I Learned A Great Deal About Big Ben... and other London, United Kingdom Things to Do Tips

Clock Tower erroneously called Big

Ben

The Palace of Westminster has three towers: the Victoria Tower, the Middle Tower, and, the most famous, the Clock Tower.

Now, I was "floored" when I discovered that Big Ben is not the name of the tower nor its clock; instead, it's the 16-ton bell housed in the Clock Tower!

In fact, Big Ben sets the time for all of Britain; every hour, the 16 notes of the bell's melody ring out, followed by the striking of the hour. Then, the entire population checks to see if their watches are correct.

You cannot go inside the tower because it is not open to the public.

Big Ben certainly is a landmark in London, and I just wonder how many foreign visitors know this information.

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Phone: 020-7222 2219
Address: Bridge Street SW1

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Tower Bridge: Tower Bridge Experience

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

One of the most instantly spotted landmarks of London, the Tower Bridge, offers a tour called "Tower Bridge Experience".

It's a real treat to take this tour. I discovered that the people of London presented petitions to have a new bridge built as a crossing below London Bridge. It was a successful petition, and Tower Bridge was completed in 1894. It's a bascule bridge; in other words, it opens to allow big ships to pass below.

On the tour, we saw a few films about its history and construction. Then we visited the upper walkways. There are two walkways. They were originally built for pedestrians to cross the bridge when the bascules were in a raised position. These walkways were closed in 1909 because of the manysuicides that happened from there; fortunately, these walkways are now enclosed in glass, and they can once again be used by the public.

Wow! The views from the walkways are excellent! In the downstream walkway, they have an exhibit of old photos of Tower Bridge over the last 100+ years. Don't miss a visit of the engine room of this working bridge. The old boilers (coal-fired) have been saved for this exhibit. They now raise the bascules via electricity.

It was quite an enjoyable learning experience.
The Tower Bridge spans the Thames River next to the Tower of London. Tickets are purchased at the north tower; then one takes the left to the walkway.

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Phone: 0 20 7626 3065
Address: Tower Bridge Road, EC3/SE1
Directions: Tower Hill or London Bridge tubes
Website: http://www.towerbridge.org.uk

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Piccadilly Circus: Ancient / Modern Together: Piccadilly & Eros

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

Night view of Eros in Piccadilly

Circus Circle

Piccadilly Circus is like no other area in London. With its giant electric-neon signs along the complete circle of Regent Street, and its famous fountain called Eros, it marks the beginning of London's entertainment district.

At one time, it was upscale with its colorful cafes, theatres, shops, & flower sellers. The southern edge is still somewhat that way; however, the rest has steadily slipped to "down scale".

The name comes from an early 17th Century tailor named Robert Blake who designed a stiff collar called "a picadil" that became the "height of fashion". After making his fortune, Blake built a huge house just north of what is now Piccadilly Circus. People who were jealous of his success called it "Piccadilly House". Soon, the area was known as Piccadilly.

A great London oddity is the statue in the middle of Piccadilly Circus called Eros. The Seventh Earl of Shaftresbury was a kind man who helped many people, & when he died, the public donated money toward a memorial statue. It was suppose to be a statue of the Christian Spirit of Charity with a large fountain at its base.

However, it turned out to be the mythological God of Love, Eros, who was placed in a base so small that the water splashed anyone who passed by!

During the 1920s, while Piccadilly tube station was excavated & built, Eros was moved to Embankment Gardens. During WWII, Eros was taken to Egham & Surry. Unfortunately, Eros spent the years after the War lying on a mattress in a small room in County Hall. Finally, Eros was replaced to the midddle of Piccadilly Circus but facing the wrong way.

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Address: Piccadilly Circus, SW1
Directions: Piccadilly Circus tube

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Marble Arch & Speakers Corner: Marble Arch

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

The Marble Arch called Wellington Arch was built in 1827 and designed to resemble the Arch of Constantine in Rome.

It is built of Italian Ravaccione Marble from Seravezzo. It originally stood as one of the entrances to the grounds of Buckingham Palace, but since it was inconvenient for the Royal Coaches to pass through, it was moved in 1851 to where it stands today. It stands in the middle of a large traffic island.

Warning: you cannot walk through the arch because that's for senior members of the Royal Family and The King's Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery.

This arch has three small rooms inside. Originally, they were used as an emergency police station, but the police abandoned it in 1950.

A sculpture by Adrian Jones was added to the top of the arch in 1912.

So sad that such a beautiful monument is in such a hectic location.

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Address: Oxford Street/Hyde Park, W1
Directions: Marble Arch tube

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Buckingham Palace: View From Afar: Buckingham Palace

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

CLICK TO SEE ENTIRE PHOTO

I'd have to say that Buckingham Palace (formerly known as Buckingham House) is probably the most famous place in London.

But, unless you are someone famous, a hero, or a visiting head of state, you won't see much of the interior of the Palace. It can only be toured from 9:30am-4:30 pm in the months of August & September and then only the State Rooms!

The public entrance to the palace is through the Ambassador's Court.

I was in London in January, so I could only see it from afar. The literature that I read said that the palace has 600 rooms and that it is surrounded by 45 acres of gardens.

For me, the good news was that I was able to see up close the Victoria Monument outside the palace, and what a glorious monument it is!

It's huge, the largest monument dedicated to any king or queen in London. Edward VII planned this memorial for his mother, Queen Victoria. The designer, Edward Webb, used 2300 tons of marble, and the project took five years to complete. How sad that Edward VII did not live to see it completed.

The Victoria Memorial is located at the west end of the Mall.

Note: You are able to see the CHANGING OF THE QUEEN'S GUARD during May through August daily at 11:30 am. During September through April, it happens on alternate days & is subject to change without notice. (0171 930 4832)

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Address: The Mall, SW1
Directions: Green Park tube

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Westminster Abbey: The Grandeur of Westminister Abbey

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

For almost one thousand years, Westminister Abbey has been the setting for much of London's ceremonies such as Royal Weddings, Coronations, and Funeral Services.

I personally think that it is one of the grandest pieces of architecture in the capital. It's an awesome and vast place that gleams white and pink outside but seems darker inside.

In addition, the Abbey is the parish church of the Royal Family, when in residence at Buckingham Palace. Thus, it is a Royal Peculiar (not under control of the Archbishop of Canterbury but under direct control of the Queen).
It is symbolically the entire nation's church and almost museum-like, considering the large amount of history associated with it.

I especially enjoyed seeing Poet's Corner located in the south transept because it commemorates famous authors such as Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer (also buried here), Shelley, Dickens, & Keats as well as many others.

The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior of WWI resides here, a very poignant tomb despite its "ordinary" look.

I remember seeing Elizabeth II's Coronation at Westminister Abbey via TV in 1953. As an adolescent, I was mystified by the grandeur. At that time, I gushed about its beauty; when I saw it 40 years later, I felt the same.

Allow several hours & include seeing St. Margaret's Church & Jewel Tower.

If you love architecture as I do, then make sure you don't miss a visit to the Abbey.

Warning: no photographs inside!

Free admittance
Open: 9:00 am-3:45 pm, Mon-Friday

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Phone: 0 20 7654 4900
Address: Deans Yard, SW1
Directions: St James's Park tube
Website: http://www.westminster-abbey.org

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Royal and Ceremonial London: Ceremonial Guards

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

I cannot imagine London without its ceremonies. There are barracks in several areas of London to house the troops whose duties are largely ceremonial.

The Changing of the Queen's Guards is quite regal. The uniforms are impressive, the martial music is inspiration, and the shouted commands certainly demand attention!

This ceremony is made up of Old Guard who form up in the palace forecourt to hand over their duty to the New Guard. This is a very public ceremony right in front of the Palace. When the Queen is in residence in the Palace, there is one more officer and nine more men.

I had no idea that this popular ceremony was so complicated. It begins outside Wellington Barracks. Each morning a band (one of four) of the Brigade of Guards gather and begin to play. A group of guardsmen in scarlet jackets, black trousers and boots, and, of course, bearskin helmets is inspected before beginning their guard duty. Suddenly, the guard detail marches off, and the Changing of the Queen's Guard is under way.

At about the same time, another group of soldiers (on horseback) move from Hyde Park to Whitehall to change guard duties at Horse Guards Parade. These are members of the Household Cavalry, and they are chaperoned through London's traffic by two mounted members of the Metropolitan Police.

Both of these ceremonies are colorful, musical, dynamic, and EXPENSIVE to keep up.

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Address: Buckingham Palace and Whitehall
Website: http://www.royal.gov.uk

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St Pauls Cathedral: Sir Christopher Wren's "Masterpiece"

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

St. Paul's Cathedral is a Renaissance Church and Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, which took 35 years to build. It dominates the North bank of the River Thames. Even though St. Paul's was bombed several times during WWII, it survived because of the determination of the fire brigade. After the war, the church was renovated and brought back to its former splendor.

%(Note: The wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles took place here in 1981.)

Visible from all over London, the church's dome is patterned after St. Peter's in Rome...this dome is St. Paul's most distinctive feature. It's really a "dome within a dome, supported by a hidden superstructure and crowned with a stone lantern."

When I was inside and looked up, I actually had vertigo!

Fortunately, it's possible to climb up for a fantastic view of London. There are three galleries around the dome to experience these views.

St. Paul's also has the largest crypt in all of Europe. Appropriately, Sir Christopher Wren is buried here.

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Phone: 0 20 7236 4128
Address: St Pauls Churchyard, EC4
Directions: St Pauls tube
Website: http://www.stpauls.co.uk

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Parks and Gardens: London's Beautiful Parks and Lovely Gardens

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Updated by deecat

on May 16, 2005

Peter Pan Statue in

Kensington Park

PLEASE CLICK TO SEE THE STATUE

Since I was in London at the end of December and the beginning of January, the parks and gardens were not at the top of my list to visit. The weather was, however, quite mild (I only wore a light jacket!)

I knew that London had one of the world's greenest city centers, so I made it a point to keep my eyes open. What I saw was lots of tree-filled squares, plenty of expanses of grass, and several parks.

The Park that I saw the most of was Regent's Park with the lake for boating, the London zoo, and an open-air theathre.

Also, I saw St. James Park with its reserve for wildfowl.

We saw, of course, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The park is a rallying place for political demonstrations. There's also the famed Speaker's Corner in the northeast where anyone can speak his/her mind.

The former grounds of Kensington Palace is next to Hyde Park and is now called Kensington Gardens. What I loved most about the gardens was the bronze statue of the fictional Peter Pan.

JM Barrie ( author of Peter Pan) often walked in Kensington Gardens, and he was accompanied by his Newfoundland dog named Luath (the inspiration for "Nana, the dog in Peter Pan). This bronze statue was done by Sir George Frampton and is ever so charming.

Unfortunately, I had no opportunity to visit Kew Gardens (botanic gardens).

I imagine that the spring and fall are the two best times to enjoy the parks and gardens in London; however, I think any time one visits, he/she should try to see them.

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National Gallery: Impressive Building & Art: National Gallery

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Updated by deecat

on May 11, 2005

National Gallery