Regent’s Park

Regent’s Park is one of the main royal parks in London, located between Westminster (south) and Camden (north). The area of ​​the park is 188 hectares. In ancient times, the site of Regent’s Park housed the hunting grounds of King Henry VIII of England.

With the inclusion of these lands in the city, in the 1810s – 1820s, trees were planted here and a park designed by John Nash was built as a place for entertainment for the family of Prince Regent (the future George IV).

Since 1838, the Park has been open to the public.

Among the main attractions and attractions of the Park are:London Zoo, private residence of the US Ambassador, Central Mosque of London, University of London complex.

By Yelyzaveta matsak

London Eye

The London Eye is the biggest wheel in Britain. It is also known as the Millennium Wheel. The London Eye is situated on the south bank of the river Thames. It is the tallest observation wheel with 40 km panoramic views on a clear day.

The wheel is 135 m high. The architects are David Marks and Julia Bar field. It has 32 cabins for 25 people each. It takes about 30 minutes to climb into the sky. Up, up and away. The London Eye is very popular with tourists because there is a wonderful view from it.

The London Eye was opened 8 years ago in 1999. The London Eye will be the Olympic emblem of the Olympic Games in 2012. It is a symbol of London today.

By Veronika Hohosha

Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster; the name is frequently extendet of refer to both the clock and the clock tower. The official name of the tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower; it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth 2.

Big Ben is the largest of the tower’s five bells and weighs 13.5 long tons (13.7 tonnes; 15.1 short tons). It was the largest bell in the United Kingdom for 23 years. The origin of the bell’s nickname is open to question; it may be named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw its installation, or heavyweight champion Benjamin Caunt. Four quarter bells chime at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour and just before Big Ben tolls on the hour. The clock uses its original Victorian mechanism, but an electric motor can be used as a backup.The tower was designed by August Plugin in a neo-Gothic style. When completed in 1859, its clock was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world. 

By Stanislav Pasichnyi

                   Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative  headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located  in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

A German bomb destroyed the palace chapel during the Second World War; the Queen’s Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London’s Marylebone district, created in 1835 by the sculptor Marie Tussauds.

In 1777, Marie Tussaud created her first wax figure, Voltaire, followed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Benjamin Franklin.

The first museum during the life of Madame Tussauds housed only 30 figures. Then the main problem of the museum was the economy of the preservation of figures, because it was constantly destroyed.

Here you could see the victims of the French Revolution, murderers and famous criminals. Over time, the collection was replenished with figures of people who became famous in other fields of activity. In 1884, the collection moved to a new building on Marylebone Road.

But now you can see here many different actors, singers, politicians and even the Queen of Great Britain. 

By Amina Rasulova

Westminster Abbey

Initially, a church was built on the site of this famous architectural monument in London. The construction of the abbey began in the VII century, and only by the middle of the XVIII century the ensemble was completed. Gothic towers with openwork arches and decorative elements look incredibly solemn and majestic. Important ceremonies, considered to be key historical events in the chronology of the British monarchy, took place here. Wedding and funeral ceremonies, accession to the throne – silent witnesses of the events were the walls of the “Western Church” (as the name implies). This is a famous tomb, about 300 talented, famous artists have found their last refuge here. Westminster Abbey is now a functioning church, with services for parishioners every Sunday.

By Danilo Tkachenko

             Trafalgar Square

   Trafalgar Square is a square in central London where three Westminster streets converge on the site of the Charing Cross – The Strand, Whitehall and Mall. Previously, this square was named in honor of King William IV. The square is very important in transportation. The Charing Cross metro station overlooks it. 

   The square appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. Before that, there were royal stables in its place, after the demolition of which a wasteland was formed.

   In the center of the square rises Nelson’s Column of dark gray granite, surmounted by a statue of Admiral Nelson. The column was installed in 1840-1843, surrounded by sculptures of lions and fountains.

by Maryna Kondratova

         The Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is part of a South Kensington-based group of museums that includes the Natural History Museum and Science Museum. Founded in 1852, the V&A covers close to 13 acres and contains 145 galleries spanning some 5,000 years of art and related artifacts.

Exhibits include ceramics and glass, textiles and costumes, silver and jewelry, ironwork, sculpture, prints, and photos, and are conveniently arranged into four main categories: Asia; Furniture, Textiles, and Fashion; Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics, and Glass; and Word and Image.

It’s impossible to get around this vast museum in a single visit, so the best plan to tackle it is to decide in advance which sections you most want to see. Taking a V&A tour is highly recommended, and often free, with options including everything from daily introductory tours to specific gallery or themed tours.

f you’re around, check into one of the fun “Friday Late” programs held on the last Friday of the month, popular for their food and drink experiences, along with late-night exhibition openings.

Address: Cromwell Road, Knightsbridge, London

By Okley Viktoria