TOWER OF LONDON
Historical fortress of William the Conqueror, royal palace, prison... ...Read more
ELIZABETH TOWER - BIG BEN
Read moreStanding 96 m tall, Big Ben is the 13.5-tonne bell atop the Elizabeth Tower, the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. Originally named "The Great Bell", the origin of its current name remains unclear. Although never officially christened, it is nicknamed Big Ben by Londoners, "although we can't quite work out why". Many theories exist; one favorite is that it was christened "Victoria" during a ceremony in honor of the queen of the same name. However, the inauguration speech was so long that one of the audience members exclaimed, "Just call her Big Ben and get it over with! The other theory is that the name refers to Benjamin Hall, the civil engineer in charge of casting the bell, who was nicknamed Big Ben because of his size. Following the fire of 1835, which destroyed part of the parliament building, architect Charles Barry decided to incorporate the famous bell into the design, which rang for the first time on May 31, 1859 after being moved sixty meters. The imposing bell of the Palace of Westminster punctuates London's days with its famous chimes. Completed in 1859, the clock tower is a national symbol and a source of pride and admiration both day and night. It is one of London's most photographed landmarks. Since 2003, Big Ben has been leaning dramatically, tilting a little more each year. In 2012, it began to show with the naked eye. You can see the tilt by standing in Parliament Square and looking east towards the River Thames. As yet, no decision has been taken to stop the tilt. However, in June 2012, following a proposal by the Conservative Party, it was agreed that the tower should be renamed Elizabeth Tower, in honor of the Queen, who has sat on the throne for 60 years. There is a miniature reproduction of Big Ben next to Victoria Station, Little Ben, between Victoria Street and Vauxhall Bridge Road.
Between August 2017 and November 2022, Big Ben stopped ringing due to renovation work. The challenge was enormous: 5 years and £80 million invested to renovate this absolute landmark of the UK capital. Now, like a sleeping creature now awake, the tower and its bell stand once more in all their splendor.
MONUMENT
Read moreThis 60.60 metre high Doric column has great significance for Londoners as it commemorates one of the city's most painful events, the Great Fire of 1666 which devastated the City. The monument stands exactly 60.60 metres from the spot where the fire started, at a baker's in Pudding Lane. The column was designed by Christopher Wren, who was also responsible for the reconstruction of many buildings after the fire. The 311 steps of the spiral staircase can be climbed.
GLASTONBURY TOR
Read moreSymbol of Glastonbury, this great hill was a place of retreat for the monks, before becoming a chapel, destroyed by an earthquake in 1275. Rebuilt later, the ruins of the Chapel of St Michael can still be seen here. Today it is only a tower, but a mystical atmosphere surrounds it. The Arthurian legends linked to the site are numerous and some see the entrance to Avalon, the burial place of King Arthur. You have to climb it to grasp the magnificence of the place and the flat landscapes that surround it. Beautiful pictures from the top
CARFAX TOWER
Read moreErected in the 14th century, Carfax Tower is well worth a visit for the view it affords of the city from its 23-metre height. No building in Oxford is allowed to surpass it in height, making it an important landmark in the city. The tower is all that remains of St. Martin's Church, built in the 12th century. The term "Carfax" means "crossroads" in English, as the tower is located near the site of Oxford's former main crossroads, which was a strategic focal point in the historic city.
WEST PIER
Read moreThis charred skeleton abandoned 50 m from the beach is none other than West Pier. Built in 1866, it was a popular spot for strollers, and later became home to a theater and concert hall. Closed in 1975 for safety reasons, it gradually fell into disrepair and was finally destroyed in 2002 by a storm and two successive fires. Its restoration was abandoned for lack of sufficient funds. In 2014 a new project was launched to breathe new life into Brighton's historic West Pier, the British Airways i360 tower, which opened in August 2016.
SQUARE TOWER
Read moreDon't make a detour, but if you pass through it, it's a square tower built in the th century, originally as the governor's fortified residence and then as a gun powder warehouse. Massive and not very elegant.
MARTELLO TOWER VISITOR CENTRE
Read more103 of these small towers were built between 1805 and 1812 to protect themselves from potential invasions of the French led by Napoleon. It is located in the east of Folkestone on the cliff edge.
CABOT TOWER
Read moreAppreciated for its beautiful architecture and red brickwork, the Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill Park is one of the city's best-known landmarks. It was built in 1897 to commemorate the voyage of John Cabot, the Italian navigator in the service of England, between Bristol and North America four hundred years earlier. The park, with its water-lily pond, is a pleasant place to stroll. You can then climb to the top of the tower, free of charge, for beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding area. But beware: the stairs are very steep!
SMEATON'S TOWER
Read moreClimb at the top of Plymouth lighthouse, built on Fn Reef in 1759, then moved (stone stone) at the beginning of the th century to its current site. At the top of the 93 steps, the view of the city and its port is worth a visit. Prone to vertige.