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Home , Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Jewel Tower, Palace of Westminster, Throne room

LONDON BISERBISER MILEVMILEV

CrimeCrime PreventionPrevention andand PublicPublic OrderOrder ProtectionProtection

22nd yearyear VARNAVARNA FREEFREE UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY AcademicAcademic yearyear 2013/20142013/2014 ProjectProject coordinator:coordinator: DIANADIANA MIHAYLOVAMIHAYLOVA CONTENTSCONTENTS

 CommunityCommunity andand PeoplePeople  NaturalNatural environmentenvironment  BigBig BenBen  TheThe RiverRiver ThamesThames  TheThe PalacePalace ofof WestminsterWestminster  BuckinghamBuckingham PalacePalace COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY ANDAND PEOPLEPEOPLE

• There are over seven million people living in making it the biggest city in Western Europe. Despite its size, many Londoners are lonely and isolated and for all its prosperity three of the five most deprived boroughs in are in London. • This section looks at some people who maybe socially excluded in London. It also explores ways people who happen to live in the same area can be transformed into a community. Work is being done by central government, local government and voluntary organizations to recognize everyone’s value, regardless of their age, sex, ethnicity or disability. • Many parts of London, such as or Highgate, were once villages (small towns). Today, London is a growing city with a population of more than seven million. People have come from all parts of the world to live here. They have brought with them different ways of living and colorful festivals. London is a multicultural city, as it has been since the Roman times. Now about a quarter of the capital's inhabitants are members of the ethnic minorities.minorities. NATURALNATURAL ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT

• London has more parks and areas than any other city of its size in the world. Almost 39 per cent of London's total area is green. But London's green environment isn't just about parks and gardens - it includes London's noise levels, water, energy and air. • Our Green London guide telling you all you need to know about outdoor London - from parks and waterways to wild London and city farms. In our How to be green section you’ll find information about how you can do your bit for the environment. BIGBIG BENBEN

• is the nickname for the great of the at the north end of the of in London, and is often extended to refer to the clock or the as well. Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in May 2009 (the clock itself first ticking on 31 May 1859), during which celebratory events took place. • Officially, the Clock Tower's bell is called the Great Bell though it is better known by the name 'Big Ben'. • There are two theories for this name's origin. These are that the Great Bell was: • named after Sir Benjamin , First Commissioner for Works 1855-1858, whose name is inscribed on the bell • named after Ben Caunt, a champion heavyweight boxer of the 1850s • The first theory is thought to be the most likely. • The name 'Big Ben' is often associated with the Clock Tower and the Great Clock as well as the Great Bell. It was to the Great Bell that the name originally was given. • Warners of Norton near Stockton-on-Tees cast the new bell in August 1856. It was transported by rail and sea to London. On arrival at the Port of London, it was placed on a carriage and pulled across by 16 white horses. • The bell was hung in . It was tested each day until 17 October 1857 when a 1.2m crack appeared. No-one would accept the blame. Theories included the composition of the bell's metal or its dimensions. Warners blamed Denison for insisting on increasing the hammer's weight from 355kg to 660kg. • Warners asked too high a price to break up and recast the bell so George Mears at the • Foundry was appointed. The second bell was cast on 10 April 1858. This bell was 2.5 tonnes lighter than the first. Its dimensions meant it was too large to fit up the Clock Tower's shaft vertically so Big Ben was turned on its side and winched up. It took 30 hours to winch the bell to the in October 1858. The four quarter , which on the quarter hour, were already in place. Big Ben rang out on 11 July 1859 but its success was short-lived. In September 1859, the new bell also cracked and Big Ben was silent for four years. During this time, the hour was struck on the fourth quarter bell. The total cost of making the clock and bells and installing them in the Clock Tower reached £22,000. THETHE RIVERRIVER THAMESTHAMES

• The is the second longest river in the and the longest river entirely in England, rising at Thames Head in Gloucestershire, and flowing into the North sea at the Thames Estuary. It has a special significance in flowing through London, the capital of the United Kingdom, although London only includes a short part of its course. The river is tidal in London with a rise and fall of 7 metres (23 ft) and becomes non-tidal at Lock. The catchment area covers a large part of South Eastern and Western England and the river is fed by over 20 tributaries. The river contains over 80 islands, and having both seawater and freshwater stretches supports a variety of wildlife. • The river has supported human activity from its source to its mouth for thousands of years providing habitation, water power, food and drink. It has also acted as a major highway both for international trade through the Port of London, and internally along its length and connecting to the British canal system. The river’s strategic position has seen it at the centre of many events and fashions in British history, earning it a description by John Burns as “Liquid History”. It has been a physical and political boundary over the centuries and generated a range of river crossings. In more recent time the river has become a major leisure area supporting tourism and pleasure outings as well as the sports of rowing, sailing, skiffing, kayaking, and punting. The river has had a special appeal to writers, artists, musicians and film-makers and is well represented in the arts. It is still the subject of various debates about its course, nomenclature and history. • The Thames passes by some of the sights of London, including the Houses of and the . • The Thames has a length of 215 miles (346 km). Its usually quoted source is at Thames head, about a mile north of the village of Kemble and near the town of Cirencester, in the Cotswolds. This makes it the longest river entirely in England, although the River Severn, which is partly in Wales, is a longer river in the United Kingdom. Seven Springs near Cheltenham, where the river Churn rises, is also sometimes quoted as the Thames' source,as this location is furthest from the mouth adding some 14 miles (22 km) to the length. The springs at Seven Springs also flow throughout the year, while those at Thames Head are only seasonal. THETHE PALACEPALACE OFOF WESTMINSTERWESTMINSTER • The , also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the seat of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom-the and the . The Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the heart of the London borough of the , close to the historic and the government buildings of and . The name may refer to either of two structures: the Old Palace, a medieval building complex most of which was destroyed in 1834, and its replacement New Palace that stands today; it has retained the style and status of a royal residence, despite its actual use. • TheThe firstfirst royalroyal palacepalace waswas builtbuilt onon thethe sitesite inin thethe eleventheleventh century, century, and and Westminster Westminster was was the the primaryprimary LondonLondon residenceresidence ofof thethe KingsKings ofof EnglandEngland untiluntil a a fire fire destroyed destroyed much much of of the the complex complex in in 1512.1512. After After that, that, it it served served as as the the home home of of Parliament,Parliament, which which had had been been meeting meeting there there since since thethe thirteenththirteenth century,century, andand thethe seatseat ofof thethe RoyalRoyal CourtsCourts of of Justice, Justice, based based in in and and around around WestminsterWestminster HallHall.. In In 1834, 1834, an an even even greater greater fire fire ravagedravaged thethe heavilyheavily rebuiltrebuilt HousesHouses ofof Parliament,Parliament, andand thethe onlyonly structuresstructures ofof significancesignificance toto survivesurvive werewere WestminsterWestminster Hall,Hall, thethe CloistersCloisters andand ChapterChapter HouseHouse of of St St Stephen's, Stephen's, the the ChapelChapel ofof StSt MaryMary UndercroftUndercroft andand thethe JewelJewel Tower.Tower. • The Palace is one of the centres of political life in the United Kingdom; "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament, and the of government has taken its name after it. Its Clock Tower, in particular, which has become known as "Big Ben" after its main bell, is an iconic landmark of London and the United Kingdom in general, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of parliamentary democracy. The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. BUCKINGHAMBUCKINGHAM PALACEPALACE

• in London, England, is not only the of the Queen; over the years this sprawling palace has entertained countless heads of State from around the world, issued official statements during times of war, and as of late has become a major tourist attraction. Until recently Buckingham Palace was not available for public tours, and the only guests allowed in the palace were there by royal invitation. The Buckingham Palace of today, however, welcomes travelers in for a Buckingham Palace Tour 8 weeks out of the year. Much of the rest of the year, the royal family is in residence and often conducting official palace business. • The 20th century brought with it the reign of the current Queen, Elizabeth II, who agreed to open much of the palace up to the public for Buckingham Palace tours. A tour in Buckingham Palace will now take guests through the State Room, the Grand Staircase, the Room, and the Picture Gallery that features many world-renowned works of art. A Buckingham Palace Tour may only be booked during an 8-week period spanning August and September each year, and tickets may be purchased in advance, or at the palace ticket office on . Ticket lines for a tour in Buckingham Palace tend to be quite long, so if you are know which day you plan to visit in advance, it is a good idea to purchase your tickets online or over the phone. • Another major Buckingham Palace attraction with a firm place in Buckingham Palace history is the Changing of the Guard. Changing of the Guard generally happens once a day at 11:30am, all year long. Tourists should note, however, that due to weather and various security precautions, the changing of the guard is sometimes cancelled at the last minute. Also, though the changing of the guard is often thought to be mostly ceremonial, the guard does in actuality serve and important security role. Security in and around the Palace is taken quite seriously. • Whether you plan to take a tour in Buckingham Palace for a voyeuristic look at royal life throughout the ages, or simply marvel at its huge stature from outside the palace walls, guests of London will surely be impressed by the magnificence of this historical place. The State THETHE GARDENGARDEN TheRooms State Rooms form the • Described as a 'walled oasis heart of the working palace in the middle of London', the and are lavishly furnished with Palace's garden is home to some of the greatest treasures thirty different species of bird and more than 350 from the - different wild flowers, some paintings by , extremely rare. Visitors end Rubens, Poussin and ; their tour with a walk along the south side of the garden, sculpture by Canova; exquisite with splendid views of the examples of Sèvres porcelain; west front of the Palace and and some of the finest English the famous lake. and French furniture. REFENCE

• WWW.WIKIPEDIA/BIG BEN • WWW.WIKIPEDIA/BUCKINGHAM PALACE • THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!