LONDON GUIDE 4º ESO IES OTERO PEDRAYO

LondonCalling 4º

ESO students IES Otero Pedrayo

31st May to

4th June, 2023

INDEX

1. The Plan: Page 3

2. Cultural background: Pages 4 - 38

3. The English challenge: Pages 39 - 40

4. Expectations versus Reality: Page 41

Itinerary:

31st May 1st June 2nd June 3rd June 4th June

Arrival at Generator Hostel: Via University of London

A5204Cavendish Sq

Gardens -

Hyde Park: Marble

Arch, Serpentine Lake, Royal Albert

Hall

Natural History

Museum

Harrods

Soho

Walk back to Generator Hostel

St Paul’s Cathedral

The city:

Sky GardenLeadenhall market –

(H Potter’s Diagon

alley) – (Fen Court –

120 Fenchurch St / Monument )

Tower of London

Tower bridge

City hall

The Shard Borough Market

(H Potter)

Southwark

cathedral

Shakespeare’s

Globe

Tate Modern

Millennium bridge

Walk back to

Generator H

Useful webs:

City walks

A view on cities: London

Eye revolution Visit Britain

Oxford Circus

Piccadilly Circus

Trafalgar Square

National Gallery

Buckingham Palace

St James’s Park

Parliament Sq.

Gardens (Statue of Millicent Fawcett, Suffragist)

Horse Guards Parade

Downing Street

Houses of Parliament

Westminster

Southbank:

London Eye

Waterloo Bridge

Somerset House

Walk back to Generator Hostel

British Museum

Greenwich

Park*

Covent

Garden (Neil

Yard’s Sq.)

Leicester Sq.

Walk back to

Generator H

*Public Transport

King’s cross (Harry Potter’s shop at Platform

9 ¾) - St

Pancras

Camden market area

Optional: (WALK)

Regent’s canal to Regent’s park down to Queen

Mary’s Rose

GardensWalk back to Generator

For Harry Potter’s fans:

London and Harry Potter

Harry Potter in London

Harry Potter London

In

ConsejosparavisitarLondres

London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, was founded 2000 years ago by the Romans as Londinium. The city has been Western Europe's largest city for centuries: as early as in 1700 more than 575,000 people lived in London. Today London is not only the largest city but also one of the most visited, thanks to its numerous famous attractions such as the Tower Bridge and the Big Ben

Day 1

Hyde Park

Central London's largest green space, expropriated from the church in 1536 by Henry VIII and turned into a hunting ground and later a venue for duels, executions and horse racing. The 1851 Great Exhibition was held here, and during WWII the park became an enormous potato field. These days, it's a place to stroll and picnic, boat on the Serpentine lake, or to catch a summer concert or outdoor film during the warmer months. Year-round, look out for the Holocaust Memorial Garden, a simple but evocative memorial to the Jewish victims of the Nazi regime, and the Rose Garden, a wonderfully scented spot during the summer. While Speakers' Corner in the park's northeast corner is intended for oratorical acrobats, these days it's largely eccentrics and religious fanatics who address bemused

onlookers, maintaining a tradition begun in 1872 as a response to rioting. Nearby Marble Arch, designed by John Nash in 1828 as the entrance to Buckingham Palace, was moved here in 1851.

Royal Albert Hall

One of the most famous concert venues in the entire world. Opened to the public in 1871, in the reign of Queen Victoria, the Hall quickly became one of the most high-profile musical venues in the country, hosting more than 350 events every year. Having played host to some of the biggest names in music through its’ 150-year career, the Royal Albert Hall is a mustvisit for music lovers coming to London. Perhaps most famously of all, the BBC Promenade Concerts (“The Proms”), an eight-week summer season of daily classical music concerts, have been held in the Hall since 1942.

Natural History Museum

This colossal and magnificent-looking building is infused with the irrepressible Victorian spirit of collecting, cataloguing and interpreting the natural world. It is home to over 70 million exhibition objects. For a better overview, the permanent exhibitions are color coded and grouped in 4 areas: Blue Zone, Red Zone, Green Zone and Orange Zone.

Some particularly exceptional highlights are:

1. Its spectacular Hintze Hall where you’ll discover star specimens such as Hope – a 25metre blue whale plunging down from the ceiling

2 The Dinosaurs gallery (Blue Zone) is worldwide known. Have a close look at the huge dinosaur skeletons which are exhibited. Among them you will find the first ever found T-Rex skeleton and the skeleton of an Iguanodon, which belongs to the oldest dinosaur genera. The animated T-Rex has been built under the guidance of some dinosaur experts from the museum. With the help of sensors the approx. 8 m long model is able to react on visitors. Guaranteed highlight for all dino fans

3. Cadogan Gallery (Green Zone) houses a host of unrelated objects, each telling its own unique story, from a chunk of moon rock to a dodo skeleton. Also in the Green Zone, the Mineral Gallery is a breathtaking display of architectural perspective leading to the Vault, where you'll find the Aurora Collection of almost 300 coloured diamonds.

4. The earthquake simulator (Red Zone) demonstrates you vividly the impacts of and earthquake. A room which shows a recreated area of a Japanese supermarket in Kobe simulates an earthquake of the year 1996. Inside this room you will be able to see and feel the forces of an earthquake while you get properly shaken

5 The Cocoon (Orange Zone) is an approx. 8 floors high building in the form of a silk cocoon. It is surrounded by a rectangular glass façade and was opened as an extension of the Darwin Center in the year 2010. Millions of insect specimens and plant samples are stored in this modern part of the museum. A lot of them are exhibited in the public spaces of the cocoon building. The diversified and contemporary presentation with interactive stations distinguishes this part of the museum.

1. The Food Halls on the ground floor are the most popular departments at Harrods. A wide range of fine delicacies is offered in 4 huge halls. The presentation and the choice of

Harrods -TipsforyourShoppingStroll:

different meals and foods is of the finest sort only. It is also possible to buy and consume several meals directly there at some small restaurants with bar stools. The halls on their own are already worth seeing because they are designed with loving attention to detail.

2. The toy department with 8 different colored rooms is located on the 4th floor. All children and lovers of imaginative designed sceneries will be satisfied. They will encounter a wide range of new modern toys from recognized brands as well as classic offers like the Harrods teddy bear. The toy department is a part of the children's section with approx. 7.400 m², which includes the Sweet Street.

3. The Egyptian Escalator is pretty much in the middle of the department store and it connects 7 floors. Numerous columns, wall reliefs and sculptures in Egyptian style can be seen along the escalator. It was completed in 1992 and the total construction costs were approx. 30 million £

4. The Harrods Gift Shop is located on the second floor. It is a good an expensive place to buy the typical souvenirs on your London trip. Especially the tea boxes and the cookie boxes from their own brand are very popular.

The success of Harrods attracted a number of other entrepreneurs to Knightsbridge, resulting in an upscale shopping district. Nearby are luxury stores such as Harvey Nichols and

Burberry. Sloane street, one of the most famous shopping streets in London, is just around the corner.

Day 2

The city of London (aka Thesquaremile):

Today the City is a mostly commercial district. It is home to some of London’s most popular attractions, including Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Museum of London. Notable buildings in the area include the Gherkin, 30 St Mary Axe and The Cheesegrater at 122 Leadenhall Street. If you have cash to splash, go shopping at the historic Leadenhall Market or Old Spitalfields Market

Concisehistory:

Shortly after the invasion of Britain by emperor Claudius in AD 43, the Romans founded the settlement Londinium at a strategic location near the river Thames, where the river could be crossed. Ships from the continent were able to reach the settlement, which quickly grew into the largest town in Britain. The most visible remain of Londinium is the city wall, which still roughly defines the boundaries of the City of London. The wall was built in the early 3rd century. London's population grew quickly during the sixteenth century when it became the

largest city in Western Europe. At the time most people still lived within the old city walls. Despite the dramatic Great Fire of 1666, which destroyed some 13200 houses, the population continued to grow. This started to change during the eighteenth century when the population of the City declined dramatically. Since the 1970s the high finance dominates this historic part of London which led to the construction of a host of modern skyscrapers. Plenty of historic landmarks attest to the City's storied past. Some buildings managed to survive the Great Fire of 1666, most notably the Guildhall, a beautiful early fifteenth-century edifice that was reconstructed in the seventeenth century in a neo-Gothic style. One of the few Victorian structures that survived to this day is the Leadenhall Market, a glass-covered shopping arcade. Nearby is the Royal Exchange building, a stately 19th century building.

St Paul’s cathedral

Besides Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral is one of the most famous churches in London. The wedding of Lady Diana and Prince Charles was probably one of the most important events there in recent history. The entrance to the masses is free of charge for everybody. The masses take place several times a day.

What are the highlights of St Paul's Cathedral London?:

1. The dome, which is up to 111 m high, is located in the center of the Cathedral

2. The Whispering Gallery can be reached by 257 wide and comfortable laid out stairs. Due to the specific design the sound is reflected to the approx. 42 m opposite side and you are able to hear even a whisper clearly across this long distance.

3. To get to the Stone Gallery you have to climb 376 stairs in total. It offers beautiful views of Central London. Unfortunately the sight is a bit restricted by a high stone balustrade.

3. The Golden Gallery, which is located at a height of 85 m, offers unrestricted views of the city center and the river Thames.

4. At the Crypt you will find the resting place of famous personalities. This includes Sir Christopher Wren's, the architect of St Paul's Cathedral. Admiral Lord Nelson, a famous British war hero, whose statue stands at Trafalgar Square. Even a walk around the cathedral is impressive and you can admire among other things following: west front with Queen Anne statue, Festival Gardens and the golden Saint Paul statue.

One of the few remaining casualties of the London Blitz, this destroyed church has become an enchanting public garden. By the end of the Blitz, over 1,000,000 London homes were destroyed, including much of this old Saxon church. Overgrown with trees, ivy, and wall climbing flowers growing amongst the ruined arches, it’s a testament to the resilience of the City of London which survived it.

Fen Court – 120 Fenchurch St

The City of London’s largest roof top public space, ‘The Garden at 120’, located atop the newly opened Fen Court office building at 120 Fenchurch Street, is open to the public. At 15-storeys up, the viewing platform offers exceptional 360-degree views of the City and greater London and is free.

To commemorate this 'Great Fire', a tall column - simply named 'The Monument'was erected in 1671 near the location of the start of the fire in Pudding Lane. A long staircase leads to a platform on top of the Monument, from where you have a great view over the City.

Its history goes back to the fourteenth century. The open-ended, glass-roofed shopping arcade that we see today was designed in 1881 by Horace Jones. The design was probably

Leadenhall market (HarryPotter’sDiagonalley)

influenced by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, designed twenty years earlier and built between 1865 and 1877.

The Guildhall

Home of the Corporation of London, the governing body of the Livery Companies - guildsin the City of London. Built from 1411 to 1429 by master mason John Croxton and the third such building at this site. It is the only secular stone building that survived the Great Fire of 1666, although much of the interior was destroyed. The current front facade dates back to 1788 when it was reconstructed in a mixture of neo-Gothic and oriental styles.

Tower of London

Construction of the Tower of London was initiated in 1070 by William the Conqueror, shortly after his victory at Hastings in 1066. The fortress, strategically located at the Thames, was originally not more than a temporary wooden building which was replaced later by the White Tower. Over time the complex was expanded into a stronghold with about twenty towers.

Today the Tower of London is best known for its Crown Jewels, but it used to be notorious for the many political opponents of the kings that were locked, tortured and killed in the Tower. The Tower was also a royal residence: several kings lived here, especially during

turbulent times when the donjon seemed a lot safer than the palace in Westminster. The oldest part of the fortress is the so-called White Tower, which was completed in 1097. Important prisoners were often locked in the Beauchamp Tower. An inscription on the wall of the tower is believed to refer to Lady Jane Grey, who, nine days after she was crowned Queen, was executed on Tower Green, an open terrain in the Tower of London. Thomas More was imprisoned in the Bell Tower until his execution after he refused to accept king Henry VIII as head of the Anglican church. Even Queen Elisabeth I was confined here for some time. The castle served as a dungeon with brutal methods of torture. Today some instruments of torture replicas are displayed at the foot of the Wakefield Tower.

The main entrance of the Tower of London is at the Byward Tower, where you'll find the socalled Beefeaters or Yeoman Warders. Dressed in historic clothes, they not only guard the tower, but also give guided tours of the fortress. One of the about forty Yeoman Warders is known as the Ravenmaster, responsible for the ravens that have been living here for centuries. Legend has it that the Tower and the kingdom will fall if the ravens leave.

Tower bridge

A walk across the Tower Bridge is a must do for every first time London visitor. The bridge, designed by city architect Horace Jones in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry, would eventually be completed in 1894. At the time many people disliked its Victorian Gothic design, but over time the bridge became one of London's most famous symbols. The proximity of the harbor and its location in the direction of the sea required for the bridge to allow the passage of large vessels. Hence the decision to create a moveable bridge which can be opened to accommodate boat traffic. Nearby is the area known as St Katharine’s Docks It now features offices, public and private housing, a large hotel, shops and restaurants, a pub (The Dickens Inn, a former brewery dating back to the 18th century), a yachting marina and other recreational facilities.

City hall

City Hall was designed by the firm of the well-known British architect Norman Foster, who also designed the Gherkin and the Millennium Bridge in London. He was also responsible for the renovation of Berlin's famed Reichstag. Designers say they chose this particular shape for the glass and steel structure because it reduces surface area and makes the building more energy efficient. Enter City Hall in London and the first thing you'll notice is the long helical walkway, which measures about five hundred meters (1,640 feet) and ascends from the bottom all the way to the top of the building, which stands ten stories tall. You can also pay a visit to the exhibition area on the lower ground floor for ever-changing displays relating to London and its people.

The Shard

Designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. The renowned architect designed a glass pyramid-shaped structure with a height of just over three hundred meters. The plans for the London Bridge Tower - as the building was initially called - caused an outcry from preservationists who considered the glass tower inappropriate for a historic neighborhood with mostly low-rise brick buildings. They claimed the tower would cut through the neighborhood like a shard of glass. The name 'shard' stuck and the developers even renamed the tower 'The Shard'. When it was completed, the Shard held the title of Europe's tallest skyscraper with a height of almost 310 meters. Only a couple of months later it was narrowly surpassed in height by Moscow's Mercury City Tower. The iconic skyscraper looks particularly spectacular at night when seen from across the river The tapered tower has a glass facade consisting of some eleven thousand window panes. The seemingly unfinished spire is designed to act as a radiator to naturally dissipate excess heat, thus reducing the need for air-conditioning. The building is multifunctional, with offices and a hotel at the lower floors and residential apartments on the upper floors.

Borough Market

An amazing food market dating back to the 13th century. If you love exploring food this is a must visit while in London. You should come early to take great treats to snack on

Southwark Cathedral is the oldest gothic church in London, dating from around 1220, and is part of the Diocese of Southwark. Don’t miss the memorial window to William Shakespeare and the Harvard Chapel, a tribute to university founder John Harvard who was born in the parish. (£1 for a photography permit).

Southwark cathedral

Tate Modern

The galleries of Tate Modern are housed in an enormous brick building that was once the home of the Bankside Power Station. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, it was built between 1947 and 1963. Its striking tower is ninety-nine meters tall; regulations stipulated that it was not allowed to be taller than the dome of the St. Paul's Cathedral just across the river Thames.

Tip: Not only fans of modern art will enjoy the visit without burdening their holiday budget. The terrace on the 10th floor offers excellent views of the river Thames and the skyline of London with the St Paul's Cathedral. Also the restaurant on the 6th floor there is a long row of window seats with great views of the river Thames and the City of London. Visitors heading to Tate Modern are treated to a real plethora of modern art. On level 3, galleries include Abstraction, Expressionism, and Abstract Expressionism, and guests will view masterpieces by such artists as Matisse, Monet, and Kapoor, just to name a few. Level 4 houses temporary exhibits while level 5 zeroes in on such movements as Cubism, Futurism, Pop Art, Minimalism, Constructivism, and Conceptual Art. Artists displayed here include Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Roy Lichtenstein.

Shakespeare’s Globe

The original Globe Theatre, built by an acting company to which William Shakespeare belonged, opened in 1599. Unfortunately, the original Globe Theatre lasted only fourteen years. In 1613, it burnt to the ground during a performance of Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

The fire was attributed to a theatrical cannon, which misfired and set the thatched roof and wooden timbers aflame. The theatre was rebuilt the following year, but the Puritans - who didn't believe in such entertainment - closed it down in 1642. It was destroyed in 1644 to make way for homes and it wasn't until excavation work was being done in 1989 that the original location of the theatre was finally revealed.

South Bank

The Bankside is a district around the Tate Modern Art Museum. During nice weather conditions you will get a taste of Southern flair at this place. Enjoy the atmosphere and watch the street artists.

Millennium bridge

Construction of the pedestrian bridge began in late 1998 and was completed in June 2000. The Millennium Bridge connects two tourist areas across the Thames river. The southern end of the gently swooping suspension bridge is located near the new Globe Theater and the Tate Modern Museum. The northern end sits near London's imposing St. Paul's Cathedral Pedestrians can gain a wonderful view of the cathedral's dome from the bridge and the sight is especially marvelous at night. The Tower Bridge, London's most famous bridge, and the Shard, the city's tallest building, are also clearly visible from here.

Day 3

Shopping district:

Oxford Street is not only popular for the numerous shops and department stores such as Selfridges, but unfortunately also for the crowds of people, as it is said to be Europe’s busiest shopping street.

Regent Street: From Oxford Circus towards Piccadilly Circus, you will come to stores in the order like the toy store Hamleys (no. 188-196), certainly the highlight of all the flagship stores on Regent Street. Not only the eyes of the children will shine in this colorful surrounding. On 7 floors with a total sales area of over 5000 m² you will find almost everything from the toy universe and have some possibilities to test some selected toys yourselves. Additionally there are some stalls with nice sales staff where they present their products with a lot of passion

Carnaby Street is located in the corner between the two shopping streets Oxford Street and Regent Street. It is a pedestrian zone and therefore more pleasant. The street is only about 200 m long and thereby easy manageable. However, due to the many small side alleys you will still find several shopping possibilities.

Picadilly Circus is quite a glamorous street junction, and famously surrounded by video displays and neon signs, a famous ‘statue of Eros,’ as well as notable buildings such as the London Pavilion and Criterion Theatre. Today it is so busy with traffic, pedestrians, and tourists, that the phrase, “It’s like Piccadilly Circus” is used in popular British lexicon to refer to a place which is exceptionally busy.

Chinatown is bound by Shaftesbury Avenue to the north, Rupert Street to the west, Charing Cross Road to the east and Leicester Square to the south. The main focal point is Gerrard Street, which runs through its centre. Part of London’s West End, Chinatown boasts buildings and streets decorated with Chinese symbols such as dragons and lanterns. Keep an eye out for street signs, which are written in English and Chinese. Find stone lions, contemporary art sculptures and Chinese gates as you explore the area, and don’t miss Chinatown’s new fourth gate on Wardour Street: completed in 2016 and built in traditional Qing dynasty style, it is the largest Chinese gate in the country.

Trafalgar Square

Named for the Battle of Trafalgar, the Square is now a site for celebrations, protests, events, and art. In the centre of the square is Nelson’s Column, built in 1843 in honour of Admiral Lord Nelson, shot and killed in action as commander in chief of the British army in the battle of Trafalgar. The marble column standing 145 feet (nearly 50 m)-tall is topped by a statue of Lord Nelson and guarded by four lions, built with melted bronze from the French Navy canons.

On the north side of the square is the National Gallery and in front are two fountains that light up when night falls. Wander into the spectacular St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, which hosts regular services and concerts, and has a charming cafe in its underground crypt.

The National Gallery

Founded in 1824, the gallery began to develop quickly and it currently houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings. Currently, the gallery is housed in a building designed by William Wilkins. The collection includes artwork of European origin, from 1250 to 1900, with over 2,300 paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Tiziano, Velázquez, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir and Van Gogh. The art museum is divided into 4 areas and each of the area is dedicated to certain centuries. Those areas are split into numbered rooms which cover a special topic. Despite the fact that the National Gallery is much smaller than other renowned, it has paintings of remarkable quality and artistic variety, covering the totality of the history of painting in the occidental world. It is possible to observe how visual art has evolved from the Renaissance period up until Post-Impressionism, in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Click for an Interactive floorplan

The Highlights at National Gallery:

1. The Sunflowers (Room 41) by Vincent van Gogh belongs to the most famous highlight among the exhibited paintings. He painted this picture in the summer of 1888, in southern France, and it is part of a series of paintings with the sunflowers as the subject. With these artworks he wanted to decorate an atelier in southern France which belong to a painter friend. Vincent painted these pictures directly from the motif. He painted every picture in a single pass without interruption, as the sunflowers fade quite quickly.

2. The Water-Lily Pond (Room 41) was created by Claude Monet in his garden, which is located in the Normandy, in the year 1899. Claude Monet laid out his garden with the water-lily pond himself. He spent a lot of time there in the last 30 years of his life. The Japanese Bridge was a popular motif and graced a whole series of his paintings in various views.

3. The painting The Fighting Temeraire (Room 34) was elected as the best British painting in a public poll, which was organized by the BBC, in the year 2005. The famous landscape painter J. M. W. Turner is a London native and painted this artwork in the year 1839. He was also known as -the painter of light-. If you look at this painting, there is probably no better name for this special artist.

4. Leonardo da Vinci painted two versions of The Virgin of the Rocks (Room 66). The second variant, which is located here in London, was started by Leonardo in the year 1491 and has probably been completed by one of his students in 1508. The first version is exhibited at the Louvre in Paris. The representation of light and shadow is outstanding in this painting by Leonardo.

5. The Skiff (Room 44) was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in the year 1875. It shows a rowing boat (skiff) on the river Seine at the town Chatou, west of Paris. By using high-contrast color combinations in this painting, Pierre-Auguste Renoir captured vividly a beautiful summer day.

6. The painting A Young Woman standing at a Virginal (Room 16) was painted by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer in the year 1670. He was not especially popular until the 19th century. In our days he is one of the most famous Dutch painters.

7. The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus') (Room 30) is the only surviving example of a female nude by Velázquez. The subject was rare in Spain because it met with the disapproval of the Church. Venus, the goddess of Love, was the most beautiful of the goddesses, and was regarded as a personification of female beauty. She is shown here with her son Cupid, who holds up a mirror for her to look both at herself and at the viewer. 'The Rokeby Venus' is first recorded in June 1651 in the collection of the Marqués del Carpio, son of the First Minister of Spain. It was probably made for the Marqués and was presumably displayed privately, thus avoiding the censure of the Spanish Inquisition

St. James's Park

It extends between Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Road. The well-maintained park is divided by a small lake in the middle which is the home for many ducks, swans and even pelicans

Buckingham Palace

The official residence of the British royal family.

BuckinghamPalaceFacts:

Start of construction: 1826 Royal residence since: 1837 Building width at the front: 108 m Building length: 120 m Number of rooms: 775

More than 50,000 guests visit the palace every year during different events like banquets, dinners and garden parties. TheBallroomis the largest room in the Buckingham Palace with a length of 36.6 m, a width of 18 m and a height of 13.5 m

The Changing of the Guard at the Horse Guards Parade Square takes place daily, Monday to Saturday at 11:00 and on Sundays at 10:00 o'clock morning. This parade is not so extensive and pompous as the one in front of the Buckingham Palace. If that is too much time consuming for you and if you only want to have a photo with a horse guard, then you are also at the right place there. From 10:00 to 16:00 o'clock two horse guards are standing in front of the gate to Whitehall Street. Perfect for a photo or a selfie. They belong to the Queen's Household Division. Two regiments of the Household Cavalry alternate the guard here. If the guards are dressed in scarlet they belong to the Life Guards. If they are wearing blue they belong to the Blues and Royals. At 4 pm the Commanding Officer's inspection of the guards takes place and is well worth attending.

Horse Guards Parade

Downing Street (& Harry Potter)

10 Downing Street, the home of the (Muggle) Prime Minister, is located to the right as you look through the gates. It's the building with the policeman standing outside the door.

Parliament Square Gardens

On 24 April 2018 a statue of Millicent Fawcett was unveiled in Parliament Square, making her the first women to stand in that historic centre of politics and power. Millicent Fawcett becomes the twelfth statue in Parliament Square. She joins figures such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Abraham Lincoln. Having lobbied Parliament for years over equal rights, it’s only fitting that her statue now looks upon the Palace of Westminster. She carries a banner reading “Courage Calls To Courage Everywhere”, and the statue also recognises the efforts of other leading suffragists. The plinth is etched with 59 figures of the women (and the handful of men) who helped to achieve universal suffrage.

Westminster Abbey

Initially built by Henry III in 1245, it is one of the most important Gothic buildings of England. At first home of Benedictine monks, the coronation church since 1066 and the final resting place of 17 monarchs. It contains a treasury full of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles, books and various other artefacts plus the most significant collection of monumental sculptures of the UK. Kings, queens, statesmen and soldiers; poets, priests, heroes and villains - Westminster Abbey is a must-see living pageant of British history. It is

worth noting that this church holds services on weekday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays that are free for the public to attend.

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament are officially called the Palace of Westminster, and its oldest part is 11th-century Westminster Hall, one of only a few sections that survived a catastrophic 1834 fire. The rest is mostly a neo-Gothic confection built over 36 years from 1840. The palace's most famous feature is its clock tower, Elizabeth Tower (but better known as Big Ben). Parliament is split into two houses. The green-hued House of Commons is the lower house, where the 650 elected Members of Parliament sit. Traditionally the home of hereditary blue bloods, the scarlet-decorated House of Lords, with around 800 members, now has peers appointed through various means. Both houses debate and vote on legislation. At the annual State Opening of Parliament in May or June, the Queen takes her throne in the House of Lords, having arrived in the gold-trimmed Irish State Coach from Buckingham Palace.

HousesofParliamentFacts:

Ground area of the building: 32400 m² Number of rooms: approx. 1100

The Parliament building complex is the Palace of Westminster and is often simply called the Houses of Parliament

BigBenFacts:

Completion: 1858 Tower height: 96 m Bell weight: 13.5 t

Although the whole clock tower is usually named as Big Ben, this is just the name of the bell A Big Ben clock tower tour is unfortunately not possible for foreign tourists. Nevertheless, due to its popularity the Big Ben is part of the typical sightseeing program. Following places offer a good view of this well-known photo subject: Albert Embankment (opposite River Thames bank), Westminster Bridge, Victoria Embankment crossing Bridge Street and Parliament Square. Unfortunately the Big Ben does not ring in the current year 2019. This is due to ongoing renovation work which is expected to last until 2021.

London Eye & Jubilee Gardens

A modern but very popular tourist attraction is the London Eye, a giant observation wheel located in the Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank. The 135 tall structure was built as part of London's millennium celebrations. The very popular ferris wheel is located at the south bank of the river Thames beside a small park, the Jubilee Gardens. Nearby you can find the Golden Jubilee Bridge. This pedestrian bridge across the Thames offers a good view at the London Eye and the surroundings.

Somerset House

Somerset House is a spectacular neo-classical building in the heart of London, sitting between the Strand and the River Thames. During summer months 55 fountains dance in the courtyard, and in winter you can skate on London's favourite ice rink. Somerset House also hosts open-air concerts and films, contemporary art, design and fashion exhibitions, family

workshops and free guided tours of spaces usually hidden to visitors. it is universally recognised as a world class visitor attraction and centre of excellence for culture and the arts.

Day 4

The British Museum

Home to the collected treasures of the world's cultures, The British Museum is an astounding archive of British and World History.

Some Highlights of the British Museum include:

1. The Rosetta Stone (room 4) is the most visited attraction of the house. This stone was found in 1799 in Egypt by the French guy and was the basis for the deciphering of the hieroglyphs. The British came into the possession of the stone after a victorious battle against the French. Afterwards the Rosetta Stone was brought to the British Museum in London and is exhibited there since 1802

2. The Egyptian Mummies (room 62-63) are presented in 2 rooms together with sarcophagi, coffins and burial objects. The Museum owns the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities outside of Egypt.

3. The Parthenon Sculptures (room 18) originate from the temple with the same name in the Acropolis. The remains of the temple are located at the highest point in the Acropolis and dominate the cityscape of Athens. Some of the sculptures have been removed in the year 1801 by Lord Elgin and taken to England. This action caused many controversial discussion. Since 1817, these gems of ancient Greece are presented at the British Museum to the public

4. The Assyrian collection (room 10) features relief carvings from the palaces of the Assyrian kings at Nimrud, Khorsabad and Nineveh. The enormous winged bulls from the palace of Sargon II are especially impressive.

5. The Hoa Hakananai'a (room 24) is one of the famous stone statues of the Easter Island. The statue weighs about 4 tons and has a height of 2.42 m. It was shipped to England in 1868. The statues were part of a ceremonial complex. The exact function of the statues is not clearly clarified until today.

7. The Great Court is a highlight which no usual visitor will get around. It is the huge glassroofed courtyard in the entrance area. In the center of the approx. 8000 m² large area is the reading room, which was built in the year 1857. The redesigned courtyard with its impressive glass roof was opened in the year 2000

Greenwich Park

Very close to Cutty Sark, the celebrated historic sailing ship and fastest of its time, built in 1869 to carry tea back from China, Cutty Sark visited nearly every major port in the world and gained fame for its record-breaking passages. In the park, walk up to the top of the hill to get a lovely view of the Maritime Museum and of the city You can see the O2 Arena dome, The Gherkin, The Shard and the Queen’s House.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is one of the London's biggest tourist magnets. The area around the glasscovered building - a former fruit and vegetable market - is always crowded, especially during weekends and in summertime. Covent Garden is known for its many open-air cafés, restaurants, pubs, market stalls and shops. Famous are the many street performers who entertain the visitors on the pedestrianized piazza. For some extra pretty views, head to the covered Apple Market of Covent Garden to find an Instagram friendly photo spot, and some forty or so stores

A former floral market now houses the London Transport Museum. The Covent Garden district is also home to several theaters and the Royal Opera House.

Watch out too, for Neal’s Yard is easily one of the most photogenic hidden gems of London’s Zone one. Accessible via only two little cobbled lanes, wander inside this secret spot and you’ll be rewarded with its colourfully painted houses.

Leicester Square

Famous for holding world-premieres of films in London, Leicester Square is a central location filled with night-life, restaurants, artists and theatres. The square is car-free and can be very crowded, especially on weekend evenings. It is often the starting point for people who want to visit one of the many cinemas, theaters, snack bars and restaurants that are in the neighborhood. Several major cinemas line the square, giving it its nickname "Theatreland". A handful of TV and radio stations also have their headquarters at Leicester Square.

Day 5

King’s cross (Harry Potter’s Platform 9 ¾) - St Pancras

King’s Cross has placed the “real Platform 9 and 3/4” at the back of King’s Cross Rail Station. This means one needs to walk all the way to the end of the station to find it – a short walk and definitely worth it! While you’re here, it’s also worth checking out St. Pancras Station! This beautifully resorted Victorian building is located just across the street from King’s Cross Station. Potter-lovers will recognise it as soon as they see it – just in front of the station is where Ron and Harry picked up the Ford Anglia that Ron would then use to fly them to Hogwarts.

The iconic image of the car leaving the ground is filmed right in front of St. Pancras. The railway station proper is a great example of Victorian architecture and magnificently combines the iron and stone framework with the brick walls. Today high speed Eurostar trains connect London from St. Pancras Station with Paris, Lille, Brussels and some smaller destinations.

Camden market area

Hip, trendy, and cool, Camden is the go-to place for students and artists alike. It has been the centre of various musical movements over the years, and was something of a counter-cultural hotspot through the 1960s and 70s. It’s still a thriving musical hub today, particularly for metal, indie, jazz and rock, and you'll find music venues dotted all over. The Camden Lock Market can be found at the end of the Camden high street, just after the bridge over Regent's Canal.

This market area is regularly used since 1975 and is therefore the origin of the Camden Markets. At this place you will find many stalls with high-quality craft items located in and around a building with 3 floors. Particularly noteworthy is also the wide range of food

stalls with fragrant dishes from all over the world. This is Street Food of the finest kind.

The Buck Street Market is located at the corner of Buck Street and Camden High street, not far from the underground station. About 200 stalls line up along narrow corridors at this outdoor market. There are mainly simple textiles such as T-Shirts, jeans, caps, costume jewelry and other cheap mass products

Regent’s canal

Regent's Canal starts at Little Venice and ends in Docklands. Regent's Canal passes by parks, a zoo, Camden Market, Victorian warehouses and celebrity hangouts. It was originally built to link the huge Grand Junction Canal's Paddington branch with the River Thames, but now is mainly a place of leisure for Londoners and visitors alike. It was designed by John Nash and finished in 1820.

Regent's Park

In 1811 John Nash transformed Henry VIII's former hunting ground into the landscaped gardens you see today, with lakes, playing fields and rose gardens. Dubbed "the jewel in the crown", Regent’s park has served as a location in many London-based films. Haunt of rock stars, actresses and their yoga instructors, Primrose Hill, north of Regent’s park is a hamlet of exclusive boutiques, restaurants and gastro pubs along Regent's Park Road. The park is surrounded by stately buildings designed in the so-called Regency architecture, a style mostly implemented by John Nash for the projects which were part of the 'Metropolitan Improvements' of the Prince Regent. From 1821 until 1827 about ten terraces were built around Regent's Park, groups of grand buildings that contrasted with the rather functional brick buildings that were common at the time. The most beautiful terrace is Cumberland Terrace, a group of thirty-one buildings that thanks to its neo-classical architecture looks like a grand palace.

STUDENT’S

NAME: __________________________ 4º ESO ____

English and cultural activities:

1. Find your way around London on a map & asking directions (different groups in turn)

2. Choose 2 works of art from the museums and describe them and your impressions

3. In your free time, interview as many people as you want, but at least, 3. Please, be polite! Find out and write down:

- Where each person is from

- What he/she is doing in London

- Ask them to recommend you a place (in London or in their hometown/ country)

- Any other information that you can think of

4. Supermarket hunting. Find the average price of the following items and compare it with its price at home:

a loaf of bread, a litre of semi-skimmed milk, a tube of toothpaste, a piece of your favourite fruit and something else that you usually buy in Ourense

5. Mention what you found most surprising / different/ interesting in London – if anything

2. Works of Art:

1.

2.

3. Interviews:

1. Name (optional) From: Why in London: Recommendation:

Other:

3. Name (optional) From: Why in London: Recommendation: Other:

5. Name (optional) From: Why in London: Recommendation:

Other:

7. Name (optional) From:

Why in London: Recommendation:

Other:

2. Name (optional) From: Why in London: Recommendation: Other:

4. Name (optional) From: Why in London: Recommendation: Other:

6. Name (optional) From: Why in London: Recommendation: Other:

8. Name (optional)

From: Why in London: Recommendation: Other:

4. Average price of:

- a loaf of bread:

- a litre of semi-skimmed milk:

- a tube of toothpaste:

- a piece of your favourite fruit:

- something else that you usually buy in Ourense:

5. The most surprising / different/ interesting thing(s) in London:

Expectations vs Reality

Before the trip:

- What do you expect to enjoy the most about London?

- What is the aspects of London that you are least interested in?

After the trip:

- What did you like best in London?

- What was the worst about this city and trip?