LONDON

London is famous for more than its magnificent ancient buildings, the Palace of Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, London Eye, Art Galleries, and Big Ben. As the capital city of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, London is well known for influencing other cities of the world since the Middle Ages.

London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, is a 21st-century city with history stretching back to Roman times. At its center stand the imposing Houses of Parliament, the iconic ‘Big Ben’ clock tower and Westminster Abbey, site of British monarch coronations.

1. The British Museum (Museum in London, England )

The British Museum is the world's oldest national public museum. Founded in 1753, it opened its doors in 1759, 17 years before the Declaration of Independence. It was free to all 'studious and curious persons, and it's still free today. The British Museum in England is a public institution dedicated to human history, art and culture. Its permanent collection of some eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence, having been widely collected during the era of the British Empire.

2. Tower of London (Castle in London, England )

The Tower of London has also been the infamous setting for stories of royal tragedy and death. During the Wars of the Roses, Henry VI was murdered here in 1471 and, later, the children of his great rival Edward IV – the Princes in the Tower - vanished within its walls in 1483. It is a 900-year-old castle and fortress in central London that is notable for housing the crown jewels and for holding many famous and infamous prisoners. Officially her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London.

3. Big Ben (Clock tower in London, England )

Big Ben is a tower clock known for its accuracy and for its massive hour bell. Strictly speaking, the name refers only to the bell, which weighs 15.1 tons (13.7 metric tons), but it is commonly associated with the whole clock tower at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament, in the London borough of Westminster.

One of London's most famous landmarks and tourist attractions, the name Big Ben actually refers to the bell hung within the clock tower, but has become the name of the tower and clock as a whole. Famous for its reliability and accuracy, the clock has rarely stopped. Big Ben is over 150 years old.

4. Palace of Westminster (Palace in London, England )

The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Because it was originally a royal residence, the Palace included no purpose-built chambers for the two Houses. Important state ceremonies were held in the Painted Chamber which had been originally built in the 13th century as the main bed chamber for King Henry III.

The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

5. Hyde Park (Park in London, England )

Hyde Park covers 142 hectares (350 acres), making it the largest park in central London. It is the city's most important green lung and where many tourists and residents come to relax and enjoy a bit of fresh air. It was used as a common for gathering firewood and grazing animals until its proclamation by Governor Macquarie in 1810. He named it after the park in London. Although architect Francis Greenway envisaged it as the grand quadrangle of a neo-classical town plan, Hyde Park's first use was as a course for horse racing.

7. Kensington Gardens (Park in London, England )

Kensington Gardens London - a Royal Garden for All. A former royal hunting ground, the park became a fashionable location for the promenades of wealthy citizens in the 18th century; however, it was not opened to the general public until the mid-19th century. The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde Park, in western central London.

8. Hampstead Heath (Protected site in London, England )

Hampstead is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations. It has some of the most expensive housing in the London area. Hampstead has more millionaires within its boundaries than any other area of the United Kingdom. Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London heath, covering 320 hectares. This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London Clay.