London is many things at the same time, but in people’s head this city rhymes with its monuments: Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Big Ben… So just like the 27 million tourists visiting London every year, we saw them… Here’s a small tour of the most significant sights:
Let’s start with the Queen!!
Buckingham Palace has been the royal house since Queen Victoria settled there after her crowning in 1837.
The mansion was not built all at once, but the main part was finished in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. King George III bought the place in 1762, and for the next 75 years, the residence was expanded. The last changes were made during the 20th century for the Palace to be as we know it today.
The main entrance faces the Mall and the great memorial dedicated to Queen Victoria. Important people invited by the Queen come and go from here. This is also on this side that the famous changing of the Guard happens. But be aware that this ceremony takes place every day from April to July, and every other day the rest of the year… But can also be cancelled at any given time. We didn’t get the chance to see the famous guards with their red tunic and their bear fur hats!!
Behind the palace: London’s biggest private garden is of course the royal family’s property! If Buckingham can be partly visited (from July to September), the ‘backyard’ is for the Queen only and her famous garden parties!
Here’s a little detail to know whether the Queen is home or away: a flag flaps above the main façade, Her Majesty is home, otherwise the flag is at half mast! Today she is here.
Right next to Buckingham Palace, on Buckingham Road, the royal mews. The most prestigious mews in the world, they are the stables and the garages for Her Majesty’s coaches. And there are lots of coaches to store: one for the Queen, one for the crowning, one for wedding ceremonies, one for this, one for that… As we passed by, only 4 simple dark coaches came out.
A bit further, a few famous monuments can be found next to each other: Westminster Abbey, the House of Parliament and the famous Big Ben!
Westminster Abbey is the place where the major events in the life of the King or the Queen are celebrated: wedding, crowning, but also it’s the place of their sepulchre. It’s one of the main attraction for tourists, so you should expect long line before getting (after you paid the £10 per person of course!)
Just around the corner from the abbey, you can’t miss the Parliament. This huge building and its neo-gothic façade a bit too much used to be a royal palace… Boy, Kings and Queen lived everywhere in London! This is why the Parliament is also called Westminster Palace.
In there the House of Lords and the House of Commons meet. Tourists can visit the Parliament (well, it depends on the days, the nationality of the tourists and the subjects discussed by the Lords…), and see the two towers on each side of the building: Victoria tower, and the Clock Tower where the very famous bell Big Ben rings every 15 minutes.
More famous monuments coming up!
