Visiting London And Buckingham Palace
England is an incredibly interesting nation in which to spend a little time. England has a great many tourist attraction|places of interest well worth visiting perfectly suited for all tastes. For example the ancient city of York which has been inhabited since Roman times, Torquay (which is widely known as the English Riviera) and Liverpool (which won the title of European City of Culture in 2008). One place, in England that you really must visit is London, the capital city of England
London is a most astounding city to visit, maybe for just a weekend or, maybe for longer. You would be surprised at the number of folk who live in the United Kingdom of Britain who have not yet visited London, even more surprising when you are mindful of the fact it is usually top of the majority of visitors lists (of the most enjoyable places they went to).
There simply so many things to see and do in London that it is simply not possible to list them all at the same time. Surprisingly one of the newest attractions in London also happens to be one of the most popular – The London Eye. Another popular attraction nearby to the London Eye is Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. However, one place which must not be missed is Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace is England’s most well known Royal residence, possibly because it is home to Queen Elizabeth. The Palace is is situated right at the very heart of London which makes it a natural focus for visitors. The daily pageant of ‘Changing of the Guard’ is fascinating to witness and ever so English.
Buckingham Palace was originally referred to as Buckingham House. It was originally a large townhouse, constructed in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It is actually the town house which forms the main core of the palace as we know it today.
During the subsequent 3 quarters of a century Buckingham House was enlarged with the addition of 3 wings around a central courtyard. The main architects responsible for these additions were John Nash and Edward Blore. John Nash was also responsible for the interior design of the monumental staterooms.
The well known architect Aston Webb was responsible for the creation of the principal facade of Buckingham Palace which, in 1912, he re-designed. Webb along with Sir Thomas Brock (the sculptor) were the winners of a competition to design a memorial to Queen Victoria. This memorial is still standing today.
The Queen has a selection of royal residences other than Buckingham Palace. Each and every year the Queen stays, at Sandringham House in Norfolk, during the Christmas period. Sandringham House is actually privately owned by the Queen (classed as a private royal residence.
Another private residence is Balmoral Castle, situated in Royal Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth was in Balmoral Castle when she was told about the tragic demise of Diana, Princess of Wales.
If you would like to take a break in the UK then you might be surprised to be informed that it is possible to find cheap hotels in London without any great effort, on the other hand you may want to stay in more luxurious accommodation and the small number of boutique hotels in London should be more than satisfactory.
One Response to “Visiting London And Buckingham Palace”
By Bill on Jun 1, 2009 | Reply
For accommodation needs, vacation rentals are another option for many, especially families. I have several budget priced ones listed at http://www.short-term-apartment-rentals.com/london.html.