Living It Up In London: Top 6 Attractions You Should Visit

London is the most visited city in Europe and it is not difficult to see why, the city radiates culture and history that gives visitors a vivid glimpse into the lives of bygone eras. Reminders of the past are everywhere in the form of buildings, there are also plenty of prominent museums that house an impressive collection of historic exhibits. If history is not your thing there’s still more than enough to do in this impressive metropolis. From visiting grand parks to sightseeing London truly has it all. London is so popular that finding parking in London can be difficult, in response you can park out of the centre and travel around London using the iconic London Tube.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous London attractions around the world, Buckingham Palace was built in 1705 for John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham and was bought by George III in 1762. Ever since it has been the primary residence of the royal family. There are over 775 rooms in the palace; this includes 52 Royal and guest rooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 19 staterooms and 78 bathrooms. Over 450 staff members are working full-time in Buckingham Palace. Certain areas of Buckingham Palace are open to the public between July and September each year. There is a specific Union Jack flag that is raised when the Sovereign (King or Queen) is present. If you visit between May and July you will have a chance to see the ceremonious changing of the guard, during these months this event usually takes place around 11:30 am every day.

 

Throughout WW2 the royals refused to leave the palace for a residence that provided more safety from German bombardment, Buckingham Palace was actually damaged by bombs during WW2. The royal family said at the time they were actually glad their Palace was bombed because it allowed the Royal family to appear more relatable to the general population who who’s houses were routinely bombed, particularly in big cities like London.

Tower Of London

In 1097AD the Tower Of London was built under the instruction of William The Conqueror to inspire a feeling of oppression and control to recently defeated Londoners. The Tower Of London comprises a stone tower surrounded by layers of high walls and other defences, along with a moat. From 1100AD the tower was used as a prison to house common criminals alongside political opponents to the current monarchy. In 1292 Edward I filled the moat with Pike fish that proved to be a good food source for those living in the Tower Of London. 

 

Since 1661 the Crown Jewels have been held safe and secure at the Tower Of London. They are protected by the legendary Yeomen Warders who have been guarding the tower since at least 1509. Yeomen Warders also called Beefeaters are elite royal bodyguards who have been drafted from the armed services. When new Yeoman Warders are drafted into service they are toasted with a toast from the Chief Yeoman Warder, who says “May you never die a Yeoman Warder” as a way of saying good luck!

 

Today The Tower Of London is a hugely popular tourist attraction where tourists with an interest in the grim past of the tower can indulge themselves in grotesque facts. Tourists are given a guided tour around the tower where they can see various devices designed to inspire fear amongst prisoners living in the tower and the public in general. Visitors can also view the Royal Jewels at The Tower Of London.

London Eye

The London Eye is another iconic part of London’s skyline, construction began in 1998 on the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel, standing at 135 metres tall. The London Eye provides a 360-degree bird eye view of the London Skyline through large observation windows making it easy for tourists to take photos of the majestic views of London. If you want the best photography experience you should ride the London Eye on what is dubbed as the magic hour. This is the hour before the sun sets which will give a more distinguished feel to your photographs of London’s skyline.

The Houses Of Parliament And Big Ben

The Palace Of Westminister or The Houses of Parliament as it is better known was built in 1801, it is home to both The House Of Commons And The House Of Lords, which forms the national governing body of England. As a result of this the area around the Houses Of Parliament is a popular place for tourists to congregate and take photos, the most popular part of The Palace Of Westminster is a four-sided clocktower known as Big Ben; which has historically been an iconic part of the London skyline.

Madame Tussauds 

Madame Tussauds is a legendary waxwork museum, the original London branch was founded in 1835; however these days there are over 23 unique locations of Madame Tussauds around the world. Madame Tussauds is famous for creating realistic-looking waxwork models of figures in popular culture. Such as sports people, movie stars and politicians which tourists can take selfies with to make it look like they bumped into the celebrity in real life.

Tower Bridge

The Tower Bridge was built and opened in 1894 after winning a public competition to win a contract to design the bridge, 50 different bridge designs were submitted. The competition ended up being abandoned however architect Sir Horace Jones teamed up with a civil engineer named Sir John Wolfe Barry to bring the idea to reality. Building the bridge took over 8 years and cost the equivalent of 143 million pounds in 2021.

 

Despite popular belief, Tower Bridge is not a draw bridge. Instead, the bridge is an example of a bascule bridge which is a bridge that uses a counterweight to open or close. This is due to the fact The Tower Bridge would be too heavy to be used as a drawbridge. When the tower was first built it was painted chocolate brown which was Queen Victoria’s favourite colour, this colour scheme lasted until the start of WW2 when the Tower Bridge was painted battleship grey as an attempt to camouflage the iconic bridge. In 1977 the bridge was again repainted in red, white and blue which is the colour Tower Bridge remains today. 

Conclusion

You will never struggle to find something to do in London, which is one of the reasons why the nation’s capital is so popular with tourists from all over the world!