London Landmarks

Sometimes, when you are familiar with a place, you can forget to appreciate its most unique facets. Playing tourist in a city you know well is a fun way to see places like this in a new light. London’s Tower Bridge, for example, is a functioning bridge that people drive over every day, so it is easy to forget its long and rich history, and its status as an iconic landmark. But in taking the time to look at it in the way that someone who has never seen it might, you remember how remarkable it is. The gorgeous bridge took 8 years to build and is well over a century old, but it looks bright and modern when it’s lit up at night. Nearby, the historic Tower of London sits in stark contrast to the sleek, sparkling buildings of the financial district. These ultra-modern skyscrapers and the people who live and work nearby share space with a centuries-old castle that has housed royalty, prisoners, and maybe even ghosts. It’s a fitting place to play tourist, especially now that the Halloween season is here!

Tower of London at Night

Although it’s one of the most iconic structures in London, for those who see it often the Tower of London can be easy to take for granted. Sure, when William the Conqueror built this stone tower at the center of his London fortress in the 1070s, defeated Londoners must have been impressed, as the site Historic Royal Palaces notes. But compared to the Gherkin and the Walkie-Talkie, is the Tower really that special? We were reminded of the beauty and history of this structure as we walked along the Thames one night this week. We especially like the stories of the ghosts that haunt the Tower. Anne Boleyn reportedly stalks Tower Green where she was executed. Arbella Stuart, the cousin of Elizabeth I, who starved while imprisoned for marrying without royal permission, reportedly appears at the Queen’s House. Two smaller ghosts are named the “Princes in the Tower,” and reportedly a huge ghost bear occasionally appears to frighten visitors to death. We’ll just stay on this side of the river, thank you very much.

Tower Bridge

During my trip to London this week, I got an up close and personal look at the iconic Tower Bridge on a foggy and rather moody night. Built over 120 years ago, it is an engineering marvel and I never get tired of seeing it, especially with the new lighting system installed for the 2012 Olympic Games. Across the water is the Tower of London, the famous prison (residents included Anne Boleyn and Guy Fawkes) and site of numerous executions by hanging, beheading, and being burned at the stake. On a less gruesome note, visitors to the bridge can experience spectacular panoramic views as well as take a look inside the Victorian engine rooms to see the steam engines that once powered the bridge lifts. The City of London is required to raise the bridge to “provide access to and egress from the Upper Pool of London for registered vessels with a mast or superstructure of 30 feet or more.” This service is free of charge and available with twenty-four hours notice any time, day or night, 365 days per year. Which is good to know. Just in case I find myself on the Thames with a thirty-foot superstructure. Which, come to think of it, might be a good way to spend Thanksgiving. But however you celebrate, enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and long weekend!