The Houses of Parliament

SIGHTSEEINGS OF LONDON

The Tower of London is the most famous of all the historical buildings in London. It stands today almost unchanged since first it was built in the 11^th century. In the past the Tower of London served both as a palace and as a state prison, but it is only a museum today.

St Paul's Cathedral is the greatest work of England's greatest architect Christopher Wren. The cathedral was begun in 1675. It was opened in 1697 but was finished only in 1710, when Wren was almost eighty years old. There are memorials to many famous men of England in the Cathedral.

Trafalgar Square is in the centre of the West End of London. On the north side is the National Gallery; in the north-east corner is the National Portrait Gallery, and in the centre is Nelson's Column with the figure of the great seamen. Trafalgar Square is the place where mass meetings and demonstrations for peace and for working people's rights take place.

"Big Ben" is the name of the great bell which strikes the hour. It is in the clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament.

Westminster Abbey is the historic building in London to which every visitor sooner or later goes. The Abbey was founded in the 11^th century. Many of Great Britain's famous men are buried in Westminster Abbey.

Piccadilly Circus is a square in the central part of London. London's best-known theatres and cinemas and most famous restaurants are on Piccadilly Circus. In the square you can see people of many nationalities and hear a lot of different languages.

Hyde Park is the largest park in the West End of London. In the 19^th century it became a popular place for public meetings.

The British Museum is one of the largest museums in the world. It consists of the National Library and Museum of History, Archeology, Art and Ethnography.

The houses of Parliament in London, known also as the Palace of Westminster is the place where members of Parliament gather to make laws. The Palace of Westminster stands on the riverside near Westminster Abbey. Tourists always go to see them. Those who visit the Houses of Parliament may sit in the Strangers’ Gallery looking down into the House of Commons and listen to the debates.

The members of each Houses meet in sessions which begin at the end of October and last for about one hundred and sixty days. The sittings usually begin at 10 o’clock in the morning and end in the late afternoon; but if Parliament is discussing an important question sittings may go on till late at night. All the time Parliament is in session, a flag can be seen over the building, and when the House of Commons is still sitting after dark, there is a light over the face of Big Ben. The members of the House of Commons sit on two sides of the hall. The Speaker is the chairperson at all the debates in the House of Commons, and it is duty to keep order. The Speaker is elected by all the members of the House of Commons. He belongs to one of the political parties in Parliament.

The chairperson of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor. He sits on the Woolsack, a large bag of wool covered with red cloth. If shows that wool made England rich.

Дата добавления: 2014-10-15