Platform 9 3/4
When J. K. Rowling published her award-winning Harry Potter books she gave a new meaning to the King’s Cross railway station in London, United Kingdom. Students of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry take the steam engine Hogwarts Express from platform 9 3/4 of King’s Cross station. To reach this platform they have to push their trolleys into the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Continue reading “Platform 9 3/4”
Pleasant surprise
I had not been to London, United Kingdom for some time as I heard that two friends wanted to get there for a weekend to celebrate the birthday of one of them. Secretly I took over the planning and booked three tickets for the trip and a nice small hotel near Paddington station.
Continue reading “Pleasant surprise”Tate Modern
The Tate Modern in London, United Kingdom located near St. Paul’s Cathedral directly at the river Thames. It has been created in the year 2000 in an old power station and is the biggest museum of modern art.
Continue reading “Tate Modern”St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s and Westminister Abbey are the two most important and well known churches in London, United Kingdom. The current cathedral has been built 300 meters away from river Thames in 1666 – after the great fire of London. It is built in 17th century french art style; a kind of baroque.
Continue reading “St. Paul’s Cathedral”Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge in London, United Kingdom is named because of its Location close to the Tower of London. It is 244 meters long and was opened in 1894 in gothic revival style. Between its 65 meter high towers in the middle section it is a flap bridge to allow the passage for higher ships.
Continue reading “Tower Bridge”The Tower of London
The Tower of London, United Kingdom is a fortification in the center of the city. It contains a castle surrounded by two walls and it has been used over the centuries as a royal safe-harbour, prison, zoo, museum and armoury. It has been built in the 11th century CE for William the Conquerer and is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
Continue reading “The Tower of London”Westminster Abbey
Concerning the royal family the most important church in London, United Kingdom is Westminster Abbey, located close to the Houses of Parliament. The kings and monarchs are crowned and buried here. The abbey was built from 1045 on and the current church was begun in the year 1240. The towers have been added by Sir Christopher Wren from the year 1722 on.
Continue reading “Westminster Abbey”Big Ben
A hugh bell in one of the towers of the Houses of Parliament in London, United Kingdom is called Big Ben – but people tend to use the name for the whole tower. The correct name since the crown jubilee in 2012 is Elizabeth tower. It is now named after Queen Elizabeth – and another tower of the parliament is named after her mother Victoria.
Continue reading “Big Ben”Visiting the Cotswolds
Maybe it was my first truly international experience, for sure it was the most intense one: my school organized an exchange with another school in Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom. I went over for a week and lived with an English family – and received a visit in return.
Continue reading “Visiting the Cotswolds”