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=INTRODUCTION=

**Sightseeing in London - Monuments:** On a first trip to London the major sights are a must. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and on Horse Guards Parade are free displays of colourful Royal pageantry. In August and September Buckingham Palace itself is open to visitors. Take a look at the Houses of Parliament and the famous clocktower that houses 'Big Ben'. Other unmissable sights include the Tower of London with its colourful 'Beefeaters' (yeoman warders), Tower Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's elegantly-domed masterpiece. One of the best ways to see London's famous landmarks is to take a guided bus tour, or one of the many other tours including boat and horse-drawn omnibuses. **Big Ben**

 Big Ben is not open to the public. Possibly the most famous clock face and chimes in the world, Big Ben is actually the name of the biggest bell (13.5 tons) inside The Clock Tower (320ft) which forms part of the Houses of Parliament. Built in 1858/9 the bell was named after one Sir Benjamin Hall and when it was cast it was Britain’s heaviest bell. The clock’s four dials each have a diameter of 23ft, the minute hands are 14ft long and the numerals on each face are nearly 2ft high. The placing of old pennies in the mechanism controls the accuracy of the clock movement, yet it is incredibly accurate.  The tower which houses Big Ben has been called by many names, one of the most popular is St Stephen’s Tower. The official line, from the Head of Public Information at the Palace is that the Clock Tower is simply called The Clock Tower. However, the name Big Ben has now passed into every day use and the locals call it Big Ben so we’ll go along with that too.  Nearest Tube: Westminster

**Buckingham Palace**   Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837 and evolved from a town house that was owned, from the beginning of the eighteenth century, by the Dukes of Buckingham. Buckingham Palace is the London home of The Queen and Prince Philip. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to take up residence here after the architect John Nash transformed it from Buckingham House into a palace. In 1845 Queen Victoria asked for the Palace to be extended to make more room for her growing family of four children. As part of the alterations, Marble Arch, which was originally the entrance to the palace, was moved to a new position at the corner of Hyde Park.  The Palace is also the administrative headquarters of the monarchy. The Queen receives visiting heads of state at the palace and it is here that the Queen holds garden parties and bestows knighthoods and other honours. Foot Guards from the Household Division, in their distinctive red tunics and black bearskins, can be seen on guard duty outside the palace daily. The Changing The Guard ceremony now takes place only every other day in the winter but it is still daily in the summer months.  After a serious damaged Windsor Castle in 1993 the Queen allowed the Palace State rooms to be opened to the public for the first time, to help pay the Windsor Castle repair bill. When not away, The Queen and Prince Philip spend most weekends at Windsor Castle, where they enjoy horse riding.  To book tickets call: +44 (0)20 7321 2233  Phone: +44 (0)20 7930 4832  Nearest Tube: St James's Park /Hyde Park Corner /Victoria  **St. Paul's Cathedral**

 St Paul's Cathedral is one of the world's most famous cathedrals, designed by[| Sir Christopher Wren]. This classical cathedral represents inspiration and craftsmanship on a grand scale. The Light of the World by Holman Hunt is its most famous work of art, but it also contains fabulous carvings, statues and mosaics. It's open for sightseeing Monday-Saturday but for services only on Sundays.  Work on this, the most impressive church in London began in 1675 to a design by Sir Christopher Wren. It was built to replace old St Paul's which was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. The present building has been luckier. It survived the World War II bombings which flattened a great many of the surrounding buildings. It took 35 years to complete the building. The imaginative Wren had to fight to get his plans accepted. Wren actually wanted to build the Cathedral just North of where it stands and he wanted the dome to be of copper, double gilded with gold. Unfortunately he was overruled on both counts. At the time not everyone liked Wren's design. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This is the fourth Cathedral to stand on this site. The first, a Saxon building, was built in AD 604. The 360ft high dome which dominates the city's skyline is the second largest in the world. The church itself is the largest Protestant church in England. From inside too, the dome is stunning and it is well worth climbing, up to the galleries. The whispering gallery is so named because of the way a whisper will echo there. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Higher still, there is access to the stone gallery on the exterior of the cathedral. At the very top is the Golden Gallery which has arguably the best view in London. The cathedral is packed with fine statues and interior detail. The beautiful woodcarvings are the work of Grinling Gibbons and the exquisite ironwork is by Jean Tijou. The mosaic work is mainly Byzantine and created by Victorian craftsmen to designs by Wren. Many of the rich or great are buried here. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Although in many ways a piece of history and a tourist attraction, the cathedral is still very much in use today. It is a national and international religious focus, a masterpiece of architecture and a centre of musical excellence. It was centre stage world-wide, through television, in 1981 for the fairytale marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Phone: +44 (0)20 7246 8348 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Nearest Tube: St Paul's