UNESCO World Heritage Sites
London offers free admission to 238 cultural sights and boasts a total of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites : Westminster Palace, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich as well as the Royal Botanic Gardens, also known as the Kew Gardens.
Maritime Greenwich
Greenwich lies in east London and is famous for its park as well as various buildings. All of the site is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Royal Greenwich Observatory, through which the Prime Meridian passes, is the key attraction. For many years, the observatory determined the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). It was used as a time reference for the world from the 19th century on until it was replaced by the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). UTC time zones continue to be based on the Prime Meridian.
Greenwich Park that surrounds the observatory, a Royal Palace at the foot of the hill and on the bank of the Thames as well as the National Maritime Museum are also worth a visit.
The extensive Royal Botanic Gardens, also known as the Kew Gardens, are located in Richmond in south-west London. It is one of the world’s leading seed centres. Together with the Harvard University and the Australian National Herbarium, the Kew co-operates in the IPNI data base that produces an authoritative source of botanical nomenclature. The gardens are well worth seeing. Thew were added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in July 2003.
The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence, is one of the oldest and best known royal ceremonies. Accompanied by the Military Band, the New Guard takes over from the Old Guard at 11:30 am in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. The royal ceremony lasts about 45 minutes. It is held daily from April to July and every other day in autumn and winter.