“ Welcome to London!” (practice-focused project)

Municipal budgetary educational institution

Lenkovskaya basic school

the regional contest of projects “Young explorers – 2023”

“ Welcome to London!”

(practice-focused project)

                                                                         Made by a student of the 7th form

                              Lapina Alina

Supervisor: Mazina Tatiana Sergeevna

Lenkovo, 2023

CONTENT

Introduction

1. Top 12 «MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF LONDON»

2. About sights of London

2.1 Big Ben

2.2 The Houses of Parliament

2.3 The Tower

2.4 The Tower Bridge

2.5 Westminster Abbey

2.6 The London Eye

2.7 Trafalgar Square

2.8 Buckingham Palace

2.9 The Royal Guard

2.10 The British Museum

2.11 St. Paul’s Cathedral

2.12 Hyde Park

3.  Calendar 2023 “Welcome to London!”

Сonclusion

List of sources used

INTRODUCTION

Everyone has a dream. My dream is to visit London! I understand that this is impossible at the moment, but the desire to walk around Trafalgar Square, sit in one of the quiet corners of  Hyde Park, get acquainted with the rich history of the oldest capital of the world and its sights was stronger.

To fulfill my dream, I decided to make a "virtual" trip to London and, based on the results, create my own calendar “WELCOME TO LONDON!” with information about the sights of London.

The purpose of the work: to expand and systematize knowledge about the most popular sights of  London.

Tasks to achieve the set goal:

1. Make a top list of the most popular sights of London.
2. Find and explore information about the most popular sights of London.
3. Create a calendar with information about the most popular sights of London for 2023. 

Object of research: the city of London

Subject of research: sights of London

Practical significance of our work: this work can be used in English lessons and in extracurricular activities to familiarize students with the sights of London.

1. Top 12 «MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF LONDON»

London is one of the most visited cities in the world. Every year millions of foreign tourists come to this wonderful city, and none of them remains indifferent. There are many interesting places in London, about which newspapers, magazines write, articles are published on the Internet, a large number of tourist routes are offered. What sights attract tourists? After studying the websites of tour operators and interviewing classmates (appendix 1), I made a rating of the most attractive places to visit in London:

1 Big Ben

2 The Houses of Parliament

3 The Tower

4 The Tower Bridge

5 Westminster Abbey

6 The London Eye

7 Trafalgar Square

8 Buckingham Palace

9 The Royal Guard

10 The British Museum

11 St. Paul’s Cathedral

12 Hyde Park

2. About sights of London

2.1 Big Ben

Big Ben is the most popular landmark of Great Britain. The official name of this building is the Elizabeth Tower but we know it as Big Ben. It was built in 1859 and only after 2012 people started calling it ‘Elizabeth Tower’. The height of Big Ben is just under 100 meters. The diameter of the world's largest four-sided clock with a stroke is 7 meters. You can listen to the sound of the bells every 15 minutes, and Big Ben himself every hour. There are many places in London where you can buy a small souvenir in the shape of this place of interest.

2.2  The Houses of Parliament

The Parliament in London is a real attraction of the British capital, its business card. This is a place where the UK government works.

The current British Parliament is housed in the famous Westminster Palace. The building was built on the banks of the Thames in the middle of the XIX century. The Parliament building has three main towers: the tallest, but not the most famous – the Victoria Tower, the central tower and, of course, the Elizabeth Tower, world famous as Big Ben.

The Parliament building itself includes more than 1,100 rooms, several large meeting rooms, more than a hundred stairs, as well as about five kilometers of corridors.

Nowadays, anyone can visit the houses of Parliament and listen to speeches by members of both chambers.

         It is necessary to register in advance by phone or on the official website to attend the meeting, then arrive at the appointed time, go through all the screening procedures and, observing silence, attend the meeting in a specially designated place.

         And during the parliamentary holidays, when parliamentarians are resting, excursions are conducted around the Parliament Building.

2.3 The Tower

The Tower of London is one of the main symbols of Great Britain, occupying a special place in the history of the English nation.

The Tower, a fortress standing on the north bank of the Thames, is the historical center of London and one of the oldest buildings in England. The fortress was built in 1078. Throughout its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, a palace, a repository of royal jewels, a mint, a prison, an observatory, a zoo, a place that attracts tourists.

Today, the Tower of London is one of the main attractions of Great Britain. It has hardly changed since the days of the past. The symbol of the Tower's sinister past is the place where the scaffold of Tower Hill used to be. Now there is a small memorial plaque in memory of “the tragic fate and sometimes martyrdom of those who risked their lives and accepted death in the name of faith, motherland and ideals.”

Currently, the main buildings of the Tower are the museum and the Armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept; officially it continues to be considered one of the royal residences. There are also a number of private apartments in the Tower, in which mainly the service staff and distinguished guests live.

Palace guards guard the Tower to this day. Today, their duties also include conducting excursions for numerous visitors. On special occasions, they dress in luxurious costumes from the Tudor dynasty: scarlet doublets trimmed with gold and topped with snow-white braided collars. On normal days, they are dressed in dark blue with red trim uniforms of the Victorian era. English guards are often called beefeaters, or meat eaters. This nickname most likely appeared during the famine, when Londoners were malnourished, and the palace guards regularly received a ration of beef meat. By this, the English crown provided itself with reliable protection.

The palace caretaker of ravens takes care of a flock of ravens (ravens). There is a belief that if the birds leave the Tower, misfortune will befall England, therefore, as a precaution, their wings were clipped.

The caretakers of the royal treasury guard the famous jewels of the British Empire. The treasury has been open to visitors since the XVII century. Among the precious stones adorning crowns, powers and sceptres — which are still used by members of the royal family during ceremonial ceremonies — you can see the world's largest faceted diamond of high quality, Cullinan I.

 2.4 Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is a drawbridge across the River Thames in central London, not far from the Tower of London. This is one of the most popular attractions in London, which is easily recognized even by those who have never been to the capital of the United Kingdom. Every year thousands of tourists flock here, discovering the splendor of this Gothic structure.

The bridge was built in 1894. The bridge has a total length of 244 meters, in the middle there are two towers, each 65 meters high, between them there is a span of 61 meters, which is a movable element. This allows vessels to pass to the city berths at any time of the day or night. The powerful hydraulic system was originally water-powered, driven by large steam engines. Today, the system has been completely replaced with an oil system and is controlled by a computer. The complete dilution of the bridge when lifting each wing at an angle of up to 83 degrees takes less than two minutes.

There are 2 elevators inside the towers – one for ascent, one for descent. 

2.5  Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is practically the most important shrine in England, which is located in the Westminster district of London. The church is built in the Gothic style and is the place of coronation and burial of the monarchs of Britain. Together with St. Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 In the interior of the temple there are tombs of kings, military leaders, writers and other famous people, and the total number of tombstones in the abbey is more than three thousand. Almost all English kings, presumably starting with Harold II, then William the Conqueror, were crowned in Westminster Abbey. Many solemn events from the life of the royal family and the state also took place here.

 Concerts of secular and sacred music are very often held in the abbey.

2.6 The London Eye

The London Eye is a Ferris wheel on the banks of the Thames, which has become one of the symbols of the city and one of London's favorite attractions.. London Eye reaches 135 meters in height and weighs 2100 tons. 32 capsule cabins move slowly at a speed of 26 cm per second. Each full circle of the wheel takes 30 minutes. All this time you can enjoy a wonderful view stretching for 40 km in all directions.
 

2.7 Trafalgar Square

One of the main tourist centers of London and the whole of Great Britain is Trafalgar Square, the main square of London where most of the official celebrations and holidays of the country are held. It is here that the main city Christmas tree of the country is installed on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays.

Trafalgar Square was built in 1820. Initially, the square was named after King William IV, but in 1830 it was renamed in honor of the victory of the English fleet in 1805 in the Battle of Cape Trafalgar.

In the UK, many exhibitions and compartments in museums are dedicated to this event, but it is Trafalgar Square that celebrates this victory the most. Admiral Horatio Nelson, the commander of the British fleet, died in this battle, and the column created and installed in the middle of the square in his honor became its symbol.

 Nelson's Column was erected in 1842. This is a 44-meter granite monument, on top of which is a five-meter statue of Admiral Nelson. On four sides the column is decorated with bronze frescoes cast from melted Napoleonic cannons. 

2.8 Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace, located in Westminster, is considered one of the main attractions of London. This palace is the official residence of the monarchs of Great Britain and is used for official ceremonies, receptions and banquets. During public holidays, a large number of people always gather near Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous buildings in the world, more than 50 thousand people visit it every year. The garden of Buckingham Palace is considered to be the largest private garden in London.

During the summer months, Buckingham Palace is visited by thousands of people taking part in royal banquets and receptions. Important royal ceremonies take place here, such as the celebration of the Queen's birthday or the opening of the autumn session of Parliament.

Buckingham Palace is under the protection of the Court Division, which includes the Royal Horse Regiment and the Guards Infantry Regiment. From April to August, one of London's most famous ceremonies, the changing of the royal guard, takes place here every day.

The palace, formally owned by the royal family, is considered a symbol of the British monarchy.

 2.9 The Royal Guards

The Guards have been guarding the British monarchs for many centuries and are considered a symbol of the United Kingdom.

Around the clock, infantry guards guard Buckingham Palace, other royal residences, as well as the storage of royal regalia in the Tower. It consists of five infantry regiments and two cavalry. Foot Guards wear red uniforms and black hats made from grizzly bear skins. The height of such a hat is 45.7 cm, it weighs about three kilograms, and you need to wear it not only in winter, but also in hot summer.

The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace takes place from April to July every day at 11:30, in other months — every other day. When Queen Elizabeth is at Buckingham Palace, its gates are guarded by four guards, when she is absent — only two. The sentries stand on duty for two hours, then rest for four hours. During the service, the soldiers of the Royal Guard do not even have the right to enter into a dialogue with each other.

Only the best soldiers of the British Army can become a guardsman.

2.10 The British Museum

The British Museum is one of the largest museums in the world, which stores works of art, Ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, amazing products of European and Asian masters of the Middle Ages, collections of medals and coins, engravings, drawings, ethnographic collections. All museum collections are located in 94 galleries with a total length of more than four kilometers.

The founder of the museum's collection is the famous physician and naturalist, President of the Royal Society Hans Sloane.

The museum building was erected for 24 years (1823-1847) according to the project of Robert Smerk in the style of English neoclassicism, located on a plot of 6 hectares.

During the Second World War, the museum exhibits were removed, because the building was partially destroyed by air raids. Museum halls and expositions have been restored over the years.

2.11 St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican church, the residence of the Bishop of London, one of the most important and recognizable sights of the capital of Great Britain. In terms of occupied area, it is the second religious building in the country, second only to Liverpool Cathedral. From the moment of its construction until 1962, St. Paul's Cathedral, with a height of 111 meters, was the tallest building in London. Views of the landmark are protected by law — no new building should close them. The cathedral occupies an important place in the national identity of the British and acts as one of the main business cards of London, often appearing on promotional tourist materials.

The building performs not only a religious, but also an important civic role — 67 monuments in honor of famous personalities whose contribution to the development of Great Britain is recognized as the most valuable are installed in the cathedral. Many of them are also buried here — in the crypt of the cathedral, the largest among the crypts of Europe.

Many important national ceremonies took place in St. Paul's Cathedral: the funerals of Lord Horatio Nelson, Duke Arthur Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill and Lady Margaret Thatcher, solemn services to commemorate the end of the First and Second World Wars, the wedding of Prince Charles of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, celebrations on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria (in 1897) and Queen Elizabeth II (in 2012).

2.12 Hyde Park

This is one of the most picturesque corners of London, spread over an area of 142 hectares, was founded in the first half of the XVII century. Once there were magnificent royal gardens and national celebrations were held in it.

Now Hyde Park is popular not only with tourists, but also with local residents. In addition to the shady alleys, there is a Serpentine Lake where you can swim freely. Among the attractions worth noting is the "Speaker's Corner", where anyone can come and hone their oratorical skills in front of random listeners. Also in the park there is a gallery, the Duke of Wellington Museum and a monument to animals who served in the war. And if you find yourself in this place at a good time, you will be able to attend a music concert, because at one time The Cure, The Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Madonna and many others performed in the park.

3.  Calendar 2023 “Welcome to London!”

After studying the material about the 12 most popular sights of London, I compiled and designed the calendar "Welcome to London!” for 2023 (appendix 2). This product was created using PowerPoint and has the following structure: the calendar consists of 12 pages (by the number of months) on which the following information is located: the name, photos and interesting facts about the main attractions of London.

 СONCLUSION

Studying the most popular tourist attractions of the capital of Great Britain, I concluded that London is an amazing city. It combines majestic royal palaces and educational museums, modern infrastructure and traditions of the past.

In my work, I presented only some of the sights of this beautiful British capital. I am sure that this information will be useful for those who dream of visiting London.

LIST OF SOURCES USED

1. Туристический оператор «Meridian-express»/ ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ | Групповые экскурсии. [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.meridian-express.ru/britain/garantirovannyie-ekskursii/ 

2. Сообщество путешественников Tripster. [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://tripster.ru/ (

3. Портал о туризме и путешествиях. [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.destinations.ru/ 

4. Ты Сам Себе Гид. [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://tisamsebegid.ru/london/morskoy-muzey 

5. Достопримечательности Лондона. [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://londonme.ru/greenwich/ 

APPENDIX 1

Выберите и отметьте  12 мест, которые вам больше всего хотелось бы посетить в Лондоне.

APPENDIX 2

Паспорт проекта