson's Column surrounded by fountains

Nelson's ship art Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

Picadilly Circus London - a road junction in London's west end

Horses near the Picadilly Circus area

St Paul’s Cathedral – an iconic building representing London which embodies the spiritual life and heritage of the British people
 

Statue of young couple near St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral, London

The London Eye Wheel is the world’s tallest observation wheel when it was built but is now the tallest ferris wheel in Europe and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom.

London Eye Wheel

The Tower of London is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Themes in central London, England.  Also Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, the Tower of London was founded in 1066 and is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat.

Tower of London

An interesting building, City Hall London, an environmentally friendly building has an unusual, bulbous shape, intended to reduce its surface area and thus improve energy efficiency.

City Hall London

Tower Bridge of London is not the London Bridge.  The Tower Bridge, a bascule and suspension bridge over the River Thames, is so named due to its proximity to the Tower of London and is now the iconic symbol of London.

Tower Bridge of London

The River Thames is the longest river in England and the second longest river in the United Kingdom.


Monument to the Great Fire of London 1666  is a 202 ft (61.57 metre) tall stone Roman Doric column at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, 202 ft (61.57 metres) from where the Great Fire of London startted in 1666.    Constructed between 1671 and 1677, it is the tallest isolated stone column in the world.

Monument to the Great Fire of London 1666

The Royal Exchange London was founded in 1565 and acts as a centre of commerce for the city of London

Royal Exchange London

The Palace of Westminster is also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace.  It is located in the heart of London in the City of Westminster, close to the historic Westminster Abbey.

Part of the Palace of Westminster

One of the most popular tourist attraction is the Clock Tower of the Westminster Palace, known fondly as the Big Ben.

Listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, Big Ben Clock is at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. Big Ben refers to the clock and clock tower as well.  However Big Ben is actually the nickname of the main and largest bell in the tower.  The Big Ben Clock is also the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world.

Big Ben

Building near Westminster Abbey

The Westminster Abbey, a Gothic church in London located by the Palace of Westminster, plays an important role being the traditional place of coronation and burial site for the British and Commonwealth monarchs with the latest high profile wedding of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton being held there on 29th April 2011.

Westminster Abbey, western facade

Unfortunately we were not able to enter the Westminster Abbey as it was closed.  As such, we could only admire its majestic beauty from the outside.

Another view of Westminster Abbey

20th century martyrs

Methodist Central Hall in the Westminster vicinity

Parliament Square, London, is a square outside the Palace of Westminster.  At this tourist attraction in London,  you will find statues of famous statesmen.

Statue of Abraham Lincoln

Another tourist attraction is Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837.  Serving as the administrative headquarters of the Monarch today, Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms!

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. 

The Palace is also the venue for great Royal ceremonies, State Visits and Investitures, all of which are organised by the Royal Household.

Buckingham Gate in the City of Westminster

The main gates of Buckingham Palace

Victoria Memorial, a large memorial statue of Queen Victoria, outside the main gates of Buckingham Palace was erected in 1911.

Victoria Memorial

Buckingham Palace

Around the Victoria Memorial

Take time out to visit the National Gallery of Art, London if you are into the arts.  Founded in 1824, the National Gallery houses more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900.

National Gallery of Art, London

The red telephone box, a public telephone kiosk, can still be seen in many places in United Kingdom.

Red telephone box

The Household Cavalry Museum is a living museum in the heart of Horse Guards, Whitehall, central London.  One of the city's most historic buildings, the Household Cavalry Museum dates back to 1750 and is the headquarters of the Household Division in which the Household Cavalry has performed the 

Queen’s Life Guard in a daily ceremony that has remained broadly unchanged for over 350 years.

Household Calvary Museum

A mounted trooper on duty at Horse Guards

Household Cavalry Museum

Downing Street, better known for its most famous address 10 Downing Street which is the official residence of the Prime Minister, is a street in central London.

Downing Street

The Women of World War II Monument is a war memorial sculpture in Whitehall London.  There are 17 individual sets of clothing and uniforms around the sides, symbolising the hundreds of different jobs women undertook in World War II.

Women of World War II Memorial

The Cenotaph that stands in Whitehall, London, is probably the best-known cenotaph in the UK and commemorates all of the dead in all wars in which British servicemen have fought.

The Cenotaph,War Memorial Whitehall London 

Kensington Gardens, one of the Royal Parks of London, is particularly popular for sunbathing and picnics in fine weather.  Also popular as a healthy walking route to work for commuters, the paths are used extensively by joggers and runners.

The Diana, Pricess of Wales' Memorial Playground is a fantastic adventure for kids up to age of 12.
For nature lovers, 178 species of birds have so far been identified in Kensington Gardens and you may even spot the green woodpeckers' nest there.

Whilst in Kensington Gardens, visit the Albert Memorial which was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband, Price Albert who died of typhoid in 1861.

Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens

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