Since 1837 Buckingham Palace is the official home of the British royal family in London. It is also the busy administrative headquarters of the monarchy. Although Buckingham Palace is furnished and decorated with priceless works of art it is not an art gallery nor is it a museum.
During the summer, the Changing of the Guard takes place at the front of the Palace and is a popular event for visitors to the capital from 1st April to Early July. It takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11.30 every day in summer, and lasts about 45 minutes.
The Great Fire of London was a very serious fire that destroyed most of the city, including the old St Paul's Cathedral, in 1666.
Great Britain is an island lying to the north-west of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest in Europe. With a population of approximately 58.9 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth and it is surrounded by over 1000 smaller islands. There are three countries with their capitals (Wales – Cardiff, England – London, Scotland – Edinburgh).
The London Eye is the name of a big wheel on the bank of the River Thames in London. It is sponsored by British Airways and it was erected to celebrate the Millennium. It is called the “Eye” because it is round and gives you a great view of the capital.
Downing Street is the street in central London, a few minutes' walk from the Houses of Parliament and a little further from Buckingham Palace. The most famous address in Downing Street is 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister. The street was built in the 1680s by Sir George Downing who was a soldier and diplomat.
The UK (The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is a constitutional monarchy located off the north-western coast of Europe. It is an island country which consist of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and many small islands. About 60 million people lives there.
London is the capital city of the UK and the largest city in that country. It is situated in the south-east of England on the River Thames. It is also an important port and centre for tourists. Its population is about 8 million people. The most popular tourist attractions are: The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, The Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, London Eye and Hyde Park.
Piccadilly Circus is a round, open area in central London, where several streets join together. It is famous for the reasons: 1. for being very busy, 2. for its advertising signs made of neon lights, 3. for the Statue of Eros in the centre. People sometimes say that a place is like Piccadilly Circus to mean that it is very busy.
The City of London is an area in central London where there are many large banks and financial organizations, including The Bank of England and The Stock Exchange. The City has an area of about 1 square mile (about 2,5 square km), and it is sometimes called “the Square Mile”.
The West End is the western part of central London, where there are large shops, theatres, expensive hotels etc.
The Tube is the system of trains that run under the ground in London. (the American word is “subway”). It is the oldest underground railway in the world.
Notting Hill is a residential area of West London. It is famous for a street carnival (the Notting Hill carnival), which takes place in August every year.
Big Ben is the large bell in tower of the House of Parliament in London, which rings regularly to tell the time.
The University of London is the third oldest university in England. It consists of several different colleges in London, including Imperial College, University College, King's College, and the London School of Economics.
The Palace of Westminster is the official name of the Houses of Parliament in London.
The Thames – the longest river in England, which flows from the west into the North Sea. In London, many well-known bridges across the Thames connect the north and the south of the city, and many important buildings, including the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London, are built next to the river.
Westminster Abbey is a very large Gothic church in Westminster, London. It was first built in the 11 century. Almost all British kings and queens since William the Conqueror have been crowned in the Abbey and many famous people are buried there.
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