London is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. It has a lot to offer for all visitors. If you want to experience the history of the city and get to know it better, then here are some places that you should visit.
Big Ben
It is a bell tower in the Palace of Westminster, which is located at the south end of the Houses of Parliament. It was named after Sir Benjamin Hall who designed it. The tower is also known as Elizabeth Tower. It is the largest clock tower in the United Kingdom and the third largest in Europe. The tower was built between 1859 and 1870 and was completed in 1858. The tower was originally called Clock Tower.
The tower is a Grade I listed building. It is made up of Portland stone, granite and Bath stone. The tower is 548 feet tall with a diameter of 66 feet. It is one of the main attractions in London. It is not only a landmark but also a symbol of the British Empire.
The tower was renovated in 1995. The renovation was done to make the tower more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The renovation costed £1 million and took almost 3 years to complete. The renovation work was done by a team of architects from the firm Atkins. The renovation work included a new glass floor, new lifts and a new lift shaft. The renovations were done in two phases. The first phase started in January 1998 and was completed in July 1999. The second phase started in February 2000 and was completed in August 2000.
London Eye
The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel that is situated in London. It is the world’s tallest observation wheel. The wheel is also the tallest structure in the UK. It was opened on 30th June 2000. The wheel is 1,000 feet high and is 100 meters in diameter. The wheel can accommodate around 8,000 passengers. It takes around 25 minutes to go around the wheel. The wheel can be seen from miles away.
The London Eye is also a Grade II listed building. It was built by the company Arup Associates. The cost of construction was estimated to be £40 million. The wheel is owned by the British Airways. The wheel was built in an area that was previously occupied by the Battersea Power Station. The site of the wheel was bought from the developers of the power station.
London Bridge
It is a bridge that connects Southwark to the City of London. It is one of the oldest bridges in the world. It was built in 1087. It was built in three parts. The first part was built in 1088 and the last part was built in 1094. The bridge was constructed to replace the old London Bridge. The old bridge was destroyed by fire in 1135.
London Bridge is also a Grade I listed building. The bridge was restored in 1985. The restoration costed £4 million and took four years to complete. The restoration work was done by the English Heritage. The restoration work included the replacement of the piers, the removal of the medieval houses, the repair of the parapets and the cleaning of the lead plating. The bridge was re-opened on 29th May 1986.
Trafalgar Square
It is a square in the heart of London. It is the centre of the political life of the city. It is also known as the heart of the London tourist circuit. It is surrounded by the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts and the St Martin-in-the-Fields Church.
The square was originally known as the “Royal Exchange”. It was renamed in 1827. The square was redesigned by Charles Barry in 1831. The square was redesigned again in 1851 by John Nash. The square was redesign in 1856 by Edward Middleton Paley. In the middle of the square stands the famous Nelson’s Column. It was erected in memory of Admiral Lord Nelson who died in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
St Paul’s Cathedral
It is a cathedral in the City of London. It was built between 1708 and 1724. It is also known as “The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul”. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of London. It is the fourth largest cathedral in the United Kingdom.
The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.