2. Big Ben Officially called the Palace of Westminster, there was a royal palace here in the middle ages. Henry VIII gave it over to government. A fire almost completely destroyed the old palace in 1834. The present building was built in the distinctive Victorian Gothis between 1840 and 1860 by Sir Charles Barry and A W Pugin The great bell is named after the first Commissioner of Works, Sir Benjamin Hall. Also in the clock tower is a prison cell for MPs who transgress against Parliamentary privilage - it was last used in 1880 for this purpose.
3. Thamesriver TheRiverThameswasLondon'smainhighway in times goneby. In thosedaystheroadswere rough, thehorsesslow, thehighwaymen and footpadsdangerous. Bestgoby sea! TheriverwasfirstbridgedbytheRomans at a convenientford, and forcenturiesthatremainedtheonly bridge overtheriver in thearea. Thenext bridge tobebuiltwas Westminster in 1750. OtherssoonfollowedincludingTower bridge in Victorian times. . TheQueen Elizabeth II Bridge at Woolwichwasbuilt in1991 totakethe M25 overtheriver.
4. Buckinghampalace Buckingham Palace has been the main home of the sovereign since Queen Victoria. It was originally built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham (hence its name) Itwaslater re-modeledby Nash for George IV, butdidnotfinallygetitspresentclassicalfacadeuntil 1913. The crowds gather for the daily changing of the guard at 11.30 am in the summer.There is another guard change at Horseguards at 11 am
5. Science museum The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction.
