London offers a vast variety of attractions and activities, making attempting to see it all in one visit a daunting prospect. To ensure maximum enjoyment on each trip, make a list of your top priorities and try visiting 2-3 activities/sights per day.
When is the ideal time and season to visit London? Summertime is peak tourist season in London as well as its most comfortable climate.
Big Ben
Big Ben, England’s famed clock tower, is one of the country’s most beloved landmarks. Famous not only for its distinctive chiming bell but also as a representation of British culture and history, its tower can often be found as an establishing shot in films set in London, with its fame being recognized globally – Greenwich Mean Time being established there as well!
Big Ben stands as an impressive testament to both architectural brilliance and historical importance. After the Palace of Westminster burned down in 1834, architect Charles Barry decided to incorporate clock and tower structures as part of his vision for its replacement as part of its restoration plan. For assistance in design he turned to Augustus Pugin who provided Gothic Revival styling; Pugin combined Neo-Gothic elements with French Renaissance aesthetics for an unique result that still stands today.
Clock Tower is known for both its stunning appearance and highly accurate timekeeping, being the world’s largest four-faced striking and chiming clock. Each side of its four faces displays symbols from each UK nation: rose for England, thistle for Scotland, shamrocks for Northern Ireland and leeks representing Wales are displayed here.
Big Ben’s chimes have been broadcast by the BBC as a daily time signal since 1924 and can be heard worldwide as people use them to mark events such as starting school or work.
Big Ben may seem dauntingly large, but its maintenance is relatively straightforward. Winding occurs three times each week for approximately one hour; adjustments are made by adding or removing old pennies from its pendulum; each penny added alters time by 0.4 seconds per day.
Big Ben serves as a constant reminder that we live in an interdependent universe, reminding us to appreciate its beauty by pausing to reflect. Spiritual awareness can encourage a shift in perception so we can enjoy every moment and learn to go with the flow.
The Shepherd Master Clock
Clocks may seem like mundane pieces of equipment, but in reality we live in a society with an ingrained sense of time that makes life possible for millions of us – without this vast network of people and systems, our world would be anarchy!
This clock stands in front of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and was constructed in 1852 – marking both its public display of Greenwich Mean Time as well as likely being one of the earliest electric “slave” clocks, controlled by pulses sent from an internal Master clock via electric signals via telegraph cables.
Astronomer Royal George Airy devised the initial plan for this clock to send its time signal instantly around England and France using a recently installed submarine cable between Dover and Calais, in order to measure longitude differences more precisely than ever before.
Shepherd was an integral figure. An invoice from him at 53 Leadenhall Street shows his significance; according to it he served as Clockmaker to both the General Post Office & Custom House as well as Indian Government; additionally he provided Electric Clockmaking services for Royal Observatory.
Due to his wealth, Shepherd was likely in a position to commission an expensive master clock and slave dial system. Indeed, the word ‘Patentee’ appears on Shepherd’s letterhead in order to circumvent a patent held by Alexander Bain who invented early electric clock technology.
The Shepherd Master Clock became something of an icon in Victorian England; postcards often showed it, and its image even graced a banknote. Today it still works; Greenwich time signals are transmitted across train operators’ and railway station control centres throughout Britain; after 2am tomorrow Britain will switch over to British Summer Time.
The Time Machine
In 1895, an unknown writer published stories about a mausoleum at Brompton Cemetery that purported to contain a time machine – quickly turning into urban legend and one of London’s most extraordinary folktales. Today, this tomb remains at the centre of controversy and one of London’s most mysterious structures.
The story of the Time Machine has been adapted for film, television, and radio several times over its history. CBS first used it as part of two radio episodes back in 1948 before producing a film version featuring Rod Taylor and Alan Young in 1960. Additionally, Marvel and DC Comics adapted it as comic book story arcs; further translations exist into other languages and a role-playing game was even made out of it all!
Time Machine’s original plot revolved around one man traveling to another world and then escaping from it, but subsequent adaptations have often focused on his character as the Time Traveller himself. He often comes off as intellectual yet skeptical while remaining romantic despite Victorian England’s male-chauvinistic culture; furthermore he may sometimes serve as inventor albeit not always successful inventors.
The Time Traveller is often described with long, dark hair and beard, incongruent with British men of that time period. Additionally, in the original story he wears an unusual ring that deviates from Victorian conventions for men’s jewelry; this has since changed depending on which author uses this character in different stories. This characteristic does not remain constant across authors who have utilized him differently.
Some authors have depicted the Time Traveller as female, which could be explained by women being employed as secretaries during Victorian era and less likely to have long hair or be educated than men. Meanwhile, other authors suggest the Time Traveller might actually be an embodiment of Thomas Edison himself.
The Time Machine has inspired numerous works of science fiction. Philip Jose Farmer’s A History of the Future uses its protagonist – known as “Time Traveller” in A History of the Future – as an allegory for Thomas Edison; other comic books and TV series portray him as well-educated yet distrustful and suspicious.
The London Eye
The London Eye stands as a symbol of modernity and the city’s adaptability, originally intended to mark Millennium as an event commemoration. Now part of London culture as much as Westminster Abbey or Big Ben.
The architecture of the London Eye is both impressive and innovative. Its cantilever design allows it to support its massive frame without using support columns; additionally, this structure was assembled offsite before being transported by barge to its location on the south bank of River Thames for assembly horizontally on temporary platforms over its surface; making construction much faster.
Once the structure was in place, hydraulic lifts were employed to slowly raise it into position. Once in its final place, 32 capsules attached to the wheel’s rim numbered from one through 33 (excluding number 13 as it is considered unlucky). This numbering system corresponded with London boroughs.
Although most visitors to the London Eye will ride in standard pods, special experiences may be added onto your ticket such as a Champagne Experience, pub pod ride or 4D cinema experience. While these services were unavailable during pandemic activity they may be offered again later.
If you want the best views of the London Eye, it is recommended that you visit during either morning or late afternoon hours so as to avoid direct sunlight directly in your face and blocking your view of Houses of Parliament and River Thames.
The London Eye is an iconic attraction easily reached via public transport. Situated nearby Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Waterloo or Charing Cross Underground stations can bring visitors directly to this popular tourist destination.