London Best

When the British Empire was at tits apogee during Queen Victoria's late nineteenth century reign, London was the largest city on Earth, as well as the entire world's financial, cultural and social leader. The Houses of Parliament, overlooking the River Thames and crowned by the tower containing Big Ben, were the world's focal point.

In its youth, London was a vital center for the Romans and later the Saxons, who founded St. Paul's Cathedral in 604 AD. Following the Norman conquest of 1066, William I the Conqueror built the imposing White Tower, the Tower of London's centerpiece, as the seat of his power. After fire swept through London in 1136, buildings of stone and tile appeared in the rebuilding. Henry VIII (1509-1566) oversaw the reconstruction of the five royal hospitals, established at dockyard at Deptford, converted the York Palace into Whitehall and built St. James' Palace. Meanwhile, Westminster's noblemen were building their homes on the Strand, but only after the great fire of 1666 was London united to its surrounding townships like Westminster.



Saint James's Palace, in Westminster, London, England, on St. James's Street and fronting on Pall Mall: St. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces, with a long history as a Royal residence. It is situated on Pall Mall in London, just north of St. James's Park. It is often in use for official functions and is not open to the public.




St. James's Palace: Built by Henry VIII in the late 1530s on the site of a former leper hospital, it was a primary royal residence only briefly, mainly during the reign of Elizabeth I and during the late 17th and early 18th century. In 1952 Queen Elizabeth II made her first speech as queen here, and foreign ambassadors are still officially accredited to the Court of St. James's. Its northern gatehouse, seen from St James's Street, si one of London's most evocative Tudor landmarks. Behind it the palace buildings are now occupied by privileged Crown servants. The beloved Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) ruled with London's "militia, its money and its love." Sir Christopher Wren, the great architect, is immortalized in the city's great buildings, including the flawless St. Paul's cathedral.


Westminster Abbey:The abbey is world-famous as the resting place of Britain's monarchs, and as the setting for coronations and other great pageants.

London's importance as a commercial centre grew as the British Empire expanded. The wealth from the British East India company (1599) as well as trade with much of the world, nourished London's cultural character. Theater, literature and music bloomed for centuries. London was also technologically in the lead. By 1812, gas lights illuminated London's streets, omnibuses began running in 1829, rail carriages followed within a decade, and the world's first underground railway, powered by electricity, was completed in 1890.

While the nineteenth century Victorian Age brought in social reforms that modernized the city and eased the pressures of London's increasing population, growth nevertheless continued unchecked, swelling the population to 4.2 million in 1890. Culturally, London was immortalized by its many brilliant scholars and writers, like Charles Dickens. London also hosted the Olympic Games in 1908 and again in 1948.

Today, although the British Empire is defunct, London remains the United Kingdom's capital, housing a population of 6.7 million. The royal family reigns from Buckingham Palace, which has housed England's monarchs ever since Queen Victoria took up residence in 1837.


London's Best: Museums and Galleries

Every coronation of an English monarch has taken place at Westminister Abbey since William the Conqueror was crowned there in 1066. Within its walls can be seen some of the most glorious examples of medieval architecture in London. It also contains one of the most impressive collections of tombs and monuments in the world. Half national church, half national museum, the abbey occupies a unique place in the British national consciousness. London's museums are filled with an astonishing diversities of treasures from all over the world. It is definitely a hot destination for family vacations or couples. If you need any travel resources, Blogline might have what you want to search for.