Tower Bridge

This bridge, built in1894, is still in daily use even though the traffic in and out of the London Wharves has increased to an extraordinary extent during the course of the 20^th century.

Even today Tower Bridge regulates a large part of the impressive traffic of the Port of London. Due to a special mechanism, the main traffic-way consisting of two parts fixed to two hinges at the ends can be lifted up. In this way, the entrance and departure of extremely large vessels is possible, and allows them to reach the Pool of London.

The pedestrian path is closed nowadays.

Down the River Thames

The visitor to London who has a feeling for history, particularly maritime history, should take a boat at Westminster pier and sail down the River Thames to Greenwich.

The trip lasts about forty minutes and takes you through the Port of London. You go past St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, under Tower Bridge and into the Pool of London, with the bustle of cranes and ships unloading. Farther on, the view is of grim warehouses, grimy wharves and groups of barges moored in the centre of the river. Then, suddenly, as you round a bend in the river, the scene changes dramatically. You see a magnificent three-masted sailing ship. It is the Cutty Sark. Beyond it you see, set in green lawns, the colonnades and columns, the courts and twin domes of what seems to be a magnificent eighteenth-century palace.

The palace you see from the river was built by Christopher Wren. For nearly a hundred years it has been the Royal Naval College for the higher education of naval officers. In the south-west block is the Painted Hall, so called because of the effective paintings on the walls and ceilings. In another part of the building is the National Maritime Museum. Behind the museum is Greenwich Observatory. The Royal Observatory was established at Greenwich nearly three hundred years ago, primarily for the assistance of navigation, and the zero meridian of longitude which passes through it is marked on the path to the north. Owing to the growing pollution of the atmosphere at Greenwich, the Observatory was transferred several years ago to the country.

Westminster

Westminster is another central and important part of London. Most governmental buildings are situated there. On the left bank of the Thames is Westminster Palace, famous as the Houses of Parliament. It is the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower with the hour-bell called Big Ben is known all over the world.

Big Ben

Why is this bell called “Big Ben”? When the great bell was cast in London foundry in 1858, the question of its name was discussed in Parliament. One member said, “Why not call it Big Ben?”

There was much laughter among the members because the man in charge of public buildings was Sir Benjamin Hall, a very tall, stout man whose nickname was “Big Ben”.

From that time the bell has been known as Big Ben. The bell is 7ft 6 inches high and 9ft 9 inches across the mouth. It weighs 13.5 tons (about the same as two double-decker buses). “Big Ben” is the name of the bell only – not the clock, and not the tower.

Westminster Abbey

The great glory of Westminster is, of course, the Abbey. Ancient tradition claims that St.Peter founded the first church here, but the Abbey’s 900 years of existence since its dedication go back to Edward the Confessor. Henry III rebuilt the earlier church and the present building dates from his reign. If you have never visited the Abbey before, try to go in slowly and look about carefully. For the immediate effect, as you follow the wonderfully vaulted roof along the length of the nave, is a startling and breathtaking beauty. There is an element of greatness here that is not just concerned with size and height.

Poets’ Corner

Many visitors to the Abbey are attracted to Poets’ Corner, with its memorials to great men of letters. Many outstanding statesmen, painters, writers and poets are buried there. Among them are Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling and others. Chaucer, who is buried in the Abbey, is remembered here. So are Spenser, Dryden, Ben Jonson, and Milton. There are also memorials to Shakespeare, Burns, Byron, Walter Scott, Thackeray and to the American poet Longfellow. A full length statue of Shakespeare by Scheemakers was erected in 1741, and just opposite is a monument to the actor David Garrick. He is aptly shown parting the curtains. Dr Johnson is represented with a magnificent bust by Nollekens, and there is a remarkable rendering of Blake’s life-mask by Epstein.

Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned in Westminster Abbey.