Read small texts about each famous sight and sum up each in a sentence, mentioning the most important and interesting details for you. Find them on the map.

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Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and is generally extended to refer to the clock or the clock tower as well. The clock tower holds the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower. It celebrated its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009, during which celebratory events took place. The tower was completed on 10 April 1858 and has become one of the most prominent symbols of both London and England, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

The Tower of London is an ancient Norman stone fortress in London, England. It stands on the bank of the River Thames, in the oldest part of the city. It was built by William the Conqueror, King William I, starting in 1078. The moat was built by Richard I, using water diverted from the River Thames. The Tower had many uses. Its main function was to protect Norman rule in the years after the conquest. It was a prison, and a place of execution. Today, the Crown Jewels are kept there. This is the collection of jewels owned by the British state, and sometimes worn by the monarch. There is also a museum of armour. The Tower of London has a collection of ravens, large black birds of the Crow family. They are taken care of by the staff who work there. The ravens' wing feathers are kept short so they cannot fly away. This is because a legend (story) says that if the ravens leave the Tower, the Tower and the Kingdom will fall.

Westminster Abbey is a large and famous Anglican church in Westminster, London. It is the shrine of Edward the Confessor and the burial place of many kings and queens. Since it was built it has been the place where the coronations of Kings and Queens of England have been held. The present structure dates from 1245, when it was started by Henry III. The status of the Abbey is that of a Royal Peculiar. This means it is place of worship that falls directly under the jurisdiction of the British monarch, rather than under a bishop. The concept dates from Anglo-Saxon times, when a church could ally itself with the monarch and therefore not be subject to the bishop of the area. Technically speaking, it is not a cathedral, though it is regarded as one in practice. One of the most famous tombs at Westminster Abbey is that of the Unknown Warrior.

Trafalgar Square is a famous place in the city of London, England. It is a large pedestrian square, bounded on three sides by roads. It serves as a refuge, and a major traffic intersection. It is visited by many tourists. Trafalgar Square is the heart of London. Very important roads go from the square: Whitehall goes to Parliament, the Mall goes to Buckingham Palace, and the Strand goes to the City of London. The square is also close to Covent Garden and Charing Cross station. The square celebrates the Battle of Trafalgar, fought in 1805. It contains Nelson's Column, a statue of Lord Horatio Nelson mounted on a tall column, with four statues of lions around it, the column is 56 meters tall while the statue is 5 meters tall. The National Art Gallery is there.

The London Eye is a large metal structure. It is also known as the Millennium Wheel and is one of the largest observation wheels (a type of Ferris wheel) in the world. It was opened in 2000. It is 135 metres high. The London Eye is a popular tourist destination. More than three million people visited it last year. At the time it was built, in 1999, it was the tallest giant wheel in the world. But then the London Eye was overtaken in May 2006, by the Star of Nanchang, which is 160 metres high and stands in the eastern Chinese city Nanchang. But on the 11th February 2008 the Singapore flyer overtook the Star of Nanchang, with 165 metres. The London Eye stands at the western end of Jubilee Garden, on the South Bank of the river Thames, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16