Horse Guard → Westminster Abbey → Houses of Parliament → London Eye( Millennium Wheel)

1. St. Pancras Station: This London train station has to be of the most impressive and best looking stations in Europe. This masterpiece of neoGothic architecture has languished as underused British Rail offices since 1935. The unfortunate fact about this station is that most of the King's Cross area, where St. Pancras is located at, is associated with crime, drugs and prostitution. Politicians are saying that everything is much safer and better now, but you do not see then going there at night.

2. St Paul's Cathedral: The present structure is the fifth cathedral to be built on the site. The weddings of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill and many other occasions have graced this spiritual centre. Built of Portland stone with a Dome that rises to 365 feet and with Great Paul, the largest bell in England, this has to be one of THE MUST SEE sights in London. Open from: Mon-Sat 8:30am-4pm. Tel: 0207 236 4128.

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3. Piccadilly Circus: The name Piccadilly originates from a 17th century dressmaker who lived in the area and created a frilled collar called a "piccadil". The Circus part basically refers to the amount of traffic streaming through the busy roundabout. 

   The whole area around Piccadilly is called The West End - the biggest entertainment, shopping and dining area of London. Every day hundred of tourists and shoppers come to Piccadilly Circus to see the sights and to go shopping. In the evening thousands more visitors arrive by bus and tube to go to the theatre or the cinema, have a meal in a restaurant, visit a clothes boutique or enjoy the lights. If you don't like shopping, you can go to the Rock Circus or play video games at the Trocadero. Inside the Trocadero is Segaworld the world's largest indoor theme park, spanning seven floors and offering you all kinds of 21st Century games.

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4. Horse Guard: Located on Whitehall, Horse Guards was built between 1750 and 1758. It is currently the headquarters of the Household Division who post guards, including two mounted soldiers, every day. The present Horse Guards building dates from the mid 18th century, but the history of the site goes back much further. Its story, and the story of those who have lived and worked there, is linked with some of the country's most famous Kings, Queens, Statesmen and Military Commanders. Today Horse Guards houses Headquarters London District, which runs all regular and Territorial Army units in Greater London.

   It is also the home of Headquarters Household Division, from where are directed important ceremonial occasions like The Queen's Birthday Parade, the State Opening of Parliament and State Visits. A permanent Queen's Life Guard is mounted at the building's entrance by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

   Front View	Front View	Back View

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5. Westminster Abbey: has been so closely connected with the Crown and the nations history. The coronation of every king and queen (apart from two) spanning 900 years has been held here. The magnificent Gothic building seen today dates from the 11th century.

   Legend has it that the first church on the site was consecrated by St Peter himself, who came down from heaven and was rowed across the Thames by a fisherman named Edric, who received a giant salmon as a reward.

   More verifiable is that there was a small Benedictine monastery here by the end of the tenth century, for which Edward the Confessor built an enormous church. Nothing much remains of Edward`s church, which was consecrated on December 28, 1065, just ten days before his own death, though the ground plan is his, as is the crypt.

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6. Houses of Parliament: are the place where laws governing British life are debated and enacted. Begun in 1840 after a fire destroyed the previous building, the Gothic style was designed by Sir Charles Barry with aid from A.W. Pugin. It contains the bell Big Ben that is struck each quarter hour. A light in the clock tower tells when the House of Commons is in session.

   Wide-angle View

   The Houses of Parliament are steeped in pomp, ceremony and splendour. The Queen rides in a State coach to Westminster to open each new session of Parliament, usually in the second week in November. A word of caution; in the summer months it can get pretty congested with all of the tourist coming and regular traffic trying to cross the square. After many long speeches by politicians promising `Free Trafalgar for people`, finally in September 2002 Mr. Ken Livingstone has changed driving routes so that pedestrians can have more freedom. Open from: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 9am-2pm & 4-5pm, also Wed 6-7.45pm. Tel: 0207 222 5152.

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7. London Eye: Moving on to a more modern structure for a moment, if you can spare some time waiting in a queue, you can experience the Millennium Wheel which is also known as the London Eye. Based on the bank of the river Thames near Waterloo Station this is spectacle well worth visit. Basically it is the biggest observation wheel in the world hence its name which will in matter of 30 minutes make a full circle and thus give you a splendid view of London. It towers 135 meters over the Thames River and weighs 2,100 tonnes. If the sky is clear you will have a 25-mile panoramic view. Open: daily (until Sept 9) from 10am-10:30pm. Tel: 0870 5000 600.

   Nearby attractions like Big Ben, Houses of Parliament on the other bank and Thames River with bridges will satisfy your hunger for taking photos.

   Wide-angle View			Night scene

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