Iconic Places of London

London is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. It’s also a common stop on most backpacking trips, European vacations, or two-week holidays. Everyone wants to come to London! People are drawn to it by images of pubs, museums, theater, and royalty. It is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, and an amazing place to eat. It’s got everything for everyone – from arts & culture to food & shopping, world history to amazing scenery. There’s always something new to do!

University of Greenwich

Greenwich is the oldest enclosed Royal Park, 74 hectares (183 acres) in area. On top of a hill, visitors enjoy sweeping views across the river Thames and Central London.

The park is part of Greenwich World Heritage Site, host to the Prime Meridian Line and the old Royal Observatory.

Queen’s House & University of Greenwich as seen from Greenwich Observatory

Meridian Line in Greenwich.

The line in Greenwich represents the Prime Meridian of the World – Longitude 0º. Every place on Earth was measured in terms of its distance east or west from this line. The line itself divided the eastern and western hemispheres of the Earth – just as the Equator divides the northern and southern hemispheres.

A Black-headed Gull

Scottish guy playing the Bagpipe near The Big Ben

Another Cute Gull!

The banks of the Thames river are infested with innumerable Gulls

The Iconic Big ben

Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge

The Coca-Cola London Eye is centrally located in the heart of London, gracefully rotating over the River Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

At 135 metres, the Coca-Cola London Eye is the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel; a feat of design and engineering, it has become the modern symbol representing London and a global icon. The experience showcases breathtaking 360-degree views of London and its famous landmarks and has been the number one visitor experience in the city for the past decade.

Westminster Abbey is one of the world’s great churches, with a history stretching back over a thousand years and an essential part of any trip to London

Trafalgar Square, the largest square in London, is often considered the heart of the city. Ever since the Middle Ages, this area has been a central meeting place. In the middle of the square stands a tall column honoring admiral Nelson.

The square was originally called Charing. Later it became known as Charing Cross, after a memorial cross on the square. The nearby underground station (the ‘tube’) is still named Charing Cross.

Float, or float not… there is no try! Outside the London National Gallery

Glide above the Thames in the Emirates Air Line cable car and enjoy great views of London. Using the cable car is an easy way to get from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks.

One of the most famous river crossings in the world, Tower Bridge in London is actually only 120 years old. Still, the fact that it lifts up in the middle when large vessels are passing underneath makes it an icon that most children probably picture in their minds when singing ‘London Bridge is falling down’. Planes have flown through it, David Beckham has steered a speedboat underneath it and in 1952 a double-decker bus really did ‘leap’ over the gap when the bridge started to lift without warning.

London has one of the largest urban transport networks in the world, with integrated bus, river and road systems spanning the city’s 32 boroughs. Buses are a quick, convenient and cheap way to travel around, with plenty of sightseeing opportunities en route. London’s Underground rail network, or “the Tube” as it is known, is normally the quickest and easiest way of travelling around London. The innovative, driverless Docklands Light Railway (DLR) serves parts of East and South East London. Travelling by river is a great way to travel across London. You’ll beat the traffic and soak up some fantastic views along the way! Trams run in parts of South London and London’s public bicycle scheme is a great way to travel around the city – and the first half an hour is free!

London’s Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. Its Victorian Gothic style stems from a law that forced the designers to create a structure that would be in harmony with the nearby Tower of London.

Plans for the Tower Bridge were devised around 1876 when the east of London became extremely crowded and a bridge across the Thames in that area of the city seemed a necessity. It would take another eight years – and lots of discussions about the design – before construction of the bridge started.

The bridge, designed by city architect Horace Jones in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry, would eventually be completed in 1894. Five contractors and nearly 450 workers were involved in the construction of the 265 meter long bridge. It took 11,000 tons of steel to build the framework. At the time many people disliked its Victorian Gothic design, but over time the bridge became one of London’s most famous symbols.

The massive White Tower is a typical example of Norman military architecture, whose influence was felt throughout the kingdom. It was built on the Thames by William the Conqueror to protect London and assert his power. The Tower of London – an imposing fortress with many layers of history, which has become one of the symbols of royalty – was built around the White Tower.

Iconic Red London Buses

For many, London’s red telephone booths are an iconic part of the city. But since almost everyone carries smartphones these days, the boxes are now used more for photo opps than for phone calls. As a result, they’ve been steadily disappearing; the number of booths in the UK have dropped from 92,000 in 2002 to less than 48,000 today.

Now some of the phone booths will get a makeover. Bar Works, a New York-based co-working company, will soon transform at least 20 boxes into small offices for entrepreneurs. Each office booth will feature wifi, a 25-inch computer, a printer and scanner, outlets, and even a coffee machine.

The majestic St. Paul’s Cathedral in London was built by Christopher Wren between 1675 and 1711. It is one of Europe’s largest cathedrals and its dome is only exceeded in size by that of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The dome reaches a height of 111 meters (366 ft) and weighs about 66,000 tons. Eight arches support the dome. On top of the dome is a large lantern with a weight of 850 tons.

Green Park – 47 acres of lush greenery near Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Situated right in front of Buckingham Palace, London, this large memorial was built the early twentieth century in honor of Queen Victoria, who reigned over the United Kingdom for almost sixty-four years.

Standing 25 meters (82 feet) high and made of 2,300 tons of gleaming white marble, the Victoria Memorial pays homage to Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. The memorial was designed by Sir Aston Webb, an English architect also responsible for the main facade of Buckingham Palace. The large statues were sculpted by Sir Thomas Brock. The memorial was unveiled in 1911, one decade after Queen Victoria’s death. The memorial was only completed much later, in 1924, when the last sculptures were added.

Victoria, of course, was the reason for the monument, but there’s much more to see than just the queen, who faces eastward away from Buckingham Palace with the words “Victoria, Regina Imperatrix” (Victoria, Queen and Emperor) placed below her.

Set in the heart of royal London, Wellington Arch was built as an original entrance to Buckingham Palace, later becoming a victory arch proclaiming Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon. Crowned by the largest bronze sculpture in Europe, it depicts the Angel of Peace descending on the ‘Quadriga’ – or four-horsed chariot – of War.