London?s Famous Buildings
If you?ve never been to London, or have even been there several times, there are points of interest throughout the city that are worth checking out. London is not only rich in history, but offers wonderfully famous buildings. Visiting them during your trip is definitely a must. Perhaps one of the most famous buildings in London is Buckingham Palace. The home of Queen Elizabeth II, it has housed Britain?s sovereigns since 1837. Since then it has evolved from a mere town house that was once owned by the Dukes of Buckingham in the 18th century. Other famous buildings that house London?s royalty are St. James Place, Clarence House, and also Kensington Palace. Kensington Palace was started in 1689 when William and Mary purchased the mansion shortly after their ascension. It was then converted to a royal palace by Sir Christopher Wren. Today half of the building is used for royal apartments while the other half is open to the public. Sir Christopher Wren also designed and built St. Paul?s Cathedral following the Great Fire of 1666. It was left in ruins after the fire and Wren was commissioned to rebuild it by London?s authorities. This building is considered to be Wren?s greatest creation. The Tower of London had originally been built for use as a fortress to keep out hostile Londoners and to survey enemies who approached on the Thames river. Since then is has been used as a palace, library, mint, treasury, bank, arsenal, observatory, and, most famously, a prison. Westminster Abbey isn?t just one of the more beautiful of London?s famous buildings, but it is also the final resting place for some of Britain?s most famous monarchs, the setting for coronations, and also other wonderful pageants. Within its walls visitors can see great examples of London?s medical architecture, as well as an impressive collection of toms and monuments. Westminster Abby is perhaps most well-known for being the site of Princess Diana?s funeral. Completed in 1871, Royal Albert Hall is a beautiful structure that was modelled after Roman amphitheatres. Today the hall is used for both classical concerts and other large gatherings. In 1514, the Archbishop of York, Cardinal Wolsey, started Hampton Court Palace with the intentions of it being a riverside country residence. But in 1535, with the hopes of gaining royal favour, Wolsey offered it to King Henry VIII. As with other famous buildings in London, Sir Christopher Wren once again had a hand in it when he was hired by William and Mary in the 1690?s to create its beautiful baroque landscapes. The No. 10 Downing Street houses Britain?s Prime Minister, who currently is Tony Blair. It began its service to Britain?s Prime Ministers when George II gave it to Sir Robert Walpole in 1732. Lastly is Harrod?s Department Store, and one of London?s most famous buildings. It began in 1849 when Henry Charles Harrod opened a small grocery store. Throughout the years the store?s quality and service has allowed it to expand and become what we know it as today. Of course there are many other famous buildings, as well as some other lesser known, that are worth seeing on a trip to London. Make sure to do your research prior to leaving on your trip to make sure you are able to see the buildings that best match your interests. More about London at: <a href="http://www.londonweblisting.com">London City Resources and useful Information about everything</a>
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Bangalore Weekend Getaways
Bangalore, India s Silicon Valley, has much more to offer than being the IT hub of the country. A glorious past and scenic beauty make Bangalore one of the much sought after holiday destinations too. Truly known as the Garden City , Bangalore is a picturesque land what with its temperate climate, vibrant culture, beautiful gardens and eating joints that provide the perfect ambience for a great holiday. Some of the places that you can visit in Bangalore include the beautiful Vidhana Soudha (Sunday evenings is the perfect time to see it, all illuminated); the lovely Cubbon Park which runs through the heart of the city; the Government Museum on Kasturba Gandhi Road which houses a great collection of miniature paintings, sculptures and exquisite jewellery that dates back a few hundred years. The Bangalore Palace which was built in 1880 spreads over an area of 13,700 sq. m; this magnificent structure is another of Bangalore s great landmarks. Old Bangalore remains quite untouched by the developments that the rest of the city has witnessed. It has retained its old world charm and houses several monuments that speak volumes of the city s glorious past. Here there are some beautiful structures that are amazing works of architecture. While here do visit the Palace of Tipu Sultan that was the summer retreat of the Great Hero; The Venkataramanaswamy temple built by the Wodeyars; Lal Bagh the scenic Botanical garden which is spread over 240 acres and houses several varieties of flora; the Gavi Gangadhareshvara temple that ranks amongst one of the oldest temples in Bangalore. Around Bangalore also there are several beautiful locations that can be a great Bangalore weekend getaway. Away from the hustle and bustle of the fast city life of Bangalore is the BRT Wildlife sanctuary popularly known as BR Hills which is only 235 kms from Bangalore. Spread over 525 sq km BRT wildlife sanctuary houses a variety of fauna and here one can see animals right from elephants, sloth bears, bisons and a number of varieties of birds. It can be accessed from Bangalore by road or rail. A scenic 5 hour drive from Bangalore or a 3 hour rail journey would take you to the picturesque location. Some of the activities you would truly enjoy here is the jeep safari, the elephant ride right into the jungle and trekking in BR Hills for the true nature lovers who are ready to rough it out. While here you can visit the Biligiri Rangaswamy temple and the Doda Sampige Mara (which is a place of worship that has a huge Champaka tree and at its foot is placed more then 100 Shiva lingams). The Bandipur National Park is another beautiful place that can be enjoyed as a wildlife resort near Bangalore. Located at a distance of 220 kms from Bangalore, the Bandipur wildlife sanctuary is 5 hours by road from here. Located in southern Karnataka, Bandipur is the creation of the Maharaja of Mysore in the year 1931 and was later taken over by the Government as a Tiger Resrve. The national park is a treasure house of a variety of flora and fauna. You can enjoy the natural beauty of the park either on foot being a part of the trekking groups or take a ride on the jeep safaris and look out for the animals. The elephant ride is another great way to venture deeper into the forest and see animals in their natural habitat. A good place to stay at both places would be Jungle Lodges and Resorts You can have Bangalore as your base and visit many of the spectacular weekend getaways like Nagarhole National Park, Mudumalai, Yercaud, Wayanad, Tirupati to name a few. These places are just a few hours away from Bangalore and you can quickly be transported into a very different peaceful and beautiful world.<b>Author Bio: </b><br> William Nickel traveler and nature enthusiast, experienced in arranging enchanting wildlife tours in India with knowledge on <a href="http://www.wildlifesanctuaryindia.com/safari.asp"> elephant safari, tiger safari, jeep safari, trekking India</a>, <a href="http://www.wildlifesanctuaryindia.com/">economical <b>accommodation in Mudumalai</b> wildlife sanctuary, <b>Bandipur national park and Masinagudi reserve forest in Nilgiris on the Ooty Mysore Bangalore road</b></a>
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