London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [24]
Arrive early if possible, but be prepared to wait in line to tour the abbey. Photography is not permitted. | Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, | SW1 P3PA | 020/7222–5152 | www.westminster-abbey.org | Abbey and museum £15 adults; children under 11 free if accompanied by adult; free audio tour | Abbey, weekdays 9:30–3:30; closes 1 hr after last admission. Museum, daily 10:30–4. Cloisters daily 8–6. College Garden, Apr.–Sept., Tues.–Thurs. 10–6; Oct.–Mar., Tues.–Thurs. 10–4. Chapter House, daily 10–4. Services may cause changes to hrs, so call ahead | Westminster.
WORTH NOTING
Admiralty Arch.
A stately and bombastic gateway to the Mall, this is one of the city’s finest set pieces. On the southwest corner of Trafalgar Square, the arch, which was named after the adjacent Royal Navy headquarters, was designed in 1908–11 by Sir Aston Webb as a two-part memorial to Queen Victoria, along the ceremonial route to Buckingham Palace; the second part is the Victoria Memorial just outside the palace. Passing under one of its five arches—two for pedestrians, two for traffic, and a central arch, opened only for state occasions—one enters the Mall (rhymes with the American pronunciation of shall). A quirky feature of the arch is its curious “nose”: about 7 feet up, on the inside wall of the most northerly arch is a noselike protrusion, said to be either based on Wellington’s or Napoleon’s nose. | The Mall, Cockspur St., Trafalgar Sq., Westminster | SW1A 2WH | Charing Cross.
Carlton House Terrace.
Architect John Nash designed Carlton House, a glorious example of the Regency style. Between 1812 and 1830, under the patronage of George IV (Prince Regent until George III’s death in 1820), Nash was the architect of the grand scheme for Regent Street, which started here and ended with the sweep of neoclassical houses encircling Regent’s Park. The Prince Regent, who lived at Carlton House, had plans to build a country villa at Primrose Hill (to the north of the park), connected by a grand road—hence Regent Street. Even though it was considered a most extravagant building for its time, Carlton House was demolished after the prince’s accession to the throne. Nash’s Carlton House Terrace, no less imposing, with white-stucco facades and massive Corinthian columns, was built in its place. It was a smart address and one that prime ministers Gladstone (1856) and Palmerston (1857–75) enjoyed. Today Carlton House Terrace houses the Royal College of Pathologists (No. 2), the Royal Society (No. 6–9), whose members have included Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, and the Turf Club (No. 5). | The Mall, St. James’s | SW1Y 5AG | Charing Cross.
Downing Street.
Looking like an unassuming alley but for the iron gates at both its Whitehall and Horse Guards Road approaches, this is the location of the famous No. 10, London’s modest version equivalent of the White House. The Georgian entrance is deceptive, though, since the old house now leads to a large mansion behind it, overlooking the Horse Guards Parade. Only three houses remain of the terrace built circa 1680 by Sir George Downing, who spent enough of his youth in America to graduate from Harvard—the second man ever to do so. No. 11 is traditionally the residence of the chancellor of the exchequer (secretary of the treasury), and No. 12 is the party whips’ office. No. 10 has officially housed the prime minister since 1732. Just south of Downing Street, in the middle of Whitehall, you’ll see the Cenotaph, a stark white monolith designed in 1920 by Edwin Lutyens to commemorate the 1918 armistice. On Remembrance Day (the Sunday nearest November 11, Armistice Day) it’s strewn with red poppy wreaths to honor the dead of both world wars and all British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in action since; the first wreath is laid