Touring London - Places to Visit

Much of the building was constructed as early as 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham House (as it was then known) was purchased in 1762 by George III, who used it as a private residence. Over the following 75 years the house was expanded to form three wings around a central courtyard.

When Queen Victoria discovered the lack of several 'necessary' rooms - such as a formal ballroom, a nursery, visitor's bedrooms and others - major additions were undertaken, including adding an entire wing to form a quadrangle. The Marble Arch was moved to Hyde Park, where it still resides near Speaker's Corner. With the refacing using Portland stone in 1913, the palace received its last major change.

Still actively used as both residence and offices, over 50,000 guests and invited diplomats visit per year who interact with over 400 individuals for whom this is 'the office'. Nevertheless, several parts of the palace are open to the public.

During August and September, the West Wing admits visitors who can view the State Rooms. At other times of the year, various parts are open, where tourists can view spectacular jewels, dressing gowns, furniture and the building itself.

The Queen's Gallery near the Royal Mews (stables and, later, a garage) is open year-round and has an ever changing display of objects owned by 'the British nation'. Here you can see original paintings by Rubens, Vermeer, Canaletto and other great artists.

The Royal Mews are also open to the public, where you can see 30 horses and the golden State Coach. The four-ton coach, pulled by eight horses, is used for coronations and other state functions.

Outside, the 40-acre garden presents a peaceful walk full of well-tended flowers and shrubs and a superb view of the lake.

Of course, the major attraction outside is the 'Changing of the Guard', or as it's more formally known: the Guard Mounting. Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign since 1660, but today the task is carried out at Buckingham by soldiers drawn mostly from the regiments of the Foot Guards.

A Guards' band plays a traditional military march as one set of guards replaces the other. When the Queen is in residence, four sentries stand at the front of the building. While she's away, the contingent is reduced to two.

In their traditional red tunic and bearskins, with the distinctive helmet, the guards are highly trained to avoid interacting with the many visitors who try to distract them. Occasionally, other Commonwealth units participate in guard duty, as do the Scots Guards and the Brigade of Gurkhas.

The Guard Mounting ceremony is performed at 11:30 am and lasts for about 45 minutes, though it's skipped sometimes owing to inclement weather. The Palace location is easily accessible by the tube (the London Underground subway system). Green Park is to the north of Buckingham Palace, Victoria Station and St. James Park stations are to the south.

Touring London - Places to Visit

Touring London - St Paul's Cathedral

The fame of the dome is particularly ironic since the plans, third in succession after two rejected models, didn't call for one. Wren took advantage of a clause in the commission permitting him to make 'ornamental' changes.

And, in effect, the large dome - visible from several parts of London far away - is just an ornament. In the interior is a much smaller dome directly underneath and between the two a large cone-shaped structure supporting the 850-ton lantern.

Outside, astride the large dome are two towers and an extraordinary classical facade. Though it forms the entrance, the view is less familiar since photographs typically concentrate on the famous dome, which lies on the other side. The west side offers an especially good view. From here, visitors can take in the columns and the clock tower.

Whether viewing from outside or in, though, there are several outstanding features and dozens of smaller ones of interest.

One of the more popular interior features is the Whispering Gallery. The result of the way sound waves move within an arched structure, a person can stand at one corner and whisper and be heard far away. It can be reached by a muscular climb up 259 spiral steps. Most find the effort well repaid.

Someone standing far away beneath the opposite side of an arch can still hear plainly what was said. There are often several pairs trying this at once, though. The sound is clearest if you can find a time when no one else is testing the effect.

But the main interest lies less with physics and more with art. One example is the 20-foot oak model representing Wren's second major attempt at gaining approval for a design. Another is the large pipe organ, commissioned in 1694 and still functional.

Several other functional, yet artistic, elements are around the cathedral. One, Wren's memorial, contains an epitaph from his son. It reads, translated from the Latin: 'Reader, if you seek his monument, look around.'

Many other plaques, carvings, statues and other memorials to the powerful and famous of London's past are within the cathedral: in the south transept Admiral Nelson, in the north aisle the Duke of Wellington.

There's also a memorial in the south choir aisle of the poet John Donne, Dean of St. Paul's before the current building was erected. The disastrous London fire of 1666, destroyed the original. Almost ten years elapsed before construction was begun, followed by more than another 30 until completion. That gives some idea of how construction projects were carried out 300 years ago.

Undergoing a £40 million ($71 million) restoration to celebrate it's 300-year anniversary, many of the building's surfaces have been cleaned and restored. Now is an especially good time to pay a visit.

The Cathedral is easy to spot and also easy to reach via the London Underground, i.e. 'the tube' or subway. Exit at St Paul's station.

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