London - you must have seen these five sights
Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, British Museum, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Hyde Park, London Eye - the list of London's top sights goes on and on. So it is hardly surprising that the UK's capital is the most popular tourist destination in the whole of Europe with over 20 million visitors a year.
Big Ben
Big Ben is the symbol of London par excellence. The 96-metre high clock tower right next to the Palace of Westminster on the Thames can be seen from many directions. Together with the Palace of Westminster, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Officially, the tower is called "Elizabeth Tower", but this name has never been able to prevail over "Big Ben". Unfortunately, you can neither visit Big Ben from the inside nor climb it. However, the tower's carillon is very beautiful to listen to. Every quarter of an hour, a melody from Handel's opera Messiah rings out. Big Ben is particularly atmospheric after dark, when the tower is illuminated together with the Palace of Westminster.
The Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is probably the most famous bridge in the world and, together with Big Ben, is London's main landmark. Located right next to the Tower of London, the suspension and bascule bridge spans the Thames over a length of 244 meters.
Tower Bridge is still one of London's most important transport links today. From the bridge, you can enjoy a fantastic panorama over the Thames and the center of London. The footbridges now house a museum that tells the story of Tower Bridge.
The Tower of London
Like no other building in London, the Tower is linked to the history of the British capital and the British royal family. To this day, the circular castle in the heart of the city is owned by the British monarchs. Due to its historical significance, the Tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
When visiting the Tower, you should definitely take a look at the crown jewels of the British royal family. Other sights in the Tower of London include the Royal Armouries and the Museum of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Finally, a walk around the grounds is not complete without a photo of a Yeoman Warder, the Tower's orderly force. And if you're lucky, you might even catch one of the Tower's famous ravens on camera.
Buckingham Palace
No visit to London should end without a photo of Buckingham Palace, ideally at the royal changing of the guard. For almost 200 years, the palace in the heart of London has been the official residence of the British monarchs.
However, Buckingham Palace is not only the Queen's residence, but is also used for state receptions and houses the Queen's Gallery, which is open to the public, and the Royal Mews, which is also open to the public.
The palace itself can be visited in August and September and on certain days in winter and spring. However, you may only enter the reception rooms and not the private apartments of the Royal Family.
The British Museum
Together with the Louvre in Paris, the British Museum is probably the most famous museum in the world and a must-see on a trip to London, even for museum lovers. With around eight million exhibits, the British Museum is one of the largest museum institutions in the world.
The collections of the British Museum cover a period of two million years and are divided into around 90 individual collections. To see all the exhibits in the British Museum, you would have to spend many weeks in the museum. Highlights of the collection include the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles and the collection of Egyptian mummies.