For travelers from around the world, London has long become synonymous with history, tradition, and permanence. A city where red double-decker buses coexist with knightly armor in the Tower, where the fog over the Thames keeps the secrets of Sherlock Holmes, and the walls of Westminster Abbey remember coronations of monarchs centuries ago. Today, London is a global financial, cultural, and tourist center, visited annually by about twenty million foreign tourists.
This is a city that knows how to be different: strict and ceremonial at Buckingham Palace, bustling and businesslike in the City, inspiring and creative on the South Bank of the Thames. Within an area of over one and a half thousand square kilometers, such a quantity of history is concentrated here that even the most seasoned traveler risks feeling a slight dizziness from the realization: you are standing where kings stood, where immortal plays were written, and the fate of half the world was forged.
History of London
From Londinium to the Capital of an Empire. The history of London began in the year forty-three AD, when the Romans, landing on the shores of Foggy Albion, founded the settlement of Londinium on the north bank of the Thames. The strategic location proved so fortunate that within a few decades, the city became the most important trading center of the province. The Romans built walls, which can still be seen in the City today, and a bridge that determined the city`s development for millennia to come.
After the Romans left, London fell into decline, but the Saxons, and then the Normans, breathed new life into it. The turning point came in 1066 when William the Conqueror was crowned in Westminster Abbey and began the construction of the White Tower — the future Tower of London, which was meant to keep the rebellious Londoners in fear. Medieval London grew and prospered, survived the Plague and the Great Fire of 1666, which destroyed almost the entire city. Sir Christopher Wren raised it from the ashes, building dozens of new churches and his main masterpiece — St. Paul`s Cathedral.
The Victorian era turned London into the capital of the greatest empire in the world. The first underground railway lines were laid here, factories operated, and stations, museums, and Tower Bridge were built. The twentieth century brought the destruction of bombing and a new life — the city was reborn to become, by the beginning of the third millennium, one of the planet`s main centers, where bankers in bowler hats hurry to work past Roman walls, and modern skyscrapers are reflected in the ancient waters of the Thames.
The Architectural Code of London
The architecture of London is a unique collage of eras and styles, where buildings from different centuries stand shoulder to shoulder, creating an inimitable harmony of chaos and order. The city did not strive for uniformity — it absorbed the best from each era.
Medieval London is best preserved in the stones of the Tower and Westminster Abbey. The austere Norman fortress with its walls and towers, the majestic Gothic of the Abbey with its soaring ribs and stained glass — this is a memory of the times when the city was learning to be the capital of a kingdom.
The seventeenth century gifted London with the elegant classicism of St. Paul`s Cathedral and dozens of churches built by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire. Their strict porticos and graceful spires became models of English Baroque.
The Victorian era was a time of eclecticism and Gothic Revival. The Houses of Parliament, or the Palace of Westminster, with its famous Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) — is a masterpiece of the Gothic Revival that defined London`s face for centuries to come. At the same time, imposing railway stations, museums in the Classical style, and the first department stores were built.
And finally, modern London is not afraid of height and glass. The skyscrapers of the City — "The Gherkin," "The Shard," "The Walkie-Talkie" — burst into the historical landscape but managed to become an organic part of it. Here, in the Square Mile, antiquity meets futurism, creating architecture found nowhere else in the world.
Landmarks of London
Symbols and Monuments
Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster are the main symbols not only of London but of the whole of Great Britain. Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the name of the largest bell inside the clock tower, which is officially called the Elizabeth Tower. The Houses of Parliament building itself, or the Palace of Westminster, is a nineteenth-century Gothic Revival masterpiece where the House of Commons and the House of Lords sit. Its facade, adorned with statues and stained glass, stretches along the Thames for three hundred meters. This place looks especially beautiful in the evening, when the golden illumination lights the stone with a warm glow, and the chimes strike the hour, audible across the city.
Tower Bridge is the most recognizable bascule bridge on the planet, opened in 1894. Its two Neo-Gothic towers are connected by pedestrian walkways offering stunning views of the Thames. Go up, walk across the glass floor at a height of forty-two meters, and watch the water part beneath your feet as ships sail below.
Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of the British monarch since 1837. It has 775 rooms, its own post office, police station, and even a cinema. When the King or Queen is in residence, the Royal Standard flies from the roof. The main spectacle is the Changing of the Guard ceremony, when guards in bearskin hats march solemnly to the music of a military band. During the summer months, the State Rooms of the palace are open to visitors.
Sacred Architecture of London
Westminster Abbey is the nation`s main church, the site of coronations and burials of monarchs for almost a thousand years. William the Conqueror was crowned here in 1066, and Prince William and Kate Middleton were married here. The Gothic architecture of the Abbey is breathtaking in its grandeur: soaring vaults, exquisite stained glass, the stone tracery of the walls. In "Poets` Corner" rest Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, and in the main nave lie the graves of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and other great minds of Britain.
St. Paul`s Cathedral is a masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren, built after the Great Fire. Its enormous dome is the second largest in the world after St. Peter`s Basilica in Rome. Churchill`s funeral and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana took place here. Climb to the Whispering Gallery: if you whisper a word against one wall, it will be heard against another thirty-two meters away. And after conquering 528 steps to the Golden Gallery, you will get the best view of London.
Museums and Galleries of London
The British Museum is one of the world`s greatest treasure houses, gathering artifacts from all continents. Its collection began forming in 1753 and today numbers millions of objects. Here you can find the Rosetta Stone, which deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs, sculptures from the Athenian Parthenon, ancient mummies, treasures from a Saxon burial ship, and the famous Lewis Chessmen. And most astonishingly: entry to the museum has been free since 2001.
Tate Modern is an iconic museum of modern art, housed in a former power station on the banks of the Thames. Its giant Turbine Hall hosts exhibitions by the boldest artists, and the permanent collection includes works by Picasso, Dalí, Warhol, Banksy, and Matisse. It is a place where the industrial power of the past meets the creativity of the present.
The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square houses over two thousand paintings by the greatest European masters — from Van Eyck to Cézanne. Here you can see Van Gogh`s "Sunflowers," Velázquez`s "The Toilet of Venus" ("Rokeby Venus"), and Leonardo da Vinci`s "The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist." Entry here is also free.
The Natural History Museum is a vast cathedral in honor of nature, where under the vaults of the Neo-Romanesque hall hangs the skeleton of a blue whale, and a mechanical tyrannosaur roars menacingly at visitors. The museum building itself is particularly impressive — a work of Victorian architecture in its own right.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is a treasury of decorative and applied arts, gathering everything: from medieval armor to Japanese porcelain and models of the first crinolines.
Palaces and Squares of London
Trafalgar Square is the geographical and political heart of London. Nelson`s Column stands 52 meters high, with two huge fountains, bronze lions, and the Fourth Plinth, where contemporary sculptures are exhibited. Rallies, celebrations take place here, and young people simply hang out on the steps of the National Gallery.
Parliament Square, with its statues of Churchill, Lincoln, and other statesmen, is the place where all royal processions begin.
Kensington Palace is the residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and also the home where Princess Diana lived. Part of the palace is open to the public, where you can see the lavish interiors and learn about the history of the royal family.
Bridges and Embankments of London
The Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian bridge connecting St. Paul`s Cathedral with Tate Modern. It appeared in the Harry Potter films when Death Eaters destroyed it at the beginning of "The Half-Blood Prince." Walking across it at sunset, when the golden dome is reflected in the river, is a special pleasure.
The Thames Embankment is the soul of London. Here you can wander for hours, sit on benches with a view of Parliament or Tower Bridge, watch ships sail by, and definitely take a ride on an Uber Boat river bus, which replaces any cruise and shows the city from its most beautiful side.
Districts and Streets of London
Covent Garden is a former fruit market that has become the city`s liveliest quarter. Under the glass roof, craftsmen sell their wares, and street performers — jugglers, magicians, musicians — entertain. Surrounding it are boutiques, restaurants, and pubs. This is where London smiles.
Soho is the eternally young center of nightlife, restaurants, and LGBTQ+ culture. By day, you can wander into Chinatown with its red lanterns and Peking duck; by evening, into a jazz club or a trendy bar on Dean Street.
Notting Hill is the district of colorful houses, immortalized in the film with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. The main attraction is the Portobello Road flea market, where antique dealers, vintage sellers, and street food vendors create a carnival atmosphere.
Camden is the capital of alternative culture. Canal markets, biker pubs, tattoo parlors, shops selling Gothic clothing, and thousands of tourists coming for the spirit of rock `n` roll.
Greenwich is where time begins. The Prime Meridian, from which the world`s time zones are reckoned, runs through here. From the hill in Greenwich Park, the best view of east London opens up, and at the Royal Observatory, you can stand with one foot in the western hemisphere and the other in the eastern.
The City of London is the Square Mile, the financial heart of the capital. By day, bankers in suits hurry about, and by evening, the streets empty. This is where you can see the unique juxtaposition of Roman walls, medieval churches, and ultramodern skyscrapers.
Gardens and Parks of London
Hyde Park is London`s main royal park, famous worldwide for its Speakers` Corner, where anyone can climb onto a soapbox and speak about anything. You can go boating on the Serpentine, feed the squirrels, and simply lounge on the grass in the shade of ancient trees.
St. James`s Park is the oldest royal park, adjacent to Buckingham Palace. Its main inhabitants are pelicans, descendants of those given to the king by the Russian ambassador. Squirrels, geese, and many other birds also live here. The view of the palace from the bridge over the lake is one of the most picture-perfect panoramas of London.
Regent`s Park is a former hunting forest of Henry VIII, now an idyllic park with rose gardens, a lake, and an open-air theatre where Shakespeare`s plays are performed in summer.
Unusual Corners of London
• Sky Garden at the top of the "Walkie-Talkie" skyscraper — a free viewing platform with a view over all of London, featuring actual gardens under a glass dome. Tickets need to be booked weeks in advance.
• Garden at 120 — another free terrace on a skyscraper, offering an equally impressive view.
• Leadenhall Market — a covered Victorian market where scenes of "Diagon Alley" in Harry Potter were filmed. Even if you don`t buy anything, it`s worth going in for the cast-iron arches and colored stained glass.
• Postman`s Park — a tiny garden in the City, where a shelter houses ceramic tablets commemorating ordinary people who died saving others. This is London`s most touching memorial.
• Temple of Mithras beneath the Bloomberg building — ruins of a Roman temple discovered during excavations and preserved right in the office building`s basement.
• Brick Lane — the heart of the Bengali quarter, serving the best curry in the city, its walls covered in vibrant graffiti.
• The Wallace Collection — a rococo-style mansion-museum with a collection of paintings, arms and armor, and furniture, barely reached by tourists.
• The Albert Memorial opposite the Royal Albert Hall — a monument in memory of Prince Albert, as extravagant as it is touching.
Practical Tips
• Tickets in advance. Entry to the British Museum is free, but queues form for temporary exhibitions, St. Paul`s Cathedral, the Tower, and viewing platforms. Buy tickets online several weeks before your trip. The "London Pass" may pay for itself if you plan to visit many paid attractions.
• Opening hours. Many museums are closed on Mondays and open later on Fridays. Be sure to check the schedule before your visit.
• Transport. The Underground (Tube) is the most convenient and fastest way to get around. Pay for travel with a contactless card or Apple Pay — it`s cheaper than paper tickets. A daily cap prevents overspending. Red double-decker buses are a slower but scenic pleasure. Avoid the Tube during rush hour.
• Where to eat. Borough Market is a foodie`s paradise: oysters, truffle burgers, cheeses, and pastries. But on weekends, it`s crowded. In Soho and Covent Garden, there are thousands of restaurants for every taste. Be sure to try fish and chips in a proper pub, a Sunday roast, and of course, Afternoon Tea with sandwiches, scones, and Earl Grey tea.
• What to drink. Ale in an old pub is a ritual. Try a bitter or a light lager in a pub with history. For example, at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, built in the 1700s.
London attracts travelers with its combination of ancient history and modern architecture. Here you can see Roman walls, medieval fortresses, royal palaces, Victorian railway stations, and twenty-first-century skyscrapers. Most of the main attractions are located in the city center and are accessible for walking tours or short trips on the Underground.
