Landmarks of the UK

There are four nationalities which have their own language and culture: the English, the Irish, the Welsh, the Scottish. The population of the the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland is 63,7 mln people (2013). London, the capital, is one of many important industrial centers. Clothes, food, planes, cars are made in and around London. It is 2000 years old. Many years ago London was a small town on the Thames. Now London is a beautiful city. The oldest part of the capital is the “City of London”, it makes about 1 square mile. Many monuments of London’s history are in the City. London has many theatres and concert halls, galleries and museums. In London there are many historical places which are the most interesting and popular among the Londoners and foreign tourists from different countries. Before railways were built in Britain, canals had been made to join one river to another, and canal boat carried goods between the industrial centers and the seaports.

Stonehenge is the most mysterious structure in the world. It is situated in the South of England. The largest of its stones weigh 50 tons, and the smallest – 5 tons. It had been building during 6 hundred years. The sun and the stones at Stonehenge let Druids know when the months and seasons start.

The Tower of London is the most famous of all the historical buildings in London. It stands today almost unchanged since it was built in the 11^th century. It was a fortress, a royal palace and later a prison. But today it is a museum. There are a lot of interesting collections in the Tower of London. The black ravens that live in the gardens of the Tower now are another famous sight. The legend says that without them the Tower will fall. The Raven Master is the person who gives them food. Many people from other countries come to see the Tower. They see the dark stone halls with small windows and thick doors. The walls of the Tower are five metres thick. In the museum they can see many old guns.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is the second famous church. St. Paul’s Cathedral is the greatest work of England’s greatest architect, Christopher Wren. The Cathedral was begun in 1675. It was opened in 1697 but was finished only in 1710, when Wren was almost 80 years old. There are memorials to many famous men of England in the Cathedral.

Trafalgar Square is in the centre of the West End of London. In the centre there is Nelson’s Column with the figure of the great seaman who defeated the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Trafalgar Square is the place where mass meetings and demonstrations take place.

Piccadilly Circus is a square in the central part of London. It is the meeting point of six streets. London’s best-known theatres and cinemas and most famous restaurants are on Piccadilly Circus. In the square you can see people of many nationalities and hear a lot of different languages.

The Houses of Parliament in London, known also as the Palace of Westminster, is the place where members of Parliament gather to make laws. The Houses of Parliament is a very large building which stands near the Thames.

Big Ben. The bell weights 13 tons. The man in charge of the building was Sir Benjamin Hall. He was very tall, so the workers called him Big Ben. It strikes every hour. There are two tall towers at the corners of the building and one of them is the Clock Tower. It was built in 1858 by the English people.

Westminster Abbey. It is a royal church. Westminster Abbey is the historic building in London to which every visitor sooner or later goes. The Abbey was founded in the 11^th century. Many of Great Britain’s famous men are buried in Westminster Abbey.

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