England is wonderful and exciting country in which to spend a little time. It has a great many visitor attractions well worth visiting perfectly suited for all tastes. For instance|One such place is the historical city of York which dates back to the times of the Roman Empire, Torquay (often called the English Riviera) and Liverpool (European City of Culture 2008). One of the most famous, and interesting, places to spend some time in is London the capital city of the United Kingdom of Britain
London is an amazing place to visit, either just for a weekend or, hopefully for a full vacation. You may be surprised at how many people who reside in the United Kingdom who have not yet visited London, even more surprising when you ponder on the fact it is usually top of the majority of visitors lists (of the most enjoyable places they went to).
There is simply so much to see and do in London that it is not possible to list them all all in one go. Surprisingly one of the newest attractions in London also happens to be one of the most popular – The London Eye. Another popular attraction nearby to the London Eye is the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. However, one place which must not be missed is Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace is England’s most widely known Royal residence, maybe because it is home to the Queen. Buckingham Palace is positioned in the center of London which makes it a natural focus for visitors. The daily pageant of ‘Changing of the Guard’ is incredibly fascinating to witness and ever so English.
Buckingham Palace was originally known as Buckingham House. It was originally a large town house, constructed in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It is actually the townhouse that forms the main core of the palace as we know it today.
Over the subsequent three quarters of a century Buckingham House was enlarged by the construction of 3 wings forming a central courtyard. The main architects responsible for these constructions were John Nash and Edward Blore. It was also John Nash who was responsible for the interior design of the monumental staterooms.
The famous architect Aston Webb was responsible for the building of the principal facade of Buckingham Palace which he re-designed in 1912. Webb along with Sir Thomas Brock (the sculptor) were the winners of a competition to design a memorial to Queen Victoria. This memorial can still be today.
The Queen has various other royal residences besides Buckingham Palace. Annually the Queen spends Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk. Sandringham House is privately owned by the Queen (a private royal residence).
Another private residence is Balmoral Castle, situated in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The Queen was staying in Balmoral Castle when she was told about the untimely accident involving Diana (the ex-wife of Prince Charles).
If you would like to take a break in the United Kingdom you may be surprised to learn that it is possible to find cheap hotels in London without any great difficulty, on the other hand you may want to stay in more luxurious surroundings and the fine selection of boutique hotels in London should be more than satisfactory.
