Tower Bridge
Next to the Tower of London, and designed to match the architecture of that famous castle, the Tower
Bridge (1898) is also a masterpiece of Victorian engineering. You can examine how it works and climb
up to the walkway over the Thames. The two sides of the bridge (bascules) open up to allow large ships
to enter – very necessary when this stretch of the Thames, the Pool of London, was full of trading
ships. BACK

Scroll down the page to find the stories behind the pictures.

Big Ben
The most famous part of the Houses of Parliament is the clock tower, containing the great bell Big
Ben, which was cast in Whitechapel in the east end of London. The bell may have been named after
Benjamin Hall, who supervised its installation – or a famously large boxer of the time. BACK

Millenium Bridge
This beautiful bridge was nicknamed the ‘Wobbly Bridge’ when it opened in 2000, because it
swayed when people crossed it. Designed by Foster and Partners, the sculptor Sir Anthony Caro
and Arup engineers, the wobble has now been corrected without losing the ‘Blade of Light’
appearance that won the design competition. It joins the City to the South Bank – so you can
now cross from near St Paul’s Cathedral to reach Tate Modern art gallery. BACK

The London Eye
Erected in 2000 as the largest observation wheel ever built, the British Airways London Eye is
now one of the most popular attractions in London. The design, by architects Marks and Byfield,
works like a bicycle wheel, with the observation capsules on the outside. A ‘flight’ on the Eye
takes 30 minutes and gives stunning views over the city. BACK

Cutty Sark
Greenwich is worth a visit for its elegant buildings, museums and market – and to see one of the
original tea clippers from the 19th century. In its day, the Cutty Sark (the name means ‘short linen
shift’ from the poem Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burns) was the fastest ship bringing tea from China.
BACK

Greenwich
Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral, designed the naval hospital at
Greenwich and he considered this the best view – from the tip of the Isle of Dogs in the east
end of London. The design surrounded the central Queen’s house, built for Anne, the wife
of King James I of England and VI of Scotland. BACK

The Blue Guide Badge
The highest tourist guide qualification in the UK: awarded to those who pass the examinations set by
the Institute of Tourist Guiding. BACK

Nelson
Towers over Trafalgar Square, commemorating the Battle of Trafalgar 1805 – Horatio Nelson was the
perfect British hero: fearless, reckless in disobeying orders and his scandalous affair with the beautiful
Emma Hamilton is remembered as much as his many naval triumphs. The statue is being renovated to
repair the damage from generations of disrespectful pigeons. BACK