WELCOME TO WESTMINSTER

. Westminster Abbey is a working church with a daily cycle of prayer and an architectural masterpiece. Edward the Confessor founded the Abbey in the 11-th century and it was largely remodelled from the 13-th to the 16-th centuries. The building we see today was begun by Henry lll in the Gothic style in The Abbey has seen the coronation of every English monarchs since William the Conqueror in 1066 and it is home to Coronation Chair. It has also witnessed countless royal and state occasions including weddings and funerals. The Abbey provided the burial place for over 3000 people ranging from Elisabeth I to Charles Dickens and the Unknown Warrior from World War l.

PALACE OF WESTMINSTER BIG BEN AND THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT were built after the old palace burnt down in The building contains the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The Palace of Westminster, more commonly called The Houses of Parliament, includes both the House of Parliament and the House of Lords. Surviving Guy Fawlkes’ attempt to blow up, the palace burnt down in 1834 and was rebuilt to designs by Sir Charles Barry and his assistant Augustus Pugin. The House of Commons Chamber was then destroyed by German air attack in 1941 and rebuilt by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. The building incorporates the awesome Westminster Hall, built by William the Conqueror’s son in the 11-th century, when it was the largest in Europe. The hall was the part of the Old Palace of Westminster, which remained the monarch’s residence until 1512.

Walk round the far end of the Houses of Parliament to Big Ben, which takes its name from the clock’s 13-ton bell.

ADMIRE WINDSOR CASTLE

WINDSOR CASTLE FROM THE AIR

900 years of Royal history are waiting for you in Windsor castle. Successive monarchs have lived here since William the Сonqueror. It is the largest and the oldest occupied castle in the world, the home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

CASTLE WARDENS are able to provide information on the Castle and the assistance in the case of emergency.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

was built in “I’ve been so happy there”, Queen Victoria wrote in her diary in 1843 when leaving the palace for one of her residences. There are some 600 rooms in all the palace, including those used by staff. The rooms occupied privately by the Royal Family are few in number. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have a suite of about 12 rooms on the first floor overlooking the Mall.

QUEEN VICTORIA MEMORIAL is in front of the Buckingham Palace. It was conceived in 1901 by Queen Victoria memorial Committee. A 13 ft seated figure of Queen Victoria made of one block of marble is surrounded by what is called “allegorical females” figures: Charity (west), Truth (south), Justice (north). On the pedestal there is a gold- winged figure of Victory with figures of Courage and Constancy at her feet.

Trafalgar Square

Nelson’s column

Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s column was erected in 1843 to commemorate Admiral Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in The column is 51 m tall and four majestic bronze lions, each 6 m long and 3,3 m high, guard the base of column.