The Gherkin, the Walkie Talkie, and other London landmarks with catchphrases like "MyLondon."
In London, there are many famous buildings, some of which have become symbols of the city. These include Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and The London Eye.
The Gherkin is a skyscraper in the City of London that is now one of London's most iconic buildings. The building was designed by architect Richard Rogers and was completed in 2003. It has 33 floors and is currently the tallest building in London (although this title will be beaten by another Rogers design later this year). The Gherkin uses less energy than average light bulbs and can recycle almost all of its water back into the public supply. It also has a unique green roof that acts as a park area complete with trees and plants not found in big cities everywhere else in the world.
Other famous buildings include Number 10 Downing Street, which is the official residence of the British Prime Minister. It was built in 1834 and has been the location of many important meetings for centuries earlier than that. The White House, located in Washington D.C., is the current home of the President of the United States.
7 World-Famous Landmarks That Represent London's History
Trafalgar Square is number one. It is quite likely the most well-known of all of London's squares. The National Gallery, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace are just a few of the major attractions that can be found here.
The square was built in 1814 to 1850 to celebrate Britain's victory over Napoleon. It contains several large bronze statues and many smaller monuments and plaques. The center of the square is marked by a large stone basin known as the "octagon."
Until the late 19th century, it was common for cities across Europe and America to have public executions on their main squares. This practice ended when judges began granting prisoners pardons before they were executed. Today, Trafalgar Square is where these pardon ceremonies are held.
Also on the square are two museums that are free to visit: the National Gallery and the Tate Modern. The National Gallery has more than 2,300 paintings from various European countries dating back more than 1,400 years. The Tate Modern is home to modern and contemporary art exhibitions from around the world.
Finally, there is a third museum that is not free but costs less than £20 million ($30 million) - the British Museum.
Pay a visit to London's skyscrapers.
The Gherkin is now mostly an office structure. It is the headquarters of numerous significant corporations, including Swiss Re and some of Sky News' offices. Today, some of the most popular television and radio shows are filmed here or nearby. These include Top Gear, The Apprentice, Call My Line, and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
The building was designed by Richard Rogers and constructed between 1980 and 1982. It consists of three stacked cylinders that reach up to the sky with the help of external scaffolding. The central cylinder is larger than the two others so that all can get in and out easily. The exterior is made of glass and steel frames with aluminum panels attached to them. This creates a very modern look for such a historic building.
The office space totals 930,000 square feet (87,700 m²) and can house as many as 7,500 people. It has been said to be the most expensive office space in Europe at the time it was built. However, this claim is disputed by other buildings such as the Petronas Towers. No matter what price you say, it's still pretty cheap!
Anybody who has ever been inside the Gherkin will tell you that its shape makes it easy to fill with content. This is because there are no empty rooms to waste space.
A Look at London's Most Famous Streets
Big Ben, the iconic clock tower that characterizes London's skyline, rises tall as a real British icon and emblem. The Palace of Westminster is located in London's Buckingham Palace neighborhood and is easily accessible through Westminster tube station. The building was originally built between 1834 and 1902 to be both home and office for the House of Commons. Today it is only used by Parliament when it sits as a house.
The Palace consists of a large number of rooms that are allocated to different members of Parliament. On the ground floor there is a cafeteria, a library, a doctor's room, and an elevator that takes you to the roof where you can visit the Observatory with its beautiful view of London.
You must see this magnificent building to understand why London is called the capital of England!
The London Tower The Tower of London's History Royal Palace, mighty fortress, and iconic landmark - what more can you ask for from your city wall? The London tower was built between 1078 and 1138 and served as a prison until 1750 when it was transformed into a palace and used by English kings as a residence and place of confinement. The word "tower" comes from the Old French torre which in turn comes from the Latin turris which means "defence or rampart of a town or castle".
The first record of this name appears in 1340 when it is given as the official title of King Edward II's imprisonment there. The origin of this term is not known with certainty but it may come from the fact that early prisoners were kept in small cells within the walls of the tower.
Who was the last person to be held in the tower? William Wallace was executed here in 1305 after being captured during the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Where else can you see its twin towers? England's other famous tower is located in Dover and it too has two towers dating back to the 12th century. They are not connected but share the same basement area.