TOWER BRIDGE
Tower Bridge is one of the most famous bridges across the Thames.
Tower Bridge is not only opened for shipping it's opened for the people too.
You can learn from the exhibitions inside the bridge.
You haven't seen London until you have seen the view from the high
walkways on the bridge.
The two massive Victorian steam pumping engines are the original ones
fitted hundred years ago to the bridge. Though they no longer provide the
power one is kept working for you to see.
Another favourite is the gift shop, where you can buy souvenirs from the
bridge master's key to a T-shirt.
TOWER OF LONDON
The Tower is one of the best known sights in London that has a long, cruel
history.
It was a castle in which kings once lived, a prison in which famous people
were kept and killed, and a place for arms.
The Tower consists of several buildings. There is White Tower and Bloody
Tower. In White Tower you can see an exhibition of weapons (=arms).
Bloody Tower is near the river. You don´t see blood today but Bloody Tower
has a bloody history: it tells the story of men, women and children, who
were kept prison there and even killed.
So some people say that the ghosts of famous men and women walk in the
Tower. You often see Anne Boleyn´s ghost at night (she was one of King
Henry's six wives who he executed).
CROWN-JEWELS
The Tower of London is also famous for its Beefeaters and the Crown
Jewels.
There is the Jewels House in the Tower with all the precious Crown Jewels
of the Queen: thousands of diamonds, red rubies, blue sapphires and
beautiful pearls. The Queen wears her St. Edward's crown only on state
occasions. Then the Jewels are brought back to the Tower.
The Beefeaters are soldiers. Their real name is Yeoman Warders of the
Tower. Their clothes are the clothes of royal guards of the year 1500. The
Beefeaters guard the Tower and the Crown Jewels, and they help visitors to
find their way.
Guardsmen of the day, from a regiment of footguards are always there too.
London
London has been a capital city for nearly a thousand years, and many of its ancient
buildings still stand. The Tower of London, St Paul´s Cathedral, the Houses of
Parliament and Big Ben are the most famous of these buildings. London is always
changing. New buildings go up and old ones come down. Poorer areas become
fashionable and people with more money move into them. A hundred years ago, the
river was crowded with ships, leaving for Java and Japan, New Zealand and New York,
but now the port is nearly empty.
Big Ben
A lot of people think that the famous clock tower is called "BIG BEN", but it's
only the name of the bell, whose deep voice is heard over London every
hour. The Londoners adjust their clocks and watches after Big Ben. Tourists
visit London and want to see the clock of Big Ben. The famous clock tower
stands beside the Houses of Parliament.
Houses of Parliament
Parliaments makes the laws. The country`s leaders speak in the Houses of
Parliament.
The men and the women there are the voice of the British people. The
British Parliament is divided into two "Houses":
The House of Commons
Presided over by the "SPEAKER"
consists of 650 men and women
The House of Lords
Presided over by the "LORD
CHANCELLOR"
consists of 1177 Lords and
bishops
Visitors are allowed to watch a session from the STRANGER'S GALLERY".
In order to come into the "Houses of Parliament" as a visitor you have to
buy a ticket and pass a lot of controls.
London sights, Schülertexte