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London Attraction |
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London is one of the world's most fascinating cities, with visitors from every corner of the globe drawn to its wealth of cultural and leisure attractions. It is also one of the Europe's leading commercial centres where movers and shakers come to do business and clinch deals. The city groans under the weight of foreign banks, a throbbing stock exchange, a buoyant economy, five airports and the very highest quality telecommunications. |
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10 Downing Street |
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One of the best known Streets in London is
Downing Street, named after its builder, Sir George Downing, who was a
Cromwellian civil servant. No. 10 with its famous black front door,
the backdrop to many historical announcements made by renowned
personalities; has been the official residence of Britains Prime
Minister since 1732, when King George 11 presented the property to Sir
Robert Walpole, Britains first Prime Minister.
Recommended Internet Site : Official No. 10 Downing Street Site |
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Hampton Court |
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Henry VIII is probably Hampton Court's most famous occupant and its first royal owner. All his lavish
private rooms were demolished in the early 18th century but the two most
magnificent public rooms still survive - the Great Hall and the Chapel Royal,
which is still a place of worship today.
King William III's Apartments are the finest and most important set of Baroque state apartments in the world. They are still furnished with the magnificent furniture and tapestries which graced them in 1700 when they were completed for the King. Today you see them restored after the terrible fire of 1986. An exhibition under the colonnade in Clock Court near the entrance to the King's Apartments explains the restoration and the function of the state rooms. There are over 60 acres of gardens to explore at Hampton Court including the Maze, the Great Vine and the newly restored Privy Garden. The buildings of Hampton Court cover 6 acres and comprise many courtyards and cloisters. One of the greatest pleasures of visiting the palace is strolling around them admiring the harmonious blend of Tudor and Baroque architecture and curiosities such as Henry VIII's Astronomical Clock and Cardinal Wolsey's coat of arms in Clock Court. |
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The Houses of Parliament |
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 The
neo-Gothic building includes the House of Commons and the House of
Lords, not to mention the infamous Big Ben. Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the eleventh century. Parliamentary government in the United Kingdom is based on a two-chamber system. The House of Lords (the upper House-not elected) and the House of Commons (the lower house-elected at least every 5 years) sit separately and are constituted on entirely different principles. The legislative process involves both Houses - the Commons and the Lords. All visitors, both UK citizens and overseas visitors can visit the Strangers galleries in both houses to see Parliament at work. Entry is at St. Stephen's Gate, where you can join a queue for the public galleries, known as Strangers Galleries. Debates in the commons take place on Mon. Tues. and Thurs. from 2-30 pm; Wed. & Fri. from 9-30 am. The busiest a to visit the House is during Question Time. To attend Question Time you must book a ticket through your MP or your embassy. Question Time is on Mon.- Thurs. From 2-30pm - 3-30pm. Prime Minister's Question Time is on Wed. from 3pm - 3-30pm. The House of Lords sit on Mon. - Wed. From 2-30; On Thurs. From 3pm; If a sitting takes place on Friday it commences at 11am. Both houses close at Christmas, Easter and from August to mid October. Recommended Internet Sites : Official Web Site of The Parliament Explore Parliament - excellent resource! |
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