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Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the royal family. This palace was built in the18th century. The first monarch who took residence there was Queen Victoria. When the flag is flying on the top of the palace, the Queen is at home. In front of the palace there is a Monument to Queen Victoria, who was one of the most famous British queens. Buckingham Palace is like a small town with a hospital, a police station, two post offices, two sports clubs, a cinema, a bar, a disco and a swimming pool. There are 600 rooms and three miles of red carpet. About 700 people work in the palace. It is also the place where presidents, kings and politicians go to meet the Queen. The  famous  Changing-of-the-Guard  Ceremony   in  front  of  the  palace  attracts  many  tourists. It takes place every day at 11.30 a.m. and lasts half an hour.

Westminster Abbey is one of the oldest royal churches, which is more than 900 years old. It is full of history. This ancient building was founded in the eleventh century as a monastery.  Most British kings and queens were crowned and buried there. Many famous people were buried here, too. Among them: Newton, Darwin, Dickens and Kipling. There in the Poet’s Corner there are memorials to Shakespeare, Burns, Byron and Scott. Westminster Abbey is a symbol of English tradition. Besides, it is one of the oldest churches in Europe.

On the banks of the river Thames you can also see Westminster Palace, usually known as the Houses of Parliament. This wonderful building is the seat of the British Parliament. It is a very large building with two high towers at the corners: the Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower. When the Parliament is in session, the British flag (called the Union Jack) flies over the Victoria Tower. The Clock Tower is famous for its bell, known as Big Ben. It is situated at the north end of Westminster Palace.

The Clock of the Tower has four faces and a very big loud bell. The clock bell was called Big Ben after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was the man in charge of the building. He was a very tall man. His nickname was Big Ben. So, people called the bell Big Ben too. Now the bell is known all over the world by that name. Big Ben is the largest clock in England and the symbol of London. The people of London can hear the sound of the bell every hour.

The building of Westminster Palace is very beautiful with its two towers and a big clock.

There are many beautiful squares in London. People who visit London for the first time usually start their trip from Trafalgar Square. It is in the centre of the West End. There stands Nelson’s Column, a monument to a British admiral. He is a well-known person in the history of the country. Admiral Nelson defeated the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

 The famous National Gallery is also in Trafalgar Square.

 Not far from Trafalgar Square there is Piccadilly Circus. It is a meeting place of six streets. This square is round. London’s well-known theatres and cinemas are on Piccadilly Circus.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is the greatest of all English churches, dates back to the 17th century. Inside the Cathedral one can see monuments to many famous people of England. Admiral Nelson is also buried here. The cathedral was designed and built by an outstanding English architect Christopher Wren in 1710. It took him 35 years to build this magnificent building with many columns. When Christopher Wren died he was buried in the cathedral too. This cathedral is also famous for its Whispering Gallery.

It is the most wonderful classical church in Britain and the second biggest cathedral in the world.

The Tower of London is the oldest building in the city. It dates from the Roman times. The walls of the Tower are five meters thick.

The Tower of London is like a mirror of many important events in the English history. Many centuries ago it was a fortress, a royal palace and then a prison. Nowadays it is a museum. Many people from other countries come to see it.

In the gardens of the Tower you can see the black ravens. The English people like them very much. There is a legend that the Tower and the kingdom will fall if it loses its ravens.

Tower Bridge was opened in 1894. It takes its name from the Tower of London. The hydraulic mechanism can raise and lower the bridge in about two minutes. The way between the two towers is open to the public and offers a wonderful view of London.