The Tower of London is a historic fortress of the city of London, on the north bank of  Thames River. The tower complex stands on a slight rise known as Tower Hill. 
The original tower, known as the White Tower or Keep, was built about 1078. Later buildings surrounding the original keep include a barracks and a chapel built in the 14th century. The inner fortifications have 12 towers, including the Bloody Tower, Record or Wakefield Tower, Devereux Tower, and Jewel Tower. 

The Tower of London was used as a royal residence and a prison until the 19th century, with executions held either in the central keep or outside on Tower Hill. It now holds the crown jewels of England and is a major tourist attraction. 

In this famous meeting area stands Nelson's Column, built to commemorate Admiral Nelson, who was killed during his victorious battle against Napoleon's navy off Trafalgar in Spain in 1805. At the top of the 56 metre high column is a statue of Nelson with one arm and one eye which he lost in battle. On October 21st each year a service is held to commemorate Nelson. At Christmas time Norway always   sends a huge Christmas tree that stands in the square, as a token of gratitude for Britain's help during the Second World war. Trafalgar Square is also the centre of 
London's New Year's celebrations when thousands of party goers herald in the New Year. 
 

Possibly the most famous clock face and chimes in the world, Big Ben is actually the name of the biggest bell (13.5 tons) inside The Clock Tower (320ft) which forms part of the HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. 
Built in 1858/9 the bell was named after one Sir Benjamin Hall and when it was cast it was Britain's heaviest bell. The clock's four dials each have a diameter of 23ft, the minute hands are 14ft long and the numerals on each face are nearly 2 feet high. The accuracy of the clock movement is controlled by the placing of old    pennies in the mechanism. 
There is a light at the top of the tower which, when lit, indicates that the House of 
Commons is sitting. During the day you can tell if  they're sitting by looking for a flag at the top of the nearby Victoria Tower which is the tallest and largest of the Westminster towers. 
The tower which houses Big Ben has been called by many names, one of the most popular being St Stephen's Tower. However, the official line, from the Head of Public Information at the Palace is that the Clock Tower is simply called The Clock Tower. 

 Work on this, the most impressive church in London began in 1675 to a design by SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN. It was built to replace old St Paul's which  was destroyed by the GREAT FIRE OF LONDON in 1666. The present building has been luckier. It survived the World War II bombings which flattened a great many of the surrounding buildings. 
It took 35 years to complete the building. The imaginative Wren had to fight to get his plans accepted. Wren actually wanted to build the Cathedral just North of where it stands and he wanted the dome to be of copper, double gilded with gold. Unfortunately he was overruled on both counts. At the time not everyone liked Wren's design. 
This is the fourth Cathedral to stand on this site. The first, a Saxon building, was built in AD 604. The 360ft high dome which dominates the city's skyline is the second largest in the world. The church itself is the largest Protestant church in England. From inside too, the dome is stunning and it is well worth climbing, up  to the galleries. The whispering gallery is so named because of the way a whisper will echo there. Higher still, there is access to the stone gallery on the exterior of the cathedral. At the very top is the Golden Gallery which has arguably the best view in London. The cathedral is packed with fine statues and interior detail. The beautiful woodcarvings are the  work of Grinling Gibbons and the exquisite ironwork is by Jean Tijou. The mosaic work is mainly Byzantine and created by Victorian craftsmen to designs by Wren. Many of the rich or great are buried here. 
Although in many ways a piece of history and a tourist attraction, the cathedral is still very much in use today. It is a national and international religious focus, a masterpiece of architecture and a centre of musical excellence. It was centre stage world-wide, through television, in 1981 for the fairytale marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

The name Covent Garden dates back to when the area belonged to Westminster Abbey and was a Convent Garden. 
This was London's Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable market for many years. The market was moved to Nine Elmes some time ago and in 1980 Covent Garden was turned into a leisure area featuring novelty shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs. It is also the venue for a regular antique market and craft fairs. The buildings are lucky to have survived as the original plan was to knock it down and build a BARBICAN style complex on the site. 
While you are here, make sure to visit the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, a weird and wonderful place! 
You will also find many street entertainers here, providing local colour and making Covent Garden a great place to go for lunch or dinner. Bring plenty of money though.

    The Science Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the world. It contains over 200,000 exhibits covering almost every imaginable sector of science, technology, industry and medicine. Many of the exhibits are interactive so visitors can explore and discover science and technology for themselves. 
The principles of flight, for example, are explained in the interactive Flight Lab and visitors can get a "health check" in the Health Matters gallery. 
Exhibits from the past include some of the oldest cars, planes and trains. 

Present day science comes under the spotlight with an area devoted to global communications and the Information Superhighway. The future is explored too. Special exhibitions and prototype models give a glimpse of what we can expect in the 21st century. 
There is plenty in the museum for younger children.They will be particularly excited by the Launch Pad area where they can  take part in experiments. 
The museum also has a special programme of events including demonstrations, character dramas and science shows. 
It's loads of fun for all the family and guided tours are also available. 

The Science museum is at Exhibition Road, South Kensington 
Tel: 0171 938 8000 
Nearest Station: SOUTH KENSINGTON-District, Circle and Piccadilly lines
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