Black Taxi Tour Of London

Apsley House, the home of the Duke of Wellington, dates back to 1825 and has the exquisite address of Number One London. The Wellington Arch that stands opposite, was moved slightly to become an outer gate for Buckingham Palace and today faces Constitution Hill. After waiting for the Duke of Wellington to die, Queen Victoria had the huge statue of Wellington taken down and it was moved to Aldershot Barracks. A smaller statue of Wellington now stands where the arch originally stood opposite Apsley House. In 1912 the current quadriga statue was placed on top of the arch and is one of the largest equestrian statues you will find in Europe to date. The centrepiece features Nike the Goddess of Victory riding the chariot.

The first record we have of the original building on this site dates back to the 11th century AD, when it was the Palace of the Monarch under William the Conqueror. The Palace burnt down in 1512 and had to be rebuilt. The Palace was totally destroyed again in 1834 except for the Crypt, the Jewel Tower, and the beautiful Westminster Hall that we are still lucky enough to have today, which dates back to 1097 under King William Rufus. The Houses of Parliament were rebuilt from 1834 to 1870 by Architects Augustus Pugin and Charles Barry. It is known today as the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the Houses of Parliament sit on the north bank of the River Thames.

Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock, situated at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, although it is commonly used to refer to the bell, the clock, and the clock tower. The official name of the tower was The Clock Tower, but it was renamed The Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Designed by Augustus Pugin in the Gothic Revival look, Big Ben opened in 1859 and remains one of the most iconic buildings in London.

Downing Street in London is the official residence of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Prime Minister lives at number 10 and the Chancellor of the Exchequer lives at number 11. Downing Street was built in 1680 by Sir George Downing, and is situated close both to the Houses of Parliament at one end of Whitehall and Trafalgar Square at the other.

Westminster Abbey is formally known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter, and is mainly Gothic in design. It is one of the most notable religious buildings in the UK, and the place where every Coronation has taken place since William the Conqueror. It has also hosted sixteen royal weddings, and is the burial site of many English and later British monarchs. The Abbey is a Grade One listed building and a World Heritage Site. It was founded in 960AD. In the 13th Century, under the reign of King Henry III, the Abbey sustained alterations, which is how Henry gained the nick name of Henry the builder. Further rebuilding took place in 1517 during King Henry V111’s reign. The outstanding features we see today are the two towers that were added in the 18th century by Christopher Wren’s understudy Nicholas Hawksmoor.

The bridges of London have a long history dating back to the wooden bridges of the Roman era. The historical old London Bridge was built between 1176-1209 and was the first stone bridge across the Thames. It was the longest inhabited bridge in Europe, measuring almost 906 feet, and hosted shops, houses, restaurants, and a chapel. Todays London Bridge is the third (stone) London Bridge. Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894. It is a combined bascule and suspension bridge; ‘bascule’ means see-saw or balance in French. People today refer to Tower Bridge as the Wonder Bridge. Albert Bridge connects Chelsea to Battersea. Its lighting is the most spectacular sight on the River Thames, and has been used in many films. There was a time when it was very unstable, which is why there is a sign at the foot of the north side of the bridge telling troops to ‘break step’. It is still known as ‘The Trembling Lady’.

The Victoria Embankment runs along the North Bank of the River Thames from the Palace of Westminster to Blackfriars Bridge in the City of London. It is noted for several memorials including The Battle of Britain, permanently retired vessels such as the H.M.S President and Public Gardens, including Victoria Embankment Gardens. Construction took place between 1865 and 1870 under the direction of Joseph Bazalgette. His work influenced the River Thames significantly which is why it is narrowed.

The first record we have of a building on this site dates back to 604 AD under Bishop Mellitus. There have been four Cathedrals on this site. The one seen today was built between 1675 and 1710. Today you can see the masterpiece of Architect Christopher Wren. Wren is also buried under the Dome! What we refer to as Old St. Pauls was built between 1087 to 1314. St Paul’s was the largest building in the U.K until 1666 when unfortunately, it was lost in the Great Fire of London. The current St. Pauls Cathedral was built in English Baroque style and the height of the Dome is 365 feet high, weighing 65000 tons. Between the years of 1710 and 1967, it was amongst the highest in the world. It was built on the highest point in the City of London, – Ludgate Hill, and is an Anglican Cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London and Mother, Church of the Diocese of London.