Exciting Things to See in London England

London, England, is the world's most diverse and exciting city, truly a cosmopolitan town, with many things to see. History was written here. Literature, architecture and the arts flourished here. The wealth of the British Empire supported its glorious buildings, resplendent museums, and refined life. London has too much to cover in a single visit , 300 art museums, 100 theaters, and 17,000 protected historical buildings. There are more than 100 churches in the city, and about 1700 parks that cover 11% of London with green. There are even 7 royal palaces in London. From this cornucopia of beauty and heritage, here are a few memorable places to discover and things to see in London England.

1. Things To See in London Westminster Abbey
2. Things To See in London National Gallery
3. Things To See in London Buckingham Palace
4. Things To See in London Parliament
5. Things To See in London National Portrait Gallery
6. Things To See in London British Museum
7. Things To See in London The City
8. Things To See Tower of London
9. Things To See in London St. Paul's Cathedral
10. Things To See The London Eye
11. Things To See in London Shakespeare's Globe Theater
12. Things To See in London Tate Britain and Tate Modern
13. Things To See in London Victoria and Albert Museum

London is the capital city of England, 600 square miles and 8 million people. The Thames River runs west to east through the city. Most tourist attractions are on the north bank of the Thames. This expansive city is divided into districts called The City, Westminster, The West End, the South Bank, the East End and many residential neighborhoods. For many immigrants, London is a haven of political safety. The city is a melting pot of the world's peoples where you can hear almost 200 languages spoken, along with the Queen's English. To get around there are buses, taxis, bikes, river cruises and the hop-on, hop-off Double-Decker Bus Tours. London's subway system is called the Tube. But forget about driving in London. In order to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, London charges a daily fee to drive a car in the city center.

Things To See in London Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey, built in 1065 in the Westminster area, the greatest church in the English-speaking world. Here England's kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066. The Coronation Chair was used for almost every coronation since the Abbey was built. Fourteen royal weddings and thirty-eight coronations have taken place here. The funeral for Princess Diana was held here. In total there are more than 3300 people buried in the abbey, plus 600 monuments and memorial statues. The tombs of England's royals Edward the Confessor, Queen Elizabeth 1 and Mary I (Bloody Mary) are here. Poets' Corner has memorials to some of the greatest writers of the British Empire, Geoffrey Chaucer, Lord Byron, Dylan Thomas, W.H. Auden, Lewis Carroll, T.S. Eliot, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Shakespeare. The Cloisters and Abbey Museum are also open for visits. Nearby are other things to see in London, the Parliament buildings and the London Eye. Also in the Westminster area, you'll see Westminster Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall's government offices. Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace are nearby, surrounded by St. James's Park and Green Park.

Things To See in London National Gallery

The National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square near Admiral Nelson's column, has one of the world's best art collections. Two thousand important paintings are displayed in 66 galleries. The collection starts chronologically with a Giotto from 1312. Featured are some of the best-known paintings from the past 600 years, Van Eyck's "The Arolfini Portrait," Holbein's "The Ambassadors," Botticelli's "Venus and Mars", Leonardo da Vinci's "The Virgin and Child," and Caravaggio's "The Supper at Emmaus" You'll see the works of Turner, Constable, Seurat, Degas, Rubens, Vermeer, and a roomful of Rembrandts.

In addition to the National Gallery, other noteworthy museums to see in London are Victoria & Albert Museum, the Museum of London, the British Museum. the Queen's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, and Wellington Museum in Apsley House.

Things To See in London Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the home of Queen Elizabeth and the most important building in London. Almost everyone comes to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Palace. There's a military parade, a bit of music and the changing of the regimental flag. This iconic ceremony draws the crowd of tourists to the palace fence. You can visit the Queen's Gallery here. With 7,000 paintings it is the finest private art collection in the world, better than most museums. The working stables, called the Royal News, are also open to visitors. When the Queen is out of town, you can tour the state apartments and throne room in Buckingham Palace. During these months, you can also tour the ground floor of Clarence House where Charles, Camilla, William and Harry live.

Things To See in London Parliament

Parliament meets in the Palace of Westminster, formerly a royal residence of medieval kings. Parliament, the legislative body of Great Britain, is divided into two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. You can visit both of them and watch the action. The Prime Minister delivers his speeches to Parliament here. Big Ben is the 13-ton bell ringing the time for Londoners in the landmark clock tower.

Things To See in London National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is a collection of portraits of Britains, great and good, living and dead, ancient and recent, royal and not so royal. Its purpose was to inspire the nation. The portraits are arranged chronologically so you can follow the history of Great Britain through the people who lived it. The only known portrait of Shakespeare done from life is here.

Things To See in London British Museum

The British Museum in the Bloomsbury area is remarkable beyond belief. The museum displays some of the famous treasures of the world, the Rosetta Stone which is the key to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics, a seven-ton statue of Ramesses II from 1300 B.C., the Elgin Marbles which are marble statues from Ancient Greece, Black Obelisk, some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Lindow Man a first century human sacrifice discovered in a peat bog. There are more significant items, the Portland Vase from the first century Italy, Egyptian mummies of people and their pets, and remains of the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. World cultures are represented in their own galleries, Korea, China, Africa, Egypt, Native North America, Mexico, and Europe. Another surprise is the Reading Room, a library of 104,000 ancient books under a 106 foot high dome. Here H.G. Wells, Thomas Hardy, Lord Tennyson, Oscar Wilde, George Orwell, T.S. Eliot and Beatrix Potter spent time. And believe it or not, admission to the British Museum is free.

While you are in Bloomsbury, fans of Charles Dickens will enjoy visiting the Dickens House Museum, where he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. The house looks exactly as it did in Dickens' day, with his desk, letters and his quill pen. Dicken's sister-in-law and ameneusis Mary Hogarth died upstairs.

Things To See in London The City

The City area is the area of one square mile in London just north of the Thames River. Two thousand years ago the ancient Roman walled city Londinium was built here. These days London is a tightly packed financial hub, an office district where many work but few live. Within The City area is St. Paul's Cathedral. plus 23 other churches all built by Sir Christopher Wren. The City includes the stone column Monument to the Great Fire of 1666, Old Bailey courtrooms where Oscar Wilde was tried, the Museum of London ( with lots of artifacts from the Roman Londinium times), Geffrye Decorative Arts Museum, and the Tower of London. The home of Samuel Johnson who authored the Dictionary of the English Language is here, along with mementoes of Dr. Johnson and his biographer James Boswell.

Things To See Tower of London

The Tower of London is a group of buildings, historic castle, palace and prison, where the Tower Bridge crosses the Thames. White Tower was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, a reminder of Norman strength at the time of the Norman conquest of England. Tourists are enthusiastic about the Crown Jewels displayed here in the Jewel House, magnificent crowns, staffs and orbs that represent the authority of the monarchy. The Crown of the Queen Mother Elizabeth contains a 105-carat diamond named "Mountain of Light." Inside the Armouries are the suit of armor worn by Henry VIII and the suit of armor worn by his horse. The Yeoman Warders, nicknamed Beefeaters, the original jailers of the Tower, are on duty. The list of inmates imprisoned in the Tower is a who's who of English history. Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII, was beheaded here. Margaret Countess of Salisbury was hacked to death here. Queen Catherine Howard, Henry's fifth wife, was beheaded here at the age of 20. Lady Jane Grey was beheaded at the age of 16. Guy Fawkes who plotted to kill the king was hung, drawn and quartered here in 1607. Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower three different times.

Things To See in London St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral in The City area is an Anglical Catholic Church masterpiece built by Sir Christopher Wren. You can climb the steps up into the central dome for a view of the city. There are monuments to the Duke of Wellington and Admiral Lord Nelson and many works of art. Here Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married. Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their jubilees here. The funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill were held here. The grand organ in St. Paul's was played by Handel and Mendelssohn. Outside St. Paul's Cathedral, street performers perform in Covent Garden Piazza, a pedestrian square with cafes, shops and museums.

The Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood in the East End is the biggest toy collection in the world with lots of doll Houses, teddy bears, train sets, puppets, baby dolls and even Beanie Babies.

In the East End is Bevis Marks, the oldest synagogue in London. Bevis Marks was built in 1701 after Cromwell allowed the Jews to enter England in 1655, because they were expelled in 1290.

Geffrye Museum in the East End is a group of rooms tthat re-create domestic interiors from the Elizabethan period through 1950. A group of almshouses for the poor were converted into this museum. In the East End the Salvation Army was founded by William Booth. On Whitechapel High Street, Jack the Ripper, the notorious serial killer, stalked his victims. Dennis Severs's House is a Georgian house meticulously furnished to include London life over two centuries. American Dennis Severs dedicated his life to restoring the house.

Things To See The London Eye

The London Eye stands on the South Bank of the Thames River. It is a giant ferris wheel, or rather, a giant observation ride, that lifts you slowly up for a glittering view of London. Your ride takes 30 minutes and turns so slowly you don't feel like you're moving. The London Eye is the largest observation wheel ever built, and opened in 2000.

Nearby is the Dali Universe with 500 paintings by the master of surrealism. Other attractions on the South Bank area are Clink Prison (you've heard the expression "throw 'em in the Clink!"), Design Museum, Royal Festival Hall, Golden Jubilee Bridges, Borough Market (London's oldest food market). and the Tate Gallery of Modern Art.

Things To See in London Shakespeare's Globe Theater

The Globe Theater on the South Bank is a painstaking and authentic recreation of Shakespeare's Globe Theater. American actor and director Sam Wanamaker masterminded the project. Here, during the summer, the works of the Bard are performed as in Shakespeare's time, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Richard III, King Lear, and so on. The Globe has the only thatched roof allowed in London since the Great Fire of 1666. Exhibits and tours are also on the site.

Things To See in London Tate Britain and Tate Modern

The Tate Britain is a grand museum of 500 years of British painting, concentrating on British artists. You'll see works by William Blake, George Stubbs, Thomas Gainsborough, Sir Joshua Reynolds, John Constable, Millais, Rosetti, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud along with a gallery full of Turners.

Tate Gallery of Modern Art, called the Tate Modern, in the South Bank area is the sister museum of the Tate Britain. The Tate Boat ferries visitors back and forth on the Thames between the two Tate Musuems. In the huge space of a former power station, The Tate Modern presents art by Matisse, Picasso, Dali, Moore, Francis Bacon, Warhol, Rothkos, Monet, Matisse, Pollock and Picasso, along with exciting contemporary installations.

Here are a few more things to see in the South Bank area, a diverse group of tourist attractions.

• The Dulwich Picture Gallery is also in the South Bank area, where you can see Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens, Poussin and Gainsborough.
• At dock on the Thames is the HMS Bellfast, one of the largest cruisers of the Royal Navy. Onboard you can enjoy the Imperial War Museum, the story of navy life and shipbuilding.
• The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates the work of the most famous health-care reformer, located in the St. Thomas Hospital.
• The Imperial War Museum recreates Trench War in WWI, the Blitz in WWII, the Holocaust, and a Crimes Against Humanity exhibition and has a collection of rockets, tanks, guns and submarines and the work of the government secret services.
• Also on the South Bank, the London Aquarium has a diverse collection of sea life, including a petting tank of rays.
• The London Dungeon recreates gory and gruesome events in full detail. There are realistic exhibits of various decapitations, torture, famous murders, the Great Plague, the Great fire of London and Jack the Ripper. Kids either love it or hate it.
  
  

  Things To See in London Victoria and Albert Museum

  
  Victoria and Albert Museum in the South Kensington area is called the V&A. The V&A is a huge museum with collections of fashion through the ages, period rooms, and pieces from Japan, China, Korea and the Middle East. It includes sculpture, watercolors, portrait miniatures, photography, wallpaper and posters. Its collection of Italian sculpture is incomparable, the best outside of Italy. There are plaster casts of famous statues, effigies of famous tombs, carpets, ceramics and precious objects from around the world. Tourists are amused, as Shakespeare was, by the Great Bed of Ware. The V&A is part of Museum Mile on Cromwell Road where you can also find the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.
  
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