London holidays. National Gallery and Trafalgar square. London tours

Trafalgar Square is one of the most famous iconic sights in London. This is the geographical and tourist center of the British capital, the starting point of the length of all roads in the country ("zero kilometer"). The three main streets of Westminster intersect here: Whitehall, Strand and Pall Mall. The square is a very colorful and at the same time incredibly harmonious in terms of architecture, style and educational value of the ensemble.

A bronze monument dedicated to Charles I, riding a horse, is the first horse monument in England. The monument to Charles is considered the central point of London, since all distances in the city are measured from it. Trafalgar Square is always fun and full of people. Rallies, demonstrations, protests, festivities and celebrations are held on the square. Here they listen to music and gather in hobby groups.

Magnificent fountains (east and west), bearing the names of the admirals of the First World War, Lord Beatty and Lord Jellico, appeared on Trafalgar Square in 1840. Thus, the government of the capital has reduced the size of the area to reduce the number of participants in possible protests. Fountains acquired refined forms after a substantial reconstruction of the years 1930-1939. They were decorated with bronze mermaids, dolphins, newts.

Thanks to the huge financial flows attracted here at the beginning of the millennium, almost all the major London museums, galleries and institutions have been updated - from the Royal Opera House to the British Museum. In preparation for the celebration of the "millennium", London received the world's largest contemporary art gallery, Tate Modern, and the tallest observation wheel, the Eye of London.

Approximately in the XIV-XVII centuries, on the place where Trafalgar Square in London is now located, there were rooms in which royal falcons were kept. And a little later - the stables of the Whitehall court (at that time it was one of the largest royal residences in the world). Londoners call the square "the heart of England.".

And, indeed, it lives and pulsates, passing through itself bright events in the life of the country and witnessing not only Christmas or New Year festivities, large-scale metropolitan celebrations, but also cruel reprisals and protest demonstrations. In Trafalgar Square in May 1945, Churchill declared victory over Nazi Germany. Since then, New Year's London has traditionally been decorated with a luxurious Christmas tree brought from Norway. So the inhabitants of Scandinavia express their gratitude to the British for their help in the fight against the Nazis.

The first thing that amazes the guests of London is its size. One of the largest cities in Europe, with a population of over 7 million people, it extends more than 30 miles from west to east, on both sides of the River Thames. Residents of London cope with this by dividing the city into parts and attributing themselves to the area in which they live and work, only occasionally making raids "to the city center" or "to the west" - in the West End, where the largest shops and entertainment centers are located. institutions.

Despite the increased autonomy of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, London still dominates the life of the country. This is where news and money is made, here is the central government. In regard to its inhabitants, the province begins outside the ring highway. The sense of superiority on the part of Londoners causes indignation in the regions of England, but it is indisputable that the capital has a unique atmosphere of excitement and success. In most areas of British life there is a rule: if you want to succeed, move to London.

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