(Links to all parts of the series are at the end of this post.)
June 12, Wednesday
In the morning we went on a walking tour of London city. It was good, though a bit rushed. We saw quite a few important landmarks, which we have read and heard about a lot.
We started from The Ritz London and walked by the side of Green Park, a very vast expanse of greenery. It's one of the eight royal parks in London. It was originally part of the hunting grounds for Henry VIII and was later opened to the public in the 19th century. This was where a man named Edward Oxford tried to assassinate Queen Victoria in 1840.
We then saw (everything from outside, of course) the Spencer House, St. James's Palace, and Lancaster House. These are historic buildings in London, each with its own unique history and significance. Each of them reflects different aspects of London's architectural and royal heritage and showcases the city's rich history.
We reached The Mall, which is a one-kilometre-long ceremonial road with Buckingham Palace on the west end and Trafalgar Square at the east end. The surface is coloured red giving it the look of a red carpet.
It's an important driveway for royalty, ceremonial events, and visiting heads of state or government. It's also the starting or finishing point of running or cycling events. The opening ceremony of the 2019 World Cup cricket tournament was held here.
We were in time to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
It is a traditional colourful event where soldiers from the Foot Guards exchange duties at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
This colourful event, accompanied by a military band, symbolises the close relationship between the British monarchy and the armed forces. The ceremony has been a tradition since the 17th century. While the Household Division typically performs this duty, other units from the Commonwealth and the Royal Navy have also participated in the past.
We walked beside The Mall towards the Buckingham Palace. This introductory para on the official website sums up it all:
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The King, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.
In front of the palace is the Victoria Memorial, a grand monument dedicated to Queen Victoria. The entire memorial weighs a staggering 2,300 tonnes and spans a diameter of 32 meters (104 feet). The place is surrounded by a lovely garden. We spent some time walking around the place, clicking photos.
It's such a high-security place. We were told that there are hundreds of cameras placed all over the place and being monitored throughout. That's nothing surprising!
We then walked around St. James's Park and reached Trafalgar Square.
The public square is named after the Battle of Trafalgar, in which the British navy defeated France and Space in the battle that took place off the Cape of Trafalgar in Spain.
We walked through Whitehall. That's the street, 0.4 miles (0.64 km) long, where a number of British government buildings are located.
This is one of the two mounted cavalry troopers of The King's Life Guard in front of the Horse Guard, which is the official ceremonial entrance to the St James's and Buckingham Palace and headquarters to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which provides troops for The King's Life Guard.
Nearby, there is a street called "Great Scotland Yard". It was so named because that was the street where Scottish kings or their representatives stayed when they visited London. Subsequently, the headquarters of the metropolitan police was situated on the street, giving it the name Scotland Yard.
A little ahead is Downing Street, which houses the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is called so because it was built by Sir George Downing, a soldier turned politician turned diplomat, in the 1680s.
A little ahead is the famous clock, Big Ben, also called the Elizabeth Tower. Built in 1859, it has 11 floors and is 96 metres tall. To reach the clock, you have to climb 334 steps. The clock altogether weighs around 13 tons.
Nearby are the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the River Thames and the London Eye.
We headed to the Lord's Cricket Ground in the afternoon.
(To be continued)
Here are the links to all parts of the series:
02 -Dockwray Square, Tynemouth
04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum
775 Rooms in one palace? That is huge :)
ReplyDeleteHi Rajesh - Yes, absolutely!
DeleteA grand virtual tour Indeed. Thanks for sharing the tour. in so much detail. LOndon is on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteHi Marietta - Thank you. You must if possible visit London and also some lesser-known countryside. That will be a good contrast.
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteIt's actually the bell that chimes in the Elizabeth tower that is called Big Ben... But the whole building has become synonymous with it, hence the often mistaken usage. London is a mesmerising place. Some love it. I'm not one of them. YAM xx
Hi Yamini - I thought it was the clock that was called Big Ben. Thanks for that bit of information. I liked the northeast more than London.
DeleteIt is a very detailed post and will help anyone who wants to travel to London. I am fascinated to visit it some day
ReplyDeleteHi Chinmayee - Thank you for the comments. I hope you will be able to visit London. Make sure you also set apart some time for the country side too.
DeleteHi Janaki - Thank you for the comments. Yes, it was a good trip. The northeast England was better in terms seeing new places and learning about history.
ReplyDeleteVery detailed blog post about important touristy places in London. Brought me lot of fond memories since I lived in London for 2 years.
ReplyDeleteYes, quite a lot to see there!
DeleteYou sure saw some amazing sights during that trip. Did you climb those 334 steps or give yourself a break?
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't climb those steps. Even if I wanted to, there wasn't enough time!
DeleteNever been over seas.
ReplyDeleteI am not a regular traveller overseas, not even within India, in fact. This was the first one since 2019, when we went to Australia and New Zealand. Overseas travel is quite expensive.
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ReplyDeleteThe statistics for Buckingham Palace are mind boggling. I never noticed the surface of The Mall was red. I guess there was a lot to distract me. Nor did I know where the
name Scotland Yard came from. There was plenty packed in to your walk and it is not over yet.
Yes, Andrew, it was quite a hectic day.
DeleteI prefer the countryside yet appreciate your tour of the city. ~nods~ Thanks again for sharing all this.
ReplyDeleteHi Darla - Even I like the countryside, not the city.
DeleteSuch wonderful photos, I would love to visit London but doubt it will happen so I enjoy photos like these
ReplyDeleteHi Jo-Anne - Thank you. Yes, it's sort of a virtual tour for you!
DeleteIt sounds like you hit all the high points. How fun.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was good fun.
DeleteA detailed guide! I can almost visualize those places especially with the help of the pics.
ReplyDeleteHi Tomi - Thank you. It was all about seeing the place we have heard so much about.
DeleteSo many famous and well known landmarks in this post Pradeep. It reminded me of the coronation and all the pagentry that came with it.
ReplyDeleteHi Leanne - Thanks for the comments. I'm glad the post brought back memories of the coronation. It was truly a spectacle, wasn't it? The landmarks you mentioned are indeed iconic and played a significant role in that historic event.
DeleteHi Pradeep - certainly you took in many of the sights ... good for you - sad it was so brief ... but you made the most of your time. Brilliant photos you've given us. Pity you didn't have time to see inside the British Museum, British Library ... et al ... but quite understand - at least you've had an overview. Why did you start at the Ritz - did you move from Wanstead?!!!! Cheers ... I've a few posts to catch up on ... Hilary
ReplyDeleteHi Hilary - Thanks for your kind words! Yes, the trip was all too short, but I tried to pack in as much as possible.
DeleteI'd love to visit the British Museum and British Library, but time constraints unfortunately prevented me from doing so this time.
As for starting at the Ritz, that was the starting point for the walking tour that we had booked in advance. So, we took a tube from Wanstead and got down at, if I remember right, Green Park station, which is very close to the Ritz.
You've seen more of London than most British people. London is far too busy these days, with crowds everywhere, but its history is incredibly rich.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I've been lucky enough to explore the UK, especially its northeast. I agree that London's history is truly fascinating. The crowds can be overwhelming at times, but it's worth it to experience the city's vibrant atmosphere.
DeletePradeep, this was, as are all the others, an outstanding virtual tour of you and your family's tour of England. You have shown us in more detail things we, or at least I, have never noticed before when reading information about the Country. Your photographs are excellent and just what most of us are hoping to see. I won't be going there, but I had every opportunity to do so while living throughout much of Europe. I have enjoyed every presentation you have provided for us.
ReplyDeleteHi Katie - Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you've enjoyed my virtual tour of England. I'm lucky to have had this opportunity to some places in England with my family. I like to share my experiences and help others discover new things about the places I have seen, and your positive feedback makes it quite special. :-)
DeleteAll the names of palaces, buildings, and parks are very familiar having read about them but got a clear idea only after reading this post. The pictures bring a real feeling of having been there. With more than 700 rooms in one building, it is mind-boggling how they clean and keep in good condition when visitors may be a few and far between, unlike a hotel with its steady stream of guests.
ReplyDeleteHi KP, thank you for your kind words! It's nice to know that the post helped clarify the names and places you've read about.
DeleteRegarding the number of rooms in the palace, quite possible that there is a big team of cleaning staff who might also be responsible for preserving these historic buildings. They might also be using some modern techniques and materials to ensure that the interiors and the exteriors are preserved well.
Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post, Pradeep. Being a Londoner by birth and upbringing, it's always good to read about my home city from someone else's perspective. London is such a vibrant city, isn't it?
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