Big Ben - London's calling card: when will the restoration end? Central London: description and photo. Tower of london

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Big Ben is the largest of the six bells of Westminster Palace, located in, on the banks of the River Thames, in the Westminster area. In the world, this famous clock is usually associated with the "Elizabeth Tower", renamed from the "Clock Tower" in the fall of 2012, while the mechanism itself and the parliament building have separate names. According to the most common versions, the great bell can be named both in honor of Sir Benjamin Hall, who supervised the work on its casting, and in honor of the famous heavyweight boxer - Benjamin Count, who shone in the ring at the time the tower was being erected.

It was built in the neo-Gothic style, in 1858, and the clock began its countdown a year later. The total height of the building together with the spire is more than 96 meters, the diameter of the dial is 7 meters, and the length of the hands, respectively, reaches 2.7 and 4.2 meters. For a long time, Big Ben was considered the largest clock mechanism in the world, and the tower of Westminster Palace is still a symbol of London to this day. IN different years many famous films were filmed here, and the structure was shown in all sorts of angles and types. At one time, the tower was even a prison for especially active parliamentarians, and in honor of the famous British woman Emmeline Pankhurst, famous for her social deeds for women's rights, a memorial monument flaunts on the territory of Westminster Palace.

On all four dials of the tower, installed on each side, there are inscriptions in Latin, meaning “God save our queen - Victoria I”. To the right and to the left of the mechanism, upon closer examination, one can see another inscription - "Praise the Lord". It is known that London's Big Ben is famous for its accuracy, but at the same time, the operation of the mechanism is always corrected only with a simple 1 penny coin, which can accelerate the movement of the pendulum by 0.4 seconds per day. There are many such coins at the very top of the watch. When some important events take place in the country, the battle of Big Ben is heard in different areas, and at that moment the tower is shown in close-up on central television.

Today, the clock tower is rightfully considered one of the symbols of the city, ideally blending into the city landscapes and standing out against the background of the Thames. There are few tourists in the world who have visited the English capital and have not photographed against the backdrop of the legendary Big Ben. Meanwhile, only British citizens are allowed direct access to the tower, and even then only with special permission, which can be quite difficult to obtain. However, this does not decrease the popularity of the attraction, but only makes it even more mysterious.

We all know from school that the most famous bridge in London is Tower Bridge. Its unusual appearance makes it easily recognizable: on the imposing river pillars, there are two Gothic-style towers, which are connected by drawbridges and pedestrian galleries.

Its main difference from the rest of the bridges is that it is drawbridge and is the lowest over the Thames. It got its name due to the proximity to the Tower, which is located on the north side.

Short story

For a long time, the Thames was crossed by one London Bridge. However, the sharp economic growth and population growth that began in the 19th century showed the need for the construction of additional bridges, which were supposed to help solve the transport problem of the capital.

Over the years, more than one bridge has been built, but traffic problems have not diminished. Soon a committee was formed, which studied dozens of projects, and only in 1884 the project of John Wolf Bury and Goras Johnson was approved.

More than 400 workers worked on the construction of the bridge for 8 years. The inauguration took place on June 30, 1894, and was attended by Prince Edward of Wales and his wife, Princess Alexandra.

The bridge was made in the Gothic style, but with a number of innovative designs. Thanks to the hydraulic system, it takes just a couple of minutes to provide free passage to the sailing vessel. Until 1974, the bridge was raised due to the operation of steam engines, in the furnaces of which coal was burned, which drove the pumps. They pumped water into reservoirs, storing energy. But progress did not stand still, and the entire mechanism was replaced by an electro-hydraulic system, which significantly saved time and costs. Now the bridge was raised not on schedule, but out of necessity.

Over the years, Tower Bridge, along with Big Ben, have become real symbols and one of the main attractions of London.

Today Tower Bridge is one of the most visited attractions in England. Many tourists, coming here, consider it an honor to take a walk through the legendary structure, especially since many hotels in London send them on very informative and comprehensive city tours.

Information for visitors

Address: Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP, United Kingdom

You can walk along Tower Bridge:

• in the summer season (from April 1 to September 30) - from 10:00 to 18:30 (last entry at 17:30);
• in the winter season (from October 1 to March 31) - from 09:30 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:00).

Ticket prices:

You can buy tickets at

The question of which part of London is considered its geographical center is of concern not only to those who like to study their home planet using maps. Many tourists, getting to the capital of Great Britain, find it difficult to navigate in this metropolis. Fortunately, most of the more interesting sights are fairly easy to find. Guided tours can also be booked.

Buckingham Palace

There is hardly a person who would never have heard of Her Majesty Elizabeth II. So, her official residence - Buckingham Royal Palace - is located in the area of ​​Pall Mall and Green Park streets. If a standard flutters over the building, it means that the monarch is in her beloved capital.

The Royal Palace acquired its status during the accession to the throne of the great-grandmother of Elizabeth II - Victoria - in 1837. Today, the statue of this monarch is the first to greet everyone who approaches the fence of the residence to inspect the ceremonial dwelling of the Windsor dynasty.

Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. 52 of them are the chambers of the royal family and guests. There are also about 20 public buildings there. In 92 of them offices are located, and 188 are used for technical needs and rest of service personnel. In addition, the royal residence has 72 bathrooms and toilets. Total area the palace is 20 hectares, and on 17 hectares there is the largest private garden in London with an artificial lake.

Changing of the guard ceremony

Guardsmen in bright red uniforms and high fur hats are attractions as well as the palaces and temples that adorn central London.

The Changing of the Guard ceremony is held at Buckingham Palace every day at 11:30 in the summer, and every other day in other seasons. The ceremony lasts 45 minutes. Sometimes a military parade for the solemn changing of the guard is canceled due to bad weather.

The tradition dates back to 1660. At Buckingham Palace, it began to be held in 1837, when Queen Victoria moved there.

The colorful performance is accompanied by the sounds of orchestral music. Part of the parade takes place outside the Buckingham Palace fence, while tourists and Londoners usually watch the rest of the ceremony through its fence.

Tower of London

This fortress is one of the main attractions of the British capital. It is believed that it was around him that modern London was formed. It is impossible to imagine the city center without it today. The castle covers an area of ​​1170 sq. m and is a square. From the outside Tower of London(Tower of London) is surrounded by two rings of walls with many towers. There are 13 towers on the internal defensive line. As for the outer ring, it is much longer than the first. To protect it from the water, 6 towers were erected at one time, located along the banks of the Thames, from where a beautiful view of the magnificent central London opens.

In the southwest corner of the space, which lies between the two belts of the walls, is the meadow with Plaha, where many prominent members of the English nobility were executed over the centuries, including the three queens - wives of Henry VIII. The last beheading in Tower Meadow took place in 1747.

Today this fortress in central London is open to tourists. They are invited to get acquainted with the exhibits on display in the Tower Museum and in the Armory. Among them, the treasures of the British crown are of particular interest.

On the territory of the castle there is also the oldest christian temple the capital of Great Britain is the chapel of St. Peter, which is almost 1000 years old.

Tower Bridge in central London

Although this structure is considered by many to be medieval, it was not built until 1894. Tower Bridge, adorning the center of London, is a drawbridge with two towers placed on intermediate supports. The total length of the structure is 244 m, and its height is 65 m. The pedestrian galleries of the bridge have been used as a museum since 1982.

Tower Bridge is still managed in the old fashioned way: it has a captain and a crew of military sailors. They beat off the flasks and keep watch.

Initially, the bridge was raised daily, but on this moment this ritual takes place only a few times a week and is attended by crowds of tourists.

Palace of Westminster

Talking about the main sights of London, you cannot ignore this majestic building in the neo-Gothic style, built in the middle of the 19th century, where the English Parliament sits today. The palace has 3 towers. The highest of them reaches a height of 98.5 m. It is named after Queen Victoria of Great Britain. At the time of its construction, the tower was considered the tallest in the world among secular structures.

At the base of the building is the Sovereign's Entrance, which is a 15 m high arch surrounded by statues. The pyramidal cast-iron roof of the building is crowned with a 22-meter flagpole. It houses parliamentary archives for more than 500 recent years. They span 12 floors and contain nearly 3 million documents of national importance.

In the northern part of the palace is She is better known as Big Ben ( detailed information see below).

Another interesting building of the palace is the Central Tower. It is octagonal and has a height of 91 m. The tower is located in the middle of the palace building and rises above the Central Hall. The building was originally designed as a chimney for 400 fireplaces located in different rooms of the palace. However, it turned out that the architects made a mistake in their calculations and today the building performs a decorative function.

In the middle of the west facade of the Palace of Westminster is St Stephen's Tower. Two more similar structures are located at the ends of the facade, which is located on the Thames side. These are the Speaker and Chancellor towers.

Big Ben

When the main and most recognizable sights of London are described, the list is often opened by the most famous tower in Great Britain.

It was built as part of the new Royal Palace, erected after a fire in 1834, and is a majestic structure in the neo-Gothic style. The author of the construction project was Augustus Pajin. The height of the Big Ben tower with a spire is 96.3 meters. At its base is a 15-meter concrete foundation 3 meters thick.

In the upper part of the tower, at a height of 55 meters, there is a clock with four dials, 7 m in diameter, made of smoked glass. At night, they are illuminated from the inside. A bell tower with 5 bells is located above the clock. The largest of them was named Big Ben. According to one of the legends, it was so dubbed in honor of the construction manager of the facility, Sir Benjamin Hall.

Although Big Ben is one of the most recognizable landmarks on our planet, access to it is closed to tourists. This is done for security reasons. In addition, there are no lifts in the tower, so those few who are allowed to climb to the clockwork have to climb 334 uncomfortable steps.

Trafalgar Square

In response to the question of what square is in the center of London, anyone who has visited the British capital at least once will no doubt name Trafalgar.

This famous landmark is located at the intersection of Whitehall, Strand and Mall. Until the 19th century, the square bore the name of William the Fourth and received its modern name in 1805 after the famous naval battle that cost the life of the best admiral in Great Britain.

In the center of Trafalgar Square rises. It is built of dark gray granite, has a height of 44 m and is a kind of pedestal for the statue of the famous admiral. The column is decorated with three-dimensional images made from Napoleon's cannons.

Other notable structures located in Trafalgar Square

If the Tower - historical Center London, the Trafalgar Square - geographic. Along its perimeter are the London National Gallery, the Church of St. Martin in the Fields, the Admiralty Arch, as well as the buildings of several embassies.

Since the 1840s, the square has been decorated with 3 monuments installed in its corners. They represent statues to George the Fourth, as well as to Generals Charles James Napier and Henry Havelock. Simultaneously with them, a fourth pedestal was erected on Trafalgar Square. It was empty until 2005, when a sculpture was installed on it depicting the disabled artist Alison Lapper. 4 years later, a glass installation "Hotel Model" appeared in its place. Today, on the fourth pedestal of Trafalgar Square, you can see a huge bottle, inside which is a model of the ship "Victoria". It was on board that the admiral was mortally wounded, from which he died at the age of 47.

"London Eye"

This is one of the largest Ferris spikes in Europe, built from 1998 to 2004. It is located on south bank Thames. The authors of the project are David Marks and Julia Barfield. The total weight of the huge wheel with all the mechanisms is 1700 tons.

The London Eye has 32 booths shaped like huge eggs. Each of them comfortably accommodates up to 25 passengers who can view the historic center of London, its outskirts and some suburbs from a height for half an hour.

The wheel rotates at approximately 0.9 kilometers per hour. It does not stop to disembark passengers and "take on board" the next, and these operations have to be carried out on the go. In good weather, visibility from the cockpit is up to 40 kilometers.

Tourists and Londoners can ride the Ferris wheel every day. From September to March, passengers boarding is carried out from 10:00 to 20:30, and from April to August, another half hour is added to the working hours of the attraction.

Hyde park

Royal or Hyde Park in central London (Rangers Lodge, W2 2UH, open from 5:00 to 24:00) is one of the most famous in Britain and covers an area of ​​1.4 square meters. km. It was founded before the conquest british isles Normans. However, it was made open for Londoners to walk only in the 17th century by order of King Charles II.

In addition, the park is home to the Serpentine lake, where you can swim, and the gallery of the same name. By the way, open water swims took place on this reservoir during the London Olympics.

Serpentine Gallery

As already mentioned, this attraction is located on the territory of Hyde Park. It was opened in 1970 in a classic tea pavilion, built in the mid-30s of the last century. At one time, the patroness of the gallery was Princess Diana. Today, at the entrance to the building that houses the permanent exhibition, one can see the work dedicated to it by Peter Coates and Ian Hamilton Finlay.

The Serpentine Gallery annually orders the creation of new temporary pavilions to world-famous architects. They are happy to design unique structures, inside which conferences on the topic of art, special film screenings, and cafes operate.

Over the years, the Serpentine Gallery has exhibited such world-famous artists and sculptors as Man Ray, Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Alan McCollum, Paula Rego, Bridget Riley, and others.

Westminster Abbey

This magnificent temple has been the traditional place of coronation, marriage and burial of the kings of Great Britain for many centuries. Westminster Abbey (address: 20 Deans Yard London SW1P 3 PA), more specifically the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, began to be built in 1245, and acquired its final appearance only after almost 5 centuries after numerous reconstructions.

The main building of the temple is in the shape of a cross. The greatest length, from the western door to the outer wall of the Chapel of Our Lady, is 161.5 m, and highest height Western towers - 68 m. The total area of ​​the premises is approximately 3000 sq. M. m. At the same time, the abbey can accommodate up to 2 thousand people.

At the very beginning of the central gallery of the abbey, you can see images of all Christian saints made by the icon painter Sergei Fedorov. In addition, the abbey is a place of pilgrimage for lovers of English literature - Poets' Corner, which houses the tombs of such famous writers of past centuries as Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Tennyson and Browning.

Few people know that in 1998, statues of martyrs of the 20th century were installed over the portico of the western entrance to the temple. Among them are the fighter against racial discrimination Martin Luther King, the priest Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed by the Nazis in the Flossenbürg concentration camp, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, thrown by the Bolsheviks into a mine near Alapaevsk in 1918, and others.

Globus theatre"

Many of those who buy tours to London will definitely want to visit the Globe Theater, located on the south bank of the Thames. The building, where many of Shakespeare's plays were premiered, was built in 1599. Unfortunately, it burned down 14 years later.

The modern Globe Building (address: New Globe Walk, SE1), erected in 1997, is a replica of the historic theater. Some of the seats in his auditorium are located directly under open air, therefore, you can visit the performances of the Shakespearean troupe from mid-May to September 20.

The best way to visit Globus is to take the Metro to Cannon St or Mansion House.

Covent Garden

The Royal Theater in the eponymous district of London was founded in 1732 and was very popular among the residents of the British capital.

The current building (address: Bow Street WC2E 9DD) is the third in a row. It was erected in 1858. The auditorium of the Covent Garden Theater has a capacity of 2,268.

Covent Garden is also called the Royal Opera and stars of the first magnitude shine on its stage.

Compared to other London landmarks, the building looks less impressive from the outside, but the design of its interiors makes an indelible impression on the audience.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is located in the Westminster area. The square was built in 1819. For its construction, it was necessary to demolish a house with a garden that belonged to Lady Hutton, which interfered with the connection of Regent Street with the important shopping street of Piccadilly.

The main attraction of the square is the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. The building is located in the southwestern part. It is dedicated to the famous philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury. At the top of the sculptural composition is the winged figure of a naked arrow, symbolizing Anteros, who is the "god of selfless love."

The square also houses the buildings of the underground Criterion Theater, founded in 1874, and the London Pavilion Music Hall, built in 1859.

At the beginning of the century, the building was connected to the Trocadero Center.

Tate Gallery

In the building located at Millbank SW1B 3DG, near the Palace of Westminster, tourists can get acquainted with the famous National Collection of British Art. It is the world's largest collection of paintings, sculptures and graphics by English authors from the 16th to 20th centuries. The collection was founded by the manufacturer Sir Henry Tate. The gallery was opened to the public in 1897.

30 years later, a wing was added to the building, in which the works of foreign painters were placed. In 1987, the Clore Gallery began to operate, displaying one of the most extensive collections of Turner's canvases.

Now you know what interesting architectural landmarks adorn the center of London. In addition, every year the capital of Great Britain becomes a venue for various cultural, sports and other entertainment events of a global and European scale. They, as well as monuments of history and architecture, are one of the reasons for the popularity enjoyed by tours to London.

When talking about the symbols of England, the famous landmark of London is immediately presented - the Big Ben tower.

What is Big Ben

Big Ben is the largest of the six bells in Palace of Westminster... Many people think that this is the name of the clock tower in London, but in fact this is the name of the 13-ton bell that is located inside it, behind the dial.

Big Ben's official name was "The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster." In 2012, by decision of the British Parliament, this landmark of England was renamed the Elizabeth Tower (in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Queen's reign).

Despite other names, the name "Big Ben" remains the most popular and is used generically to refer to the tower, clock, and bells.

All about Big Ben: history and description

The clock tower was built in Westminster in 1288 and at that time had a completely different look.

In 1834, there was a huge fire at Westminster Palace and everything burned down. Its restoration was undertaken by Charles Barry, together with the architect Augustus Welby Pugin, who designed the current neo-Gothic clock tower. In 1859, when Big Ben was built, the clock was launched and to this day they accurately count the time.

There are two popular versions after whom the London watch is named. The first version sounds like this: the tower got its name in honor of Benjamin Hall - the one who built Big Ben, or rather supervised the construction, he was quite large in build and was often called Big Ben. Another version of why the clock tower is called so is in honor of the popular heavyweight boxer Benjamin Count.

Big Ben height

The tower, including the spire, measures 320 feet (96.3 meters). To imagine what Big Ben looks like, imagine the height of a 16-story building.

There are no lifts or lifts in the tower, so it is closed to the public. Sometimes exceptions are made to this rule, and then visitors climb 334 steps to go upstairs.

Clock

The clock on the Big Ben Tower in London is still the largest in the world. The dial diameter is 7 meters. The length of the arrows is 2.7 and 4.2 meters.

The watch movement is considered the standard of reliability, its total weight is 5 tons. It was assembled by the watchmaker Edward John Dent, who completed the work in 1854. A fundamentally new double three-stage movement was created, which allows better separation of the pendulum and the five-ton movement.

The watch is so reliable that even during the Second World War, when German bombing damaged two dials and the roof of the tower, it did not interrupt its course. Thus, this British landmark has become a symbol of the accuracy and reliability of all English. At the bottom of each dial is the inscription "God Save Our Queen Victoria", which is also absolutely in the English spirit.

• 13 tons - that's how much Big Ben weighs (the largest bell in Westminster Palace).
• The London clock is the international time standard and is also considered the largest four-sided striking clock in the world.
• The accuracy of the clock is regulated with a 1 penny coin (if necessary, the coin is placed on the pendulum and its movement slows down by 0.4 seconds per day).
• In the bell tower, in addition to Big Ben (which sounds every hour), there are four more quarters, which ring every quarter of an hour. A melody is issued, consisting of 20 consecutive Cambridge chimes, for each quarter of an hour - its own composition of chimes.
• To the sounds of Big Ben, the British greet the coming of the New Year, and also mark all the mournful events and minutes of silence.
• News programs in England begin with a photograph of this tower.
• Almost all documentaries and feature films about England use the image of Big Ben in the screensaver.
• Once in Big Ben, there was a prison for parliamentarians who behaved violently at meetings, the last prisoner was Emmeline Pankhurst, she fought for women's rights. In honor of this woman, a monument is erected on Parliament Square, where Big Ben stands.

Information about Big Ben: where it is located, address on the map

Location: London, Parlament Square

Address: Palace of Westminster, Old Palace Yard, London SW1

Nearest metro station: Westminster on the circle

How to get there by bus: to Parliament Square or Whitehall Street stop (Trafalgar Square).

If you are suddenly tired of the imposing architecture of the Kingdom of Great Britain, you can visit one of the very first museums of Madame Tussauds, with a unique collection of wax figures.

Let's start with the most famous ones, such as Big Ben and Palace of Westminster. Even those who have never been to London have heard about them, but not everyone knows that Parliament is located in the Palace of Westminster, about the history of this palace, about the changes that it has endured over the centuries.

Tours are held even when Parliament is in session, both for British citizens and foreigners. Some traditions have been preserved here, which are already many centuries old. After the election of a new speaker of the House of Commons, other members of parliament literally pull him to the speaker's chair by force. In the old days, the Speaker of the House of Commons who did not find mutual language with the House of Lords, he was deprived not only of his job, but also of his life. Once, in one day, the heads of two speakers were chopped off. Heads are no longer chopped off, and in parliament, with its bicameral system of checks and balances, disputes are resolved through debate.

Big Ben was added to the building after the fire of 1834, and after the first bell cracked during the inspection, the second was raised to the bell tower, which was first sounded in July 1859. Soon it also cracked, so it was turned to the hammer of another side, instead of changing the bell itself.

Another well-known building is Buckingham Palace, which should be seen by everyone who has visited London. Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the English queen and royal family since the late 18th century. It's in Westminster and easy to get there by public transport as it is one of the most visited tourist destinations in London.

Every year in August and September, visitors can see the ceremonial hall. It contains priceless paintings by great artists, beautiful sculptures and some of the world's most remarkable pieces of furniture. Many also want to see the changing of the royal guard.

Tower of London in different historical epochs it was a palace, a fortress, and a prison. Perhaps its present purpose - a museum - is the best of all. Its defensive walls and towers were built by various kings who lived here. The moat, which was supplied with water from the Thames, was drained in 1830. William the Conqueror began to build the Tower, but during his lifetime it was never completed.

Many famous captives have been held here for years, so now it is possible to regale tourists with chilling ghost stories. Tower Bridge and each tower have their own story. Here you can also see the treasures of the crown. The Tower also serves as a zoo and arsenal.

St Paul's Cathedral served the first service back in 1697. This is the fourth cathedral in a row, which stands in this place. The first Cathedral of St. Paul was built in the 7th century. The third was destroyed during the Great Fire in London. Real cathedral built for 35 years according to the project of Christopher Wren. He was obsessed with the idea that London's main church should boggle the imagination, and now every corner of the cathedral, including the organ, lives up to his expectations.

The official name of Westminster Abbey is Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster, but in the world it is better known unofficially. From the very Battle of Hastings back in the 11th century. almost all coronations took place here and is still the site of all important national events. There used to be a Benedictine monastery here, but now it is no longer.

The building at the intersection of Whitehall and Downin Street has been associated with the British Prime Minister since 1730. The house was originally presented as a gift to Prime Minister Robert Walpole, but he refused the gift and insisted that the building be used by the future First Lords of the Treasury. This building is the heart of the British government.

Attempts by contemporaries to contribute to the architecture of London evoked a variety of responses. Ferris wheel, which was named London Eye was greeted positively because it offers a magnificent view of the River Thames.

And here Millennium Dome in Greenwich, from an architectural point of view, it was not as well received, but as the largest room in England for exhibitions, shops, restaurants and other entertainment facilities, Londoners liked it.

These are just a few of the huge number of interesting and remarkable places in London. New or old, they all attract tourists who want to independently familiarize themselves with what they previously saw only on TV. Even after seeing a small part of the historic buildings and structures in London, you will know that you have not wasted your time and money.