London has 8.9 million residents, 170 museums, and roughly 10,000 restaurants. The Tube moves 3 million people every weekday. The city is a collection of villages that grew together over 2,000 years, and the top sights are not a checklist to be ticked. They are the places worth slowing down for. Here are the ones that justify your time.
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In This Article
The British Museum: Two Million Years Under One Roof
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The British Museum in Bloomsbury holds over 8 million objects spanning two million years of human history. The Great Court, covered by a glass-and-steel roof designed by Norman Foster in 2000, is the largest covered public square in Europe. The must-see items on a first visit are the Rosetta Stone (196 BC, the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs, in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery), the Parthenon Marbles (the Elgin Marbles, 5th century BC, taken from the Parthenon in Athens by Lord Elgin between 1801 and 1805), and the Lewis Chessmen (12th century walrus ivory chess pieces found on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1831). Entry is free. The museum receives 6 million visitors per year. Visit on a weekday at 10am to avoid the worst crowds.
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The Tower of London: A Fortress with Nine Lives
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The Tower of London has served as a royal palace, a prison, an arsenal, a mint, a zoo, and a jewel house since William the Conqueror built the White Tower in 1078. The Crown Jewels, including the Imperial State Crown set with 2,868 diamonds, are housed in the Jewel House. The ravens, six of them, are kept under royal decree. The legend says that if the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall. The Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, have guarded the Tower since 1485. Their guided tour, the Yeoman Warder Tour, lasts 45 minutes and is included in the admission price. The entrance fee is 33.60 pounds for adults.
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Westminster Abbey: Every Coronation Since 1066
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The Abbey on the north bank of the Thames has hosted every English and British coronation since William the Conqueror in 1066. It holds 3,300 burials, including Chaucer, Darwin, Newton, and Dickens. Poet’s Corner alone contains memorials to over 100 writers. The Gothic architecture, built between 1245 and 1272 under Henry III, features the tallest Gothic nave in England at 31 metres. The Cosmati pavement, a 13th-century mosaic floor in front of the high altar, is made of coloured glass, stone, and gold. Entry is 27 pounds for adults. The Abbey receives 1.5 million visitors annually.
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The South Bank: Culture on the Thames
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The South Bank stretches 2.3 km from the London Eye to Tower Bridge along the southern side of the River Thames. The National Theatre, the Tate Modern (housed in the former Bankside Power Station, opened in 2000), the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (a reconstruction of the 1599 original, built in 1997), and the BFI IMAX cinema are strung along the river. The walk itself, between the Jubilee and Millennium Bridges, is one of the best free experiences in London. Street performers, pop-up food markets, and views of the Houses of Parliament across the river make every visit different. The South Bank was redeveloped for the Festival of Britain in 1951 and has been London’s cultural spine ever since.
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Which London sight lived up to its reputation and which one did not match the hype?
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