London Presentation_ioanav

London

By Ioana-Alexandra Vasil

London today • Modern London is a hybrid creature formed from

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the ancient cities of London and Westminster evolving over the centuries into what is today a sprawling metropolis comprising some 7500000 inhabitants in an area of about 480 square kilometers. London, the greatest city in the world, is at least two thousand years old and was settled long before the first Roman invasion. Over the centuries a lot of buildings and monuments have been built to remember London’s great history.

Buckingham Palace • Buckingham

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palace, the building known to all as the Queen’s official London home, is a mixture of old and new. The original house was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. Over the years a lot of changes were done by the throne successors. From 1837 Queen Victoria made Buckingham palace her permanent home and instituted the custom by which the Royal Standard is flown from the flagstaff to show that the sovereign is in residence.

Ceremonies at Buckingham Palace • One of most popular

ceremonies in London is changing the guards who perform guard duties at Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace and Clarence House.

Monuments beside Buckingham Palace • The

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Queen’s Gallery presents an ever-changing display of art treasures from the royal collection. The Victoria Memorial and the side fountain, in front of Buckingham palace is a part of the nation’s tribute to Queen Victoria, built between 1910-1912.

London’s Parks • St. James Park is by far the

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prettiest and the oldest of the royal parks. From St. James Park you can see London’s Eye and Big Ben view. Green Park, added to St. James Park by King Charles II, is the smallest royal park in central London.

London’s Parks • St. James Park offers you,

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not only a relaxing walk between grassland and trees, but a nice view of Buckingham Palace a Victoria Memorial monument. You can also see there the monument for the second world war heroes.

London’s famous streets • White Hall is the street

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linking Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square and is known for its concentration of Government offices and historic buildings. Here is organized the Guards Parade and the famous ceremony of Trooping the Colour.

Pomp, Pageantry and Ceremonies • The splendid Trooping the

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Colors Ceremony, in honor of the Sovereign’s birthday starts from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, behind White Hall. The troops, are from Household Cavalry and the Guard Division.

The London Eye • This observatory in the form

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of a gigantic wheel is now one of London’s most outstanding attractions. Commanding views for 45 KM around, opened in the year 2000, at a speed of 0,41 Km/h, it takes 30 min to go right round once.

Big Ben • Big Ben, the clock’s hour

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bell, was probably named after a famous boxer of that time. The Clock Tower its famous for its mighty clock, which began its service in 1859 and became a reliable timekeeper.

The Houses of Parliament • Westminster is a wonderful building which combines the historic • • • • •

site of the old royal palace with the good planning and fine craftsmanship of the mid 19th century. It was built to display the history of the nation, but it now has to cope with the ever-increasing demands of a busy Parliament. The New Palace of Westminster has an unbroken line of large pinnacles stretching along the river for 265m, the east front is a paved terrace so popular in summer time. The highly decorated exterior includes lettering, heraldic panels and over 300 statues of kings, queens and saints installed within a regular gothic framework. The Victoria Tower rises 98m to the base of the flagstaff. Old Palace Yard is overlooked by the west front of the palace and the great south window of Westminster Hall.

Westminster Hall

Westminster Abbey • Westminster Abbey was founded as a large Benedictine • • • • •

monastery, today it upholds that tradition through a disciplined life of prayer, work and study. The Abbey has also served as the coronation church of kings and queens for over a thousand years. At the heart of the nation and standing alongside the Houses of Parliament and the offices of the government, the Abbey is a symbol of the connection between Church and state. No one knows exactly when the first church was built here, but it was over a thousand years ago. Westminster Abbey had seen thirty-eight coronation ceremonies from the coronation of King Edgar in 973. Westminster Abbey has different parts from special moments of history: Edwards the Confessor’s Chapel, the North Ambulatory, Henry VII’s Lady Chapel, the South Ambulatory, St. Margaret’s Church.

Westminster Abbey

Traveling in London • A good way of exploring

London through a longer journey is by the London’s famous red buses as well as the equal famous black taxis, both an establish part of the London scene.

Tourist attractions • Between

London's tourist attractions we can also count the famous red telephone boxes and the old red mailbox.