There are a lot of places of interest in London. Among them are: Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St.Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, the Tower of London.
WESTMINSTER, now the political centre of London, was until the 11th century a sacred place. King Edward the Confessor decided to build a great abbey church here. It was consecrated in 1065, but a week later the King died and was buried in the abbey. His tomb became a popular place of pilgrimage. It still can be found at the heart of the present Westminster Abbey. William the Conqueror was crowned in the Abbey and since then all Coronations have taken place here.
The Abbey contains many royal tombs, memorials to eminent men and women. But the most popular ones are those to writers, actors and musicians in Poet's Corner.
Alongside the Abbey Edward the Confessor had a palace built. The Palace of Westminster was the royal residence and also the country's main court of law. Parliament has met here since the 16th century until the 19th century.
The present HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT were built after the old palace was burnt down in 1834. The building contains the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two chambers where parliamentary business is debated. On the corner next to Westminster bridge stands St. Stephans Tower, which houses the famous bell, Big Ben, which chimes the hours.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE is the Queen's official London residence. Built in 1702-5 for the Duke of Buckingham, it was sold in 1761 to George III. The palace was little used by royalty until Victoria's accession to the throne in 1837. London's most popular spectacle is Changing the Guard. It takes place in the forecourt and lasts about 30 minutes.
ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL is Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece. It stands at the top of Ludgate Hill on a side where a Christian Church has stood since the 7th century. The construction of the cathedral started in 1675 and was not finished until 1709. The magnificent classical structure is crowned by the dome. Inside the dome are scenes from the life of St. Paul. Here too is the famous Whispering Gallery. There are many memorials in the cathedral including those to heroes such as Wellington and Nelson.
THE TOWER OF LONDON has been closely associated with many important events in English history. It has served as citadel, palace, prison, mint and menagerie. The White tower was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror to protect the city. The Tower is famous for its illustrious prisoners, such as Sir Thomas More and Guy Fawks. Many notable people lost their heads on the executioner's block. The Tower is guarded by the Yeoman Warders popularly known as `Beefeaters'.