There are many wonderful sights in London that have great importance on the cultures and arts not only of Great Britain, but of the whole world. Most of them are related to history. These are monuments, squares, majestic buildings. Every language learner should be able to describe the sights of London in English.
Sights of London in English
Big Ben
- one of the sights of London, which is considered a symbol of this city. This is not only what many associate with, but also the largest clock in the world.
To describe this attraction in London, you can use the following words:
| Delight the eye | Pleasing to the eye |
| be named after | Named after |
| The most famous | The most famous |
| Amazing | Amazing |
| masterpiece | Masterpiece |
| Impressive clock | Impressive watch |
| clock tower | Clock tower |
How to describe London landmark Big Ben in English:
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The Tower Castle, together with Tower Bridge, has been an unshakable symbol of London for centuries. Today it is a complex of buildings from different times, surrounded by two rows of wide fortifications with towers, the Tower is located on the north bank of the Thames.
History of the Tower of London
The Tower of London is the best preserved castle in Europe, and the age of the castle is “venerable”, it is over 900 years old! The Tower has never been taken by storm, the thickness of the castle walls is more than 4.6 meters. The Tower of London was both the home of kings and a prison for persons of noble birth, including royalty.
It will take a very long time to tell even a brief history of the Tower, because it began long before the official foundation in 1066. The founder of the castle was William the Conqueror, but long before that, Roman fortifications were laid on the site of the modern Tower, and today's castle keeps parts of them.
The large-scale reconstruction and strengthening of the Tower was carried out by Henry III, the reconstruction began in 1238, despite the young age of the king, he was only 9 years old, this is the most ambitious work to strengthen the Tower. During the reconstruction, a new defensive wall appeared with nine new towers. In 1240, the walls of the tower were painted white, later the Tower received a new name - the White Tower.
The Tower for its 900 years is both the residence of kings and the mint, the state archive, where many historical and legal documents were kept.
The Tower of London - a prison for royalty
The fact that from the day of its foundation the Tower was a state prison brought him an ominous fame, the first prisoner was imprisoned in the fortress in 1190. The walls of the Tower have witnessed human grief and tragedy for centuries.
Famous prisoners were imprisoned in the fortress: King James I of Scotland, John II, King of France and the French Prince Charles of Orleans, Henry VI, did not spare children either, it was here that the murder of two little princes Edward V and Richard took place. Three English queens were executed on the territory of the Tower, two of them Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were wives Henry VIII, as well as "queen for 9 days" Jane Grey.
Black Ravens of the Tower
The black crows that live in myriads in the Tower of London are not only main legend, but also the real symbols of the castle. The first raven appeared in the Tower in 1553 during those nine days of Jane Gray's reign and said the famous "Vivat!" Since then, the black raven has been a harbinger of terrible punishment, he has invariably appeared to those who were doomed, this happened until the Tower became just a museum.
It is now believed that as long as the winged guards live in the Tower, the British crown will prosper. Charles II issued a decree according to which at least six black ravens were to be kept in the castle at all times, and a special guardian was to keep them. This tradition is strictly observed today, a solid budget is allocated for the maintenance of seven ravens (one in the "reserve"). Each raven has a name and a spacious enclosure, each has its own character. In their daily ration includes 200 gr. fresh meat, blood biscuits, fried croutons. Tourists enjoy watching living legends.
Tower ghosts
London with its history is considered the leader in the number of ghosts living in it. It is full of ghosts of kings and queens, of course, the Tower with its tragedies and bloody executions was no exception.
They say that the ghost of King George II often looks out of the windows, watching the weather vane. The beheaded Anne Boleyn often walks in the park of the fortress, the ghosts of children, the murdered twelve-year-old King Edward V with his nine-year-old brother Richard, were also seen here. But these are legends, it's up to you to believe in them or not, but the Tower of London is also centuries-old traditions, ceremonies that have been held unchanged for centuries. One of them is the Ceremony of the Keys.
Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower
This tradition has been unshakable for seven hundred years. Every day, at exactly 21.53, the keeper of the keys leaves the Byward tower, he is met by the Guard of the Keys. The Guardian is dressed in a Tudor era costume. The guards lock the Main Gate and approach the Bloody Tower, the traditional dialogue is played, which begins with the words: "Stop, who's coming?" and ends with "God Save Queen Elizabeth". At night, the keys are kept at the manager's residence.
An interesting fact is that this tradition is unshakable under any circumstances, it was delayed for half an hour in 1941, during a direct attack on the Tower by Nazi bombers.
Entrance to the ceremony of keys is carried out by invitation cards, which can be received by everyone (!) By writing a letter in advance (two months in advance).
Mailing address:
The Ceremony Of The Keys,
HM Tower Of London,
London EC3N 4AB.
Tickets will be mailed to you absolutely free of charge.
royal treasury
One of those places that you just need to visit is the Royal Treasury, where the royal regalia are kept today. The oldest exhibits from the Restoration were stolen and melted down by Cromwell, but even today you can admire the crown of the Queen Mother with the Koh-i-nur diamond. Diamonds "Cullinan-I" and "Cullinan-II" in the scepter of Edward VII and in the crown of the British Empire.
In 1671, Colonel Blood made an unsuccessful attempt to steal them, but Charles II not only did not execute the insolent man, on the contrary, he was awarded a life pension for insolence and courage.
The White Tower, the Queen's House (XVI century), the Royal Church (1080), St. John's Chapel - this is only part of the sights of the Tower of London, which still holds many secrets.
Working hours
Summer time from March 1 to October 31:
Tuesday - Saturday 9.00-17.30
Last entry 17:00
Winter time from November 1st to February 28th
Tuesday - Saturday 9.00-16.30
Sunday – Monday 10:00 – 17:30
Last entry 16:00
The Tower of London is closed every year from 24 to 26 December and 1 January.
It is recommended that I spend less than 2-3 hours visiting the Tower of London.
Entrance ticket prices
Adult ticket £20.90 (€26.54)
Child ticket (under 16) £10.45 (€13.27)
Tickets for students and pensioners £17.60 (€ 22.35)
Family ticket (2 adults + 6 children) £55.00 (€ 69.84)
Prices for an audio guide in Russian
for adults£4.00 (€5.08)
for a child (under 16) £3.00 (€ 3.81)
Family (2 adults + 6 children) £12.00 (€ 15.24)
How to get Tower of London
Tower Hill, EC3, Tower Moat entrance.
Metro: Tower Hill station, (one-time £4 (€5.08) or daily pass £8.40 (€10.67)) numerous signs lead from the station.
Bus routes No. 15, 42, 78, 100 (single Ј 4 (€ 5.08) or day pass Ј 8.40 (€ 10.67)).
The Tower of London (in English “the Tower of London”) is one of the most outstanding architectural monuments in Great Britain. For several centuries of its existence, it was an arsenal, a treasury, a place for storing royal jewels, but it became the most famous for its prison. Behind its high thick walls, the lives of an infinite number of people ended, among which were kings and dukes, rebels and rebels. And each of them knew the truth - who owns the Tower, owns Britain. We invite you to plunge into the history of the great rise and fall of the monarchy.
Panorama of the Tower of London
History of the Tower of London
The history of this place is almost a thousand years and goes back to the time of the Norman conquests. The Tower was built in 1078 as a fortress of the Duke of Normandy, and then the British King William the Conqueror. After his victory over King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, he took the royal throne. However, troubled times and the constant fear of English reprisals forced the king to create a reliable fort that would provide him with peace. With the coming to power of Henry III, in the 13th century, the Tower of London turned from a gloomy fortress into a full-fledged residence. He gave orders to create a treasury, a church and an office. Gardens and walking paths appeared on the territory. And it was at this time that the Tower of London was painted in its already familiar white color.
Drawing with a view of the old Tower During the reign of King Henry, the Tower began to be used as a prison, but during the same period it served as a palace in which important guests were received. Often they visited the monarch with gifts in the form of living creatures. It was for her that Henry III ordered the construction of the Lion Tower - a mini-zoo, where even leopards, donated by the French king, lived.
Another grandiose building adjacent to the castle is the bridge. It is distinguished by its design: suspended with an adjustable part. This year marks the 124th anniversary of its construction. During its existence, it has repeatedly become the cultural center of the city, because art exhibitions are held in special pedestrian corridors of the twin towers, and there is also a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of the building. So the Tower of London and the bridge became the face of the capital.
Panoramic view of Tower Bridge Tower of London today
Although the history of the prison ended at the end of the 20th century, the fortress keeps most of its traditions today. One of them is the key ceremony. Every morning the palace is opened for visitors by beefeaters - the guards of the Tower of London. They received this unofficial name due to their history of serving the royal family. The guards who guarded the king received a significant advantage - they could eat the same meat as he. This is where this strange phrase “beef eater” (in English “beef eater”) comes from - one who eats beef. These men also stood out for their appearance: bright red uniform similar to Tudor era clothing.
Beefeaters - Guardians of the Tower Another integral part of the Tower of London is the ravens, the guards of the kingdom. One of the local legends says that the British Monarchy will exist as long as these birds live in the Tower. That is why a separate security worker takes care of the winged family here. Crows even have their wings clipped to prevent them from flying away in search of another home.
The crows behind the legend guarding the Tower After the gates are closed, the building begins to live its normal life, becoming a cozy home for the guards and her family. However, can a place that has become a dungeon for hundreds of people be completely calm?
In the evening, an atmosphere of watchful silence hangs over the castle, from time to time it is broken by the cawing of crows. Add horror to the Tower of London descriptions of its guards. They talk about ghosts and spirits that they have seen over the years of work. The legends of the Tower of London disturb the sleep of the locals. Beefeaters even assure that after dark they try not to get into certain places of the fortress.
How many guilty and innocent souls remained forever in the stone walls of this castle? How many are buried within these walls? Despite all the publicity of the tourist place, how much the Tower hides interesting facts? Many, and we will share a few of them with you.
Postcard depicting the Tower from the early 16th century The castle became Anne Boleyn's life prison. The queen beheaded here, who was accused of treason during her lifetime, continues to wander the corridors even after her death. They say that her ghost periodically goes to the church where Anna was reburied.
Visitors are intimidated by ghost bears. The guards say that from time to time guests are frightened by the ghost of a bear that once got out of the zoo and scared one of the inhabitants of the castle to death.
The photos disturb the peace of visitors to the Tower, in which the ghosts of two little boys appear. At the end of the 15th century, two princes, aged 10 and 12, disappeared from the fortress. Almost a hundred years later, their burials were discovered, and recently scientists found out that their relative King Henry VI became the murderer of the royal heirs. Restless souls still walk around the Tower.
The last execution in the castle took place less than 80 years ago. During World War II, the German spy Joseph Jacobs was shot in the fortress. And although Great Britain abandoned the death penalty almost twenty years later, in the 60s of the last century, the bloody history of the Tower ended there.
Great Britain almost lost its symbol during the German bombardment. In 1940-1941, London suffered devastating destruction from Nazi bombings. At the same time, all the ravens that lived in the Tower, except for one, died from stress. According to the legend, the fortress, and at the same time the monarchy, were on the verge of falling.
Night view of the Tower Where is the Tower located: address, opening hours and excursions
The Tower of London is located at St Katharine's & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB. You can get to it by metro. The nearest station is Fenchurch Street, 5 minutes from the fort, London Bridge station, 15 minutes walk.
The tower is open from 09:00 to 17:30 on weekdays and from 10:00 on weekends. However, please note that tourists are allowed to enter until 17:00.
Entrance tickets can be bought online and printed out by yourself. E-tickets are cheaper than those bought directly on the spot. The entrance fee for adults is about 23 pounds, for children from 5 to 16 years old - 11 pounds. Children under 5 years of age can enter free of charge. There are also discounts for students, people with disabilities and the elderly.
Hanna Koval
share:Tower Bridge is one of the unique and amazing landmarks in England. This great crossing structure is located in central London, whose capital is Great Britain, and connects both banks of the River Thames. Nearby is the Tower - the most famous and terrible dungeon in the world. It is in honor of this dungeon that the bridge is called the Tower Bridge, since it was built as a crossing from this dungeon.
One of the outstanding architects of England, John Horace, worked on the project for the construction of the bridge. He took part in the competition among the most famous architects and became the winner. Horace proposed that a drawbridge be built over the River Thames to relieve traffic at other sites. The authorities of England thought for a long time and after 8 years agreed and approved the proposed project. Preparatory work began, which lasted two years. In 1886, construction began, which lasted eight long years. The bridge was officially opened in 1894. Its construction took about 1 million pounds, tens of thousands of tons of metal, natural stone and granite. 350 people worked to build this outstanding structure, 10 people died during construction work.
The bridge is presented in the form of beautiful towers that perfectly convey the beauty of the Gothic style. The towers are connected by a huge platform, and rise like huge castles. The platform serves to move people from one end to the other. There are also galleries and corridors that provide people with safe movement. There is a clear schedule at what time the parties to this miracle creation are getting divorced. Previously, they were bred as soon as a ship was seen sailing up to them. The sentry gave a signal, and the parting parties dispersed. The signal sounded for people who in a hurry began to leave the roadway. After the ship sailed, the drawbridges converged again.
Now the schedule has changed, if earlier the bridge was raised 30 times a day, now it is 3-5 times. Tourists wishing to admire this event can climb to the upper platform using the elevators installed in the towers, or use the spiral staircases coming from the road side.
Translation
The Tower Bridge is one of the unique and amazing sights of England. This great structure for the crossing is located in the central part of London, the capital is Great Britain, and units both banks of the River Thames. Nearby is the Tower - the most famous and terrible prison in the world. It is in honor of this dungeon the bridge has the name of Tower, because it was built as a ferry from this dungeon.
The project for the construction of the bridge was worked by one of the most outstanding architects of England, John Horace. He took part in the competition among the most famous architects and became the winner. Horace suggested building a drawbridge over the River Thames to relieve traffic on other sites. The authorities of England thought for a long time and after 8 years agreed and approved the proposed draft. Preparatory work began, which lasted two years. In 1886 construction began, which lasted for a long eight years. The bridge was officially opened in 1894. Its construction required about 1 million pounds, tens of thousands of tons of metal, natural stone and granite. 350 people worked to erect this outstanding structure, 10 people were killed during construction work.
The bridge is presented in the form of beautiful towers, which perfectly convey all the charm of the Gothic style. The towers are connected by a huge platform, and towering like huge castles. The platform serves to move people from one end to the other. Also there are galleries and corridors that provide people with a safe movement. There is a clear timetable at what time the parties divorce this wonder-creation. Previously, they were divorced as soon as it was seen the ship. The sentry signaled, and the divorced sides parted. The signal sounded for people who were in a hurry to leave the roadway. After the ship floated, the swing flights again converged.
Now the schedule has changed, if before the bridge was bred 30 times a day, now it is 3-5 times. Tourists wishing to admire this event can climb the upper platform by the elevators that are installed in the towers, or use the spiral staircases coming from the roadway.
London's Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge over the River Thames in London and takes its name from the nearby Tower of London. It has become an iconic symbol of the city and a very popular tourist attraction.
In 1876 the City of London Corporation had an idea to build a new bridge but it was clear that the new bridge would not disrupt river traffic. There were more than 50 designs and it wasn't easy to choose the best. Finely design of Sir Horace Jones and Sir John Wolfe Barry was chosen. In 1886 the Bridge's construction began. Tower Bridge was officially opened on 30th June 1894.
The bridge is 244m (800 ft) long between two 65m (213 ft) tall towers constructed on piers. The central span of 61m (200 ft) between the towers is split equally into two bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass through. The bascules weigh over 1,100 tons each and are counterbalanced to minimize the force required to raise them, an operation which takes just five minutes. They are raised by huge hydraulic pumps which were first powered by coal burning steam engines which were replaced by electricity and oil in 1976. The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each being 82m (270 ft) in length.
There are two high level walkways between the towers which allow to cross the river even when the bridge deck is raised. These walkways were closed to the public in 1910 due to lack of use but were reopened as fully covered passages in 1982 as part of the then newly launched Tower Bridge Exhibition.
London's Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. The Tower Bridge is a combined bridge and suspension bridge across the River Thames in London and takes its name from the nearby Tower of London. It has become an iconic symbol of the city and a very popular attraction.
In 1876, the Corporation of London had an idea to build a new bridge, but it was clear that the new bridge would not disrupt the flow of the river. There were over 50 designs and it was not easy to choose the best one. The finest design by Sir Horace Jones and Sir John Wolfe Barry was chosen. In 1886, the construction of the bridge began. Tower Bridge was officially opened on June 30, 1894.
A 244 m (800 ft) long bridge between two 65 m (213 ft) high towers built on the piers. The central 61 m (200 ft) gap between the towers is divided equally into two shells or leaves, which can be raised up to an 83 degree angle to pass through river traffic. The baccules weigh over 1,100 tons each and are balanced to minimize the force required to lift them, an operation that only takes five minutes. They are lifted by huge hydraulic pumps, which were originally powered by coal-burning steam engines, which were replaced by electricity and oil in 1976. The two side spans are suspension bridges 82 m (270 ft) long.
There are two paths between the towers high level, which allow you to cross the river even when the bridge is raised. These passageways were closed to the public in 1910 due to lack of use, but were reopened as fully enclosed passageways in 1982 as part of the newly released Tower Bridge Exhibition.
