Places To See While On London River Cruise

The St. Paul Cathedral is the landmark of London as well as the city's highlight and it needs no introduction. This world famous English Baroque style church was built in 1708 and it was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The Cathedral has many bells like any church worthy of its name. Its two largest bells have names: Great Tom and Great Paul. Great Tom is sounded for a royal death or that of the Bishop or Lord Mayor of London. A rare exception was made in 1881 when the US President James Garfield was assassinated. The Cathedral takes pride in its various artworks. Some of the most remarkable works including Anthony Gormley’s sculpture Flare II was installed in the Geometric Staircase and Gerry Judah was installed in the nave. Yoko Ono too has an installation in the Cathedral. You can find Henry Moore’s limestone carving of the Mother and Child in the north choir aisle.

Big Ben is one of the most iconic landmarks of London. The Elizabeth Tower is the Parliamentary Tower holding the Great Bell which is nicknamed Big Ben. The Great Clock is operated by a Victorian mechanism that was customized and this mechanism relies on gravity to trigger the bongs. There are 334 steps to the belfry and another 59 to the lantern in the tower where Big Ben is. It has been almost 2 centuries since its first chime but it has rarely stopped or slowed. A fun fact about the Big Ben is that you can enter inside the tower only if you have a British passport.

One of the more popular attractions to spot while on London river cruise landmarks is Westminster Abbey. This magnificent church with over seven centuries of heritage has more than 1 million visitors each year and is one of the most iconic places to see while on London River Cruise. Westminster Abbey was formed by Benedictine monks back in the 10th century. Westminster Abbey is the coronation church for the British Monarch. 39 coronations have taken place at Westminster Abbey since 1066. Seventeen royal weddings have taken place at Westminster Abbey and more than 3300 burials. The architecture within Westminster Abbey is truly fantastic. The most spectacular area is the Henry VII Chapel which is commonly referred to as the Lady chapel.

The British Museum is the world's oldest national public museum. It was founded in 1753, and opened to the public in 1759. The British Museum is home to eight million objects. Here you can discover the many diversities of human cultures right from the dawn of human history to the present. With a massive collection of at least eight million objects, and 80,000 on public display, it would be impossible for visitors to explore all of the exhibits at the Museum in one visit. So make sure you follow a set plan so you can visit the artworks you want to see on your visit.

Trafalgar Square is a square in central London that was built to commemorate the victory of Britain at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson's Column is in the center of the square and it is surrounded by fountains and four huge bronze lions sculpted by Sir Edwin Landseer. It is said that the metal has been recycled from the cannon of the French fleet. Trafalgar Square is famous for its Christmas ceremony where every year since 1947 a Norway Spruce is given by Norway's capital Oslo. This is done as a token of gratitude for Britain's support during World War II. Each year, traditionally the Lord Mayor of Westminster visits Oslo in the late autumn to take part in the chopping down of the tree. Then the Mayor of Oslo visits London to light the tree at the Christmas ceremony.