Tour London - Days 4 & 5

Our Local Expert Says:

No visit to London is complete without coming here

Description:

London's great public pedestrianized square, at the foot of the National Gallery, is known for its four majestic lions standing guard under the base of Lord Nelson's Column. The column was erected in 1832 then two years later the beautiful fountains were added. Once famed for the pigeon problem, the square now has a resident hawk to keep them at bay.

The square is the sight for London's political demonstrations and rallies as well as the city's Christmas tree and New Year's Eve celebrations. Festivals, concerts and performances are regularly held in the square.

Under the statue of Charles I on his horse in the Trafalgar Square marks the center of London. It is from here where all signs distances are measured.

The Fourth Plinth art project displays a rotating piece of public art in the square.

Description:

This ornate, Edwardian arch (which usually goes unnoticed) spans the entrance to The Mall from Trafalgar Square. Commissioned by Edward VII, the arch is actually a set of five arches in Portland stone which mark the royal route to St Paul's Cathedral. Traffic and pedestrians pass through the outer arches, while the central arch remains closed except when it is opened to allow the sovereign to pass through on state occasions.

Description:

This stately neoclassical building contains an unrivaled collection of Western art spanning 7 centuries -- from the late 13th to the early 20th -- and covering every great European school. For sheer skill of display and arrangement, it surpasses its counterparts in Paris, New York, Madrid, and Amsterdam.

The largest part of the collection is devoted to the Italians, including the Sienese, Venetian, and Florentine masters. They're now housed in the Sainsbury Wing, which was designed by noted architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. On display are such works as Leonardo's Virgin of the Rocks; Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne; Giorgione's Adoration of the Magi; and unforgettable canvases by Bellini, Veronese, Botticelli, and Tintoretto. Botticelli's Venus and Mars is eternally enchanting.

Of the early Gothic works, the Wilton Diptych (French or English school, late 14th c.) is the rarest treasure; it depicts Richard II being introduced to the Madonna and Child by John the Baptist and the Saxon kings, Edmund and Edward the Confessor. Then there are the Spanish giants: El Greco's Agony in the Garden and portraits by Goya and Velázquez. The Flemish-Dutch...

Our Local Expert Says:

Ask for the free kids' backpacks & goody bags. Children's workshops run on weekends.

Description:

The National Portrait Gallery houses portraits of movers and shakers in British history from the Tudors to the present day making it a must for lovers of art. Founded in 1856, the collection on display is amongst the most comprehensive in the world and no restrictions are placed on the mediums used. As well as the traditional oil paintings and watercolours there are drawings, miniatures, sculptures, silhouettes, caricatures and photographs. The subjects on show range from Oliver Cromwell to Jarvis Cocker. Admission is free.

Description:

Designed by James Gibbs, a disciple of Christopher Wren, and completed in 1726, this classical church stands at the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square, opposite the National Gallery. Its spire, added in 1824, towers 56m (184 ft.) higher than Nelson's Column, which also rises on the square. The steeple became the model for many churches in colonial America. Since the first year of World War I (1914), the homeless have sought "soup and shelter" at St. Martin, a tradition that continues.

At one time, the crypt held the remains of Charles II (he's in Westminster Abbey now), who was christened here, giving St. Martin a claim as a royal parish church. His mistress, Nell Gwynne, and the highwayman Jack Sheppard are both interred here. The floors of the crypt are actually gravestones, and the walls date from the 1500s. The little restaurant, Café in the Crypt, is still called "Field's" by its devotees. Also in the crypt is The London Brass Rubbing Centre (tel. 020/7930-9306; www2.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/page/visiting/brass.html), with 88 exact copies of bronze portraits ready for use. Paper, rubbing materials, and instructions on how to begin are furnished, and there's classical music...

Our Local Expert Says:

New & improved, the centre re-opens in October in the crypt. The café also reopens allowing parents to enjoy a glass of wine while the kids create. Great evening activity as it's open until 10pm Thurs-Sat.

Description:

Within the scary depths of St Martin-in-Fields, you can purchase your own brass rubbing kit, choose a pattern (copies of medieval plates) and rub to your heart's delight. Or you can choose a finished rubbing from St Martin's wide selection. A word of caution to overzealous adults - children must be over five-years old.

Description:

During World War II, newsreel footage reaching America showed St. Paul's Cathedral standing virtually alone among the rubble of the City, its dome lit by fires caused by bombings all around it. That the cathedral survived at all is a miracle, since it was badly hit twice during the early years of the bombardment of London. But St. Paul's is accustomed to calamity, having been burned down three times and destroyed by invading Norsemen. The old St. Paul's was razed during the Great Fire of 1666, making way for a new structure designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710. The cathedral is architectural genius Wren's ultimate masterpiece.

The classical dome of St. Paul's dominates the City's square mile. The golden cross surmounting it is 110m (361 ft.) above the ground; the golden ball on which the cross rests measures 2m (6 1/2 ft.) in diameter, though it looks like a marble from below. In the interior of the dome is the Whispering Gallery, an acoustic marvel in which the faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side. Sit on one side, have your traveling companions sit on the other, and whisper away. You can climb to the top of the dome for a 360-degree...

Our Local Expert Says:

Not squeamish, then watch videos of modern surgical techniques, including brain surgery & see the effects of syphilis on the body.

Description:

Discover almost everything about the history and development of surgery. Located in Holborn, the museum is found in the Museum Mile district. It is predominantly made up of the collection of John Hunter, the 18th century surgeon and anatomist. The eight galleries explore almost everything to do with the history of surgery including the 'Story of Surgical Instruments,' which explores the design, manufacture and development of surgical instruments in the medical and dental professions. The museum is successful in providing a deep, detailed insight into the world of surgery. Make use of the free guided tours every Wednesday at 1p. Admission is free.

Description:

Lincoln's Inn is the oldest of the four Inns of Court. Between the City and the West End, Lincoln's Inn comprises 4.4 hectares (11 acres), including lawns, squares, gardens, a 17th-century chapel (open Mon-Fri noon-2pm), a library, and two halls. One of these, Old Hall, dates from 1490 and has remained almost unaltered, with its linenfold paneling, stained glass, and wooden screen by Inigo Jones. It was once the home of Sir Thomas More, and it was where barristers met, ate, and debated 150 years before the Mayflower sailed on its epic voyage. Old Hall is the scene for the opening chapter of Charles Dickens's Bleak House. The other hall, Great Hall, remains one of the finest Tudor Revival buildings in London and was opened by Queen Victoria in 1843.

Description:

Set in scholarly Bloomsbury, this immense museum grew out of a private collection of manuscripts purchased in 1753 with the proceeds of a lottery. It grew and grew, fed by legacies, discoveries, and purchases, until it became one of the most comprehensive collections of art and artifacts in the world. It's impossible to take in this museum in a day.

The museum is divided basically into the national collections of antiquities; prints and drawings; coins, medals, and banknotes; and ethnography. Even on a cursory first visit, be sure to see the Asian collections (the finest assembly of Islamic pottery outside the Islamic world), the Chinese porcelain, the Indian sculpture, and the prehistoric and Romano-British collections. Special treasures you might want to seek out on your first visit include the Rosetta Stone, in the Egyptian Room, the discovery of which led to the deciphering of hieroglyphics; the Parthenon Sculptures, a series of pediments, metopes, and friezes from the Parthenon in Athens, in the Duveen Gallery; and the legendary Black Obelisk, dating from around 860 B.C., in the Nimrud Gallery. Other treasures include the contents of Egyptian royal tombs (including mummies); fabulous...

Our Local Expert Says:

In summer, the courtyard is filled with fountains for the children to run through & hosts a movie series. In winter months Somerset House is the perfect backdrop for the outdoor ice skating rink, advance booking required.

Description:

Year round Somerset House located not far from St. Paul's Cathedral is worth a visit. In winter there is an outdoor ice skating rink while in the summer the same space is used for outdoor concerts and water fountains where London children can be found enjoying the heat. Home to three impressive galleries, The Hermitage Rooms, The Gilbert Collection, and the favorite Courtauld Gallery. Free until 2:00pm on Mondays the Courtauld boasts a collection of famous Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings by Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, van Gogh and Gauguin, as well as works from Rubens and Michelangelo. Small and intimate, even children will recognize and appreciate these masterpieces.

Description:

The Hermitage Rooms were opened to the public in 2001 and are located in the restored South Building of Somerset House. It consists of five furnished rooms with changing exhibitions from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The splendour of the former Winter Palace has been recreated in miniature, using smoked-glass chandeliers, rich curtaining and marquetry floors. Previous exhibitions have included, 'Treasures of Catherine the Great'and 'French Drawings and Paintings: Poussin to Picasso'.

Description:

In 2000, Somerset House became the permanent home for the Gilbert Collection of decorative arts, one of the most important bequests ever made to England. Sir Arthur Gilbert made his gift of gold, silver, mosaics, and gold snuffboxes to the nation in 1996, at which time the value was estimated at £75 million ($150 million). The array of mosaics is among the most comprehensive ever gathered. The gold and silver collection has exceptional breadth, ranging from the 15th to the 19th centuries, spanning India to South America. The silver collection here is arguably better than the one at the V&A -- it's strong in masterpieces of great 18th-century silversmiths, such as Paul de Lamerie. Such exhibits as the Maharajah pieces, the "Gold Crown," and Catherine the Great's Royal Gates are fabulous. The gallery also displays one of the most representative collections of gold snuffboxes in the world, with some 200 examples, including snuffboxes owned by Louis XV, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon.

Our Local Expert Says:

Description:

The nucleus of this collection was acquired by Samuel Courtauld, who upon his death in 1947, left it to the University of London. Today it houses the biggest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in Britain, with masterpieces by Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, van Gogh, and Gauguin. The gallery also has a superb collection of old-master paintings and drawings, including works by Rubens and Michelangelo; early-Italian paintings, ivories, and majolica; the Lee collection of old masters; and early-20th-century English, French, and British paintings.

Second floor galleries display paintings and sculptures from the late 19th and 20th centuries, including an outstanding group of Fauve works and art by everybody from Matisse to Dufy. We come here at least once every season to revisit one work in particular: Manet's exquisite A Bar at the Folies-Bergère . Many of the paintings are displayed without glass, giving the gallery a more intimate feeling than most.