Famous places in London

Famous places in London

Tower bridge : The 244m London Tower Bridge crosses the River Thames in London. It is the most famous examples of movable bridges.

Buckingham Palace : The official London residence of the British sovereign. When the Royal Standard (flag) is flying the Queen is in residence. Its interior, open to the public during August and September while the queen is on holiday, contains many elegantly furnished apartments and noted collections of paintings.

The famous changing of the Guard takes place outside Buckingham Palace everyday at 11.30. It is a ceremony in which guards in red uniforms and black hats(bearskins) replace others.

The Houses of Parliament : also New Palace of Westminster, seat of the British legislature, a great mass of buildings on the east bank of the River Thames.( The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.). The exterior is impressive with its three massive towers: Victoria Tower (102 m), Middle Tower (91 m), and Saint Stephen's, or the Clock Tower (98 m), which contains a clock with four dials and a great bell, Big Ben, weighing 13.5 tons.

The Tower of London : : Located on the North side of the River Thames, the original tower, known as the White Tower, was first built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, to protect London from possible invasions. It has been a fortress, a palace but also a prison and a zoo. It is now largely a showplace and museum. It holds the crown jewels of England and is one of the country's greatest tourist attractions

. A popular feature is the Yeomen of the Guard, known as Beefeaters, who still wear colourful uniforms of the Tudor period.

Some ravens live outside the Tower and it is said that something terrible will happen to England if they leave.

Saint Paul's Cathedral, London's most imposing church was designed by the English architect

Sir Christopher Wren. Built between 1675 and 1710, the cathedral is the burial place of many illustrious British figures.

Prince Charles and Lady Diana married

St Pauls Cathedral

Trafalgar Square : Central square in London where Nelsons column stands.

Admiral Horatio Nelson :(1758-1805) : British naval commander, whose victories in the battle of Trafalgar made him a British national hero. Admiral Nelson was mortally wounded in the battle but the British victory destroyed Napoleon's plan to invade England and helped secure the supremacy of British naval forces for the rest of the 1800s. He was buried in Saint Paul's Cathedral.

Westminster Abbey the most famous church in Great-Britain. Almost all English Kings and Queens have been crowned in the Abbey and many famous people are buried there (Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin).

London Quiz

1. Which London bridge can be open?

a. Tower Bridge

b. London Bridge

c. Blackfriars Bridge

d. Millennium Bridge

2. Which river flows through London ?

a. the Severn

b. the Wye

c. the Thames

d. the Trent

3. Who had The Tower of London built ?

a. Charles I

b. Edward I

c. Richard the Lionheart

d. William the Conqueror

4. Which century does The Tower of London date from ?

a. 10th

b. 11th

c. 12th

c. 13th

5. Where are the Crown Jewels kept?

a. Buckingham Palace

b. the London Dungeon

c. the Tower of London

d. the Bank of England

6. What are the famous guards of The Tower of London called?

a. Beefeaters

b. The Queens Guards

c. Knights

d. The Queens soldiers

7. The Tower of London is said to be protected by birds. Which ones ?

a. Ravens

b. Eagles

c. Pigeons

d. Nightingales

8. Which architect designed St Paul's cathedral ?

a. Florence Nightingale

b. Christopher Robin

c. Francis Drake

d. Christopher Wren

9.Where did Prince Charles and Lady Diana get married ?

a. St Pauls Cathedral

b. Westminster Abbey

c. Buckingham Palace

d. Windsor castle

10. Which famous naval battle did the British win against Napoleon in 1805 ?

a. Battle of Trafalgar

b. Battle of Austerlitz

c. Battle of Wagram

d. Battle of Waterloo

11. What commemorates Napoleon's defeat at sea in 1805 ?

a. Oliver's Column

b. Duke of York's Column

c. Nelson's Column

d. Napoleons column

12. What is the name of the Queen main London

residence ?

a. Buckingham Palace

b. Kensington Palace

c. St James' Palace

d. Alexandra Palace

13. What do the Queens guards wear :

a. a bowler hat

b. a bearskin hat

c. a cap

d. a helmet

14. What time does the changing of the Guard ceremony take place every day ?

a. 10.30 am

b. 11.30 am

c. 12.30 pm

d. 13.30 pm

15. What do the letters MP stand for ?

a. Member of politics

b. Member of Parliament

c. magic power

d. many people

16. Where does the Prime Minister live ?

a. Oxford Street

b. Downing Street

c. The White House

d. Buckingham Place

17. What is Big Ben ?

a. a clock tower

b. a bell

c. a hamburger

d. a film star

18. Where are Kings and Queens crowned ?

a. Buckingham Palace

b. St Paul's cathedral

c. The House of Lords

d. Westminster Abbey

19. When did the Queens reign begin ?

a.1942

b.1952

c.1962

d.1972

20. Are Elizabeth and Philip the names of :

a. The Queen and King of England ?

b. The Queen and her husband ?

c. The King and his wife ?

d. the Queens children ?