The West End

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the sovereign. Though the building itself is not an architectural masterpiece, its interior decoration, paintings and furniture are really worth seeing. The weekly ceremony of the Changing of the Guard attracts many spectators with its music and soldiers' traditional uniforms.

From Buckingham Palace it is a short walk to Trafalgar Square which may be called the main square and the geographical centre of London, It is not as old as some other places of the capital as it was designed in the middle of the 19th century to commemorate the victory of the British fleet headed by Admiral Nelson over Napoleon's fleet at Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson lost his life in that battle but brought victory to his country so British people think of him as their national hero. Nelson's column in the centre of the square is very tall with a statue of the Admiral on the top and four bronze lions, that symbolize the power of the British Empire, around it. Other attractions on the square are the National Gallery with a wonderful collection of arts and the beautiful St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church.

Another 10 minutes' walk can bring you to the heart of the West End - Piccadilly Circus. It is one of the busiest places in London, and if you want to see its focal point - the Statue of Eros closer, don't risk crossing the street; use the underground crossing. Originally the statue was erected as a symbol of charity but now it has become one of the most popular meeting places of young people and punks who make money letting tourists take their pictures.

From Piccadilly Circus you can stroll along the richest streets of London - Regent, Oxford and Bond Streets - lined with expensive shops, restaurants and hotels.

London's numerous parks are an all-year-round attraction both for Londoners and the guests of the city. The parks are called «the lungs» of London and they are true oases in the polluted and overcrowded city. Hyde Park and Green Park, St. James's Park and Kensington Gardens are beautiful in any season and please the eye with their trees, bushes, flowers and ponds.

London museums are so many that it's difficult to name them all. The most important are the British Museum with its unique archeological collections and the Library, the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Victoria and Albert Museum with fine collections of arts, the Science Museum whose main aim is educate people and Madame Tussaud's Gallery that dis­plays the wax figures of famous people.