London Trip - Day 4


On Tuesday we started out by taking the tube to the Tower of London for a tour. This was one of my favorite attractions - its age and history made for a fascinating experience. The tour guides, the Yeoman Guards or Beefeaters, tended to emphasize the violence and intrigue, and it got to be a bit much at times. It was a fun visit anyway.

A portcullis at the Tower of London. This is the iron gate that is raised and lowered at one of the entrances.

Our tour group at the Tower.

The water entrance to the Tower, where many of those sent to die or be imprisoned arrived.

A street inside the outer wall of the Tower.

The Jewel House, where the Crown Jewels are on display.

The White Tower, the oldest structure in the Tower of London, dating back the the 12th century.

We had lunch in a cafeteria at the Tower, and then took the tube to St. Paul's Catheral, built by Christopher Wren in the 17th century. This is a beautiful building, with one of the largest and most impressive domes in the world. I wanted to climb the stairs of the dome, but didn't have time to go all the way to the top and back down again before the cathedral closed to visitors for the evening. I did reach the Stone Gallery, about two thirds of the way up. It looks out over London and gives some spectacular views.

Southwest from the Stone Gallery.

A view of the Tate Modern art gallery from St. Paul, with the Millennium Footbridge in the foreground.

See photos from our third day in London
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