Hi!

The last week, I visited London. It was the first time I was there, and I have to say it's one of the most exciting cities I have seen.
I liked much the mixture of people from all around the world. Also there are a big mixture of buildings styles, the street, squares, etc.

I have done more than 800 photos... but, here, I have posted about 250.. They are too many, so I have had to divide them in three posts. This is the first one..

I begin with the most important square in London: Trafalgar square. I think it is here the 0 kilometer of Great Britain. In the middle of the place, it's Nelson's column. The main building of the square is the National Gallery:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/020_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

Nelson's column:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/012_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/011_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/014_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/020_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/019_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/016_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

This church is St. Martin in the fields:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/018_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

In one of the corners of the square, it is the arch of the admiralty. This arch opens Mall avenue towards Backingham palace:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/028_Trafalgar_Admiralty_Arch.jpg

The Sudafrica House:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/030_Trafalgar_Square.jpg

Whitehall avenue. The most important ministries have theirs seats here. This avenue communicates Trafalgar sq. with Wetsminster:

This smart and big building is the Old-war ministry:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/033_Whitehall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/036_Whitehall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/037_Whitehall.jpg


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/055_Horse_Guards_Avenue.jpg

Here, we can see the change of guards in the Horse-guards house:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/051_Horse_Guards.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/040_Whitehall_Horse_Guards.jpg

Backingham palace is at the background:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/041_Admiralty_Horse_Guards.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/042_Admiralty_Horse_Guards.jpg


On the left, it is the ministry of defense:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/052_Horse_Guards_Avenue.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/058_Horse_Guards_Avenue.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/059_Horse_Guards_Avenue.jpg

Another ministry:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/061_Whitehall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/063_Whitehall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/065_Whitehall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/067_Whitehall.jpg

This arch links the building of the treasury (left) with the foreign office (right):

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/069_Whitehall.jpg

It's Downing street. The brown bricked house is the house of the premier. In my opinion, it is a very austere building if we compare it with the enormous buildings around it.


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/073_Whitehall_Downing_St.jpg

Another palace in Whitehall:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/076_Whitehall.jpg

The foreign office:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/079_Whitehall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/081_Whitehall.jpg

I think this is the building of the treasury:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/atlan_london1/086_Whitehall.jpg

At the end of Whitehall, we arrive to Westminster. Near the abbey, they are the houses of parliament:

The famous big-ben:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/088_Big_Ben.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/090_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/093_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/094_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

From the other border of Thames river, we can see this wonderful sight:


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/103_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/104_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/107_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

In the night, it is even more spectacular:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/450_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/451_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/453_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

This is Richard "heart of lion":

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/111_Houses_of_Parliament.jpg

The burgues from Calais:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/114_Houses_of_Parliament-Bourgeois_de_Calais.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/115_Houses_of_Parliament-Victoria_Tower_Gardens.jpg

The Victoria tower, the other tower of the houses of parliament:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/118_Houses_of_Parliament-Victoria_tower.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/119_Houses_of_Parliament-Victoria_tower.jpg

And this building is the old abbey. This gothic monument lodges the tombs of the kings of England. Also, the english kings and queens are crowned here.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/132_Westminster_Deans_Yard.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/125_Westminster_Abbey.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/122_Westminster_Abbey.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/124_Westminster_Abbey.jpg

Near the abbey, it is the Dean's yard:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/129_Westminster_Deans_Yard.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/130_Westminster_Deans_Yard.jpg

Near the abbey, this old district. In concreto, Lawerence of Arabia lived in this brown building:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/137_Casa_Lawrence_de_Arabia.jpg

This is Millbank street, together the Thames river:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/138_Abingdon_st.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/140_Millbank.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/142_Millbank.jpg

At the other border of the Thames river:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/143_Millbank.jpg

Beyond Westminster, it is Victoria station. The trains from south England arrive here. People from London say this is the gate of Europe:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/145_Victoria_Station.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/147_Victoria_Station.jpg

This is the catholic cathedral of Westminster, in Victoria st.:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/atlan_london2/151_Catedral_Catolica_Westminster.jpg

If we return again to Trafalgar sq, we can see the other side of admiralty's arch:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/158_Admiralty_Arch.jpg

These white and classical buildings or terraces in the Mall were built by John Nash. The center of London is plenty of buildings made by Nash:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/160_Terraces_over_Mall.jpg

On the left of the Mall, it is St. James park:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/162_St.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/164_St.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/165_St.jpg

Parks and gardens of London are incredibly well adorned:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/166_St.jpg

This is the queen Victoria memorial, in front of Backingham palace:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/167_Buckingham_Queen_Victoria_Memorial.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/168_Buckingham_Queen_Victoria_Memorial.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/173_Buckingham_Queen_Victoria_Memorial.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/175_Buckingham.jpg

And this is the entrance to Green park from Backingham palace:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/174_Buckingham_Green_Park_Gate.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/176_Buckingham_Green_Park_Gate.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/178_Green_Park.jpg

A palace with sights to Green park:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/180_Lancaster_House.jpg

A change of guard in St. James palace:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/181_St.jpg

The next buildings are seat of the typical clubs of London. Most of them are in St. James street:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/183_Club_St.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/184_Club_St.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/187_St.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/188_St.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/191_King_St.jpg

This is Waterloo place, and in the middle it is the memorial of Crimea war:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/193_Waterloo_Place.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/195_Waterloo_Place.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/196_Waterloo_Place.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/atlan_london3/197_Regent_St.jpg

This post continues in http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=211751

Thanks!! Great thread, and now waiting for part 2 :D

Amazing....these are the pics I want to see!

Great Pics, you really capture the beauty and history of London :applause:

cool pics!!

Awesome tour!

ah man what a great fix.....thanks! :cool: Awesome ......London is supreme & cozy! :D

Nice set of pictures. :drool:

:nocrook: I LOVE those old buildings!!!

Thanks for sharing the pictures with us!

i can't wait to get back there. those night shots are amazing.

-

I sure miss London. Great pics you took with buildings people don't normally get to see. I wanted to add that the photos of the golden gate entering Green Park next to Buckingham Palace is called Canada Gate. There is some detailed engravings of Canadian Provinces on it. There is also a South Africa Gate and an Australian Gate on the other entrances to the roundabout. Although, I must say Canada Gate is the grandest of them all. And the photo just down from that with the kid standing on a slanted water feature is the Canadian War Memorial. I thought after all this time that they would have put a chain or something around it. It clearly states it is a War Memorial but some people have absolutely no respect for these things. We used to have to tell people to stay off of it but I guess until they put something around it, it will never stop.

I look forward to part 2 and 3!

Stunning pix and wonderful city!

fantastic photos dude. Stunning :)

Excellent pics. :yes:

^^^^

Hmmm...many of those pics now have a logo saying 'Bandwith exceeded'

Awesome tour

I'll move this thread to the Urban Showcase for original photographs.

So, having looked at these, why do alot of people in these forums say that compared to Paris, London is 'ugly'..?

Yes, London has its rough parts, but so does Paris, go into some of the surrounding 'ghettos' of Paris, and you will see areas far worse than anything you will see in London.

Is it because Paris has succeded in moving these areas outside of central Paris?, so that to tourists who dont go there, so never see the rougher side to Paris,its 'out of sight,out of mind'?.

Londons parks and green spaces are far more numerous and nicer than anything in Paris.

Yet some idiots still have this view that London isnt as 'pretty' as Paris.....

I think generally the weather in London is just worse, which makes it look grittier.

Paris is far to be sourounded by ghetto, most of suburbs are middle class because the suburbs represent 80% of Paris Population.
The inner city is far to be a white wealthy place exepted in the 7th and 16th arrondissement
Infact the suburbs have a lower poverty rate than inner Paris. :yes:

Most people don't know anything about Paris ghettoes (especially when they think that Paris is surounded by ghetto and saying suburban when these place are denser and more urban than most inner cities).

Most tourists visit only a smal part of central Paris where the average parisian never go (7eme arrondissement, 16th arrondissment Louvre...)
The only places were toursit go and you can see Parisian are the subway, Les Halles and the Champs Elysees. (it weird in these place how the toursits are astonished by Paris ethnical diversity)
Tourists never also see the rough parts of London, that's comparable.

Crazymac I don't know what is your problem with Paris. :ohno:

I agree that Paris is far to be the tourist depend and romantic white city that people imagine.
London is a very beautiful city, as pretty than Paris. :okay:

Nice picture but too touristy for me. :)

Fantastic pictures! Beatiful.

Crazymac I don't know what is your problem with Paris. :ohno:

I agree that Paris is far to be the tourist depend and romantic white city that people imagine.
London is a very beautiful city, as pretty than Paris. :okay:

Nice picture but too touristy for me. :)

I dont have a 'problem' with Paris, its a wonderful, beautiful city....its just i dont understand why people have this perception that Paris is so much more beautiful than London.

Loverly!

I think generally the weather in London is just worse, which makes it look grittier.

Nah, common misconception - Paris and London have comparably similar weather.

Total sunlight hours for Paris is 60, total for London is 48.

But, London has less average precipitation: 593mm to Paris's 619mm. And less Wet Days: 153 to Paris's 162.

Its a myth that its always raining, foggy and grey in London town ;)

Averages for Paris -
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l139/nothingbettertodo_2006/averageparis1.jpg

Averages for London -
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l139/nothingbettertodo_2006/AverageLondon1.jpg

Awesome tour!

Awesome London photo-tour :)