3/24/2013 - Photo
Art for the Masses.
London’s National gallery provides the backdrop to the Iconic Trafalgar Square. Founded in 1824, the gallery is home to over 2,300 paintings from the 13th century right up to the 1900’s. With works of art from such esteemed artists as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Vincent van Gogh it is no surprise that it is one of the most famous art galleries the world over, and is currently the fourth most visited art museum (trailing only to the Louvre in Paris, MMoA in New York, and the British Museum which is only minutes away).
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London. It is in the borough of the City of Westminster, and is therefore within a five minute walk to Big Ben and the Houses of parliament. At its centre is Nelson’s Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art. The square is also used for political demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the celebration of New Year’s Eve. The name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars over France. The original name was to have been “King William the Fourth’s Square”, but Architect George Ledwell Taylor suggested the name “Trafalgar Square”, which has stuck ever since.
1/22/2013 - Photo
Dancing in the Dark | Mark-Spokes.com
Standing at the base of London’s famous Tower Bridge is the David Wynne Sculpture/Fountain ‘Girl with a Dolphin’.
“Girl with a Dolphin sculpture and fountain is located on the Thames Path East outside the Thistle Tower Hotel in the shadow of Tower Bridge Landmark. Sculptor David Wynne, born 1926, is noted for his animal sculptures and the depiction of movement. This sculpture gives the illusion of the figures flying unsupported.”
To back this ‘unsupported’ visage, the blue streak you can see, is actually water from the fountain, and not a support pole. The only part of the statue touching the base of the fountain is the dolphins tail.
Tower Bridge itself is an iconic landmark of England, featuring prominently in the marketing for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Tower Bridge was completed in 1894 and allowed tall masted ships to dock at the Pool of London, whilst simultaneously provided a new river crossing made necessary due to the increase commercial development in London’s East End.
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1/16/2013 - Photo
London Calling | Mark-Spokes.com
Big Ben is one of London’s most famous landmarks, towering over the city, bells chiming everything 15 minutes, and peeling everyone hour. The name “Big Ben” actually refers to the bell inside the Clock Tower, as opposed to the tower itself, which is now known as Elizabeth Tower (in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s golden jubilee), prior to this it was known simply as the Clock Tower - or incorrectly as St Stephens Tower. The Bell is thought be named after Sir Benjamin Hall - civil engineer, the bell itself weighs a staggering 16 tons, whilst each clock face is 7 meters in diameter.
Another famous aspect of London is the Underground referred to locally as The Tube. The iconic red and blue signs are ubiquitous with the city itself and can be seen particularly all across the capital. London Underground is the oldest underground railway in the world. The roundel logo has been used in one form or another since the early 19th century, particularly in 1908 where a new way of easily highlighting underground stations was sought after, these days the symbol is as famous as that other idiosyncrasy of the Tube, “Mind the Gap!”
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12/9/2012 - Photo
Bridge of Faith | Mark-Spokes.com
St Paul’s Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge are illuminated during the twilight hours by thousands of little lights lining the length of the bridge. The Bridge famous for being destroyed by Death Eaters in the Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince movie, spans the width of the River Thames, running from the Tate Modern on it’s Southern Side, allowing a short walk to St Paul’s on it’s Northern Side. Despite being named after the Millennium and initially opening in June 2000, it wasn’t until 2002 that the bridge was fully completed, it originally swayed side to side whenever there was heavy footfall, which required 18 months worth of re-working to counteract this. The bridge allows access to many of London’s most famous landmarks and tourist attractions, including the Tate, the Tate Modern, The Globe Theatre & the City of London School, the latter of which can be seen to the left of the bridge.
St Paul’s Cathedral has dominated London’s skyline for over three hundred years, and as such has become not only much loved, but also massively famous. The most famous aspect of the Cathedral is undoubtedly its huge domed roof, as seen above. The famous dome almost wasn’t built, as Sir Christopher Wren’s sketches at the time showed a large pagoda like squire. However, when the King William III decreed that Wren could make some ‘Ornamental Changes’, many of which where made as construction progressed, the most significant of these was the dome which was inspired both by St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Val-de-Grâce Military Hospital in Paris. . The Cathedral is 518ft (158m) long, and 365ft (111m) high, a height which, made the cathedral, until 1962, the tallest building in London.
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