19. Історична та культурна спадщина Об’єднаного королівства (Historical and Cultural Heritage of the uk)

London, one of the world’s biggest cities, is a great industrial and cultural centre. It consists of four main districts, which differ from each other: the City, Westminster, the West End, and the East End. The City is the business and financial centre of London. Westminster is the most important part of the capital. It is the administrative centre. The West End has most of the museums, art galleries, concert halls, expensive shops, restaurants, hotels, beautiful houses and many parks, gardens, and squares. The East End is an industrial district of the capital. Most plants, factories, and the port of London are situated there.

St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the world that was built by Sir Christopher Wren, the most famous of all English architects. It took him 35 years. The most notable feature of the Cathedral is the enormous Dome. There is a Whispering Gallery, which fascinates all visitors. The cathedral holds over 200 memorials and tombs of famous British figures such as Nelson, Wellington, and Churchill. When Sir Christopher Wren died he was buried in the cathedral. Nowadays St Paul’s Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of London.

The Tower of London was begun in the 1lth century by William the Conqueror. In the course of history it has been a fortress, a royal palace, and a state prison. The Tower was also an observatory, and for centuries it housed the royal menagerie. The wild animals are not kept there now, but you can see some ravens. There is a legend that if the ravens leave the Tower, the entire Kingdom would fall. Therefore the birds, whose wings are clipped to prevent them from flying away, are carefully cared for by one of the Yeomen Warders. Now the Tower is a unique museum and houses the Crown Jewels and other treasures.

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Her Majesty the Queen and her family. It was built in the 18th century and rebuilt later by the architect John Nash. The first monarch who took residence there was Queen Victoria. Buckingham Palace is like a small town, with its police station, post offices, a hospital, bars, sports clubs, a disco, a cinema, and a swimming pool. It is partially open to the public, but the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard in front of it is a great tourist attraction.

Westminster Abbey is a very beautiful church, which was built in 1050. Almost all British monarchs have been crowned, married and buried there since the 1lth century. Beneath the roof of this Gothic building there are also the graves and memorials of many great statesmen, philosophers, scientists, writers and other distinguished people. Newton, Darwin, Watt, Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy are buried there. There is a corner usually called “Poets’ Corner” where there are memorials to Shakespeare, Burns, Byron, Thackeray, Scott, and Longfellow. Near the West Door of the Abbey the Unknown Warrior lies in a simple grave.

Trafalgar Square is in the centre of the West End of London. The square was named in commemoration of the victorious naval battle of Trafalgar in 1805, in which Admiral Lord Nelson was fatally wounded. The Nelson Column was erected in the 1840s. On the top of the imposing column is a 17 feet-tall statue of Lord Nelson. On the pedestal there are four bronze panels, which represent Nelson’s four great naval victories. There are fountains and the four bronze lions round the base of the column. It is interesting to know that the column is situated in the geographical centre of the city. This square is always open for public meetings and demonstrations.

London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is the largest observation wheel in the world. The Wheel carries 32 passenger capsules and one revolution takes about 30 minutes. The wheel does not usually stop to take on passengers. The London Eye is officially the world’s most popular tourist attraction ahead of the Statue of Liberty, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Eiffel Tower. The Eye is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest observation wheel in the world.