Big Ben, London

The camera stands on the pavement on Bridge Street, right underneath Portcullis House - the big curved-roofed building of stone piers and glass that takes up most of the view, with the Underground roundel and the WESTMINSTER sign on its corner and the station entrance beneath it. Turn towards the river and the clock tower is there across the road, catching the sun, with the pinnacles and Gothic frontage of the Palace of Westminster running away beside it behind its stone wall and railings. This is what the tower actually looks like to somebody standing at street level rather than in the postcard view from the bridge: foreshortened, hemmed in by traffic and lamp posts, and much closer than people expect. A newspaper kiosk is a few feet from the tripod and there are people going into the station past it the whole time.

The ancient city of London is the capital of England. In addition to scores of fascinating sites and attractions, it boasts four UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the magnificent Kew Gardens dating to 1759, the massive Norman fortifications and Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich with its Royal Observatory, and the complex of three buildings that include Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Saint Margaret’s Church. Few cities in the world can rival all this city has to offer, from amazing museums and restaurants to shows and iconic sites such as Big Ben.

Big Ben is a common nickname for the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, located right along the Thames and just steps from Westminster Abbey. This clock tower is the third largest free-standing clock tower in the world. It was completed in 1858 and ever since then has been a popular symbol of London, and has appeared in countless photos, TV shows, and films as a result.

Buckingham Palace This great palace that is the principal home of the reigning British monarch was once merely Buckingham House, albeit a townhouse suitable for the Duke of Buckingham. It was built in 1705 and King George III acquired it in 1762. It was enlarged by subsequent monarchs until it reached more or less the size it is today in about 1837 when Queen Victoria made it her official residence. There are public tours available of the palace, although not in the royal family’s quarters. The Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace is one of the most viewed events in the city, and the opening of Parliament is a grand spectacle when the Royal Horseguards trot trough the Mall in front of the palace to escort the monarch in his or her carriage to the Houses of Parliament.

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey (founded in 900) is one of buildings that together comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Westminster Palace dates to 1840, and St. Margaret’s Church is a small medieval church. Since the crowning of William the Conqueror in 1066, all monarchs have been crowned in Westminster Abbey, which is a magnificent and one of the most significant examples of Gothic architecture. It is a favorite venue for royal weddings, and one of the most popular places to visit in London. Perhaps surprisingly, many people are buried under the floors and in crypts in the abbey, including Laurence Olivier, Rudyard Kipling, and many members of the royal family.