Municipal Autonomous Educational Institution «Gymnasium №31»
Project
London Sights
Made:
the students of 5B class
Head of the project:
the teacher of English
Saratov 2023
Content
Introduction .....................................................................3
Part 1
Big Ben…………………………………………………………4
London Eye…………………………………………………….5
Tower Bridge…………………………………………………...5
Double decker bus……………………………………………...5
Royal guards…………………………………………………....6
Buckingham Palace…………………………………………….6
Tower of London……………………………………………….7
Westminster Abbey…………………………………………….8
The houses of Parliament………………………………………8
Trafalgar Square………………………………………………..9
Red London Telephone Booth………………………..………………….9
Part 2
Conclusion .....................................................................11
Internet resources………………………………………12
Introduction
Starting to learn English in the second grade, we learn that London is the capital of Great Britain, it is a huge and interesting city with beautiful buildings, parks and monuments. What is so interesting about the British capital? Why do thousands of tourists seek to visit this city every day?
After studying the topic "Sights of London" in English lessons, we wanted to learn more about this beautiful city. Where, if not in the sights, is London's past, its greatness and beauty hidden?
The relevance of this study is to introduce the history and culture of the capital of the country of the language that we study.
A hypothesis was put forward: the sights of London are known all over the world, including in our town and our school.
The topic of the research work is "Sights of London".
The purpose of the work: to expand knowledge about the sights of London.
Tasks:
Collect and study material about the sights of London.
Analyze information about the sights of London.
Find out which symbols of Great Britain students of our school know, and make a top list of attractions in London.
Create a photo album of the city of London based on the information received.
There are many works devoted to this topic. However, we decided to study this topic using the example of our school, and this is the novelty of our research.
Practical significance of our work: this work can be used in English lessons and in extracurricular activities to familiarize students with the sights of London.
In the course of the study, we used the following methods: search, comparative, analysis, questionnaire.
Part 1
Landmark (place of interest/sights) - a place, thing or object that deserves special attention, famous or remarkable for something, for example, being a historical heritage, artistic value.
London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as England, the largest city in the British Isles. The area of the city is 1579 km sq . The population is more than 7 million people . By population, the city ranks 14th in the world, 2nd in Europe (after Moscow), and first in the European Union and the UK.
London plays a leading role in the political, economic and cultural life of Great Britain. The city is home to Heathrow International Airport, one of the largest in the world, a river port on the River Thames, many world-famous attractions: Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the complex of the Palace of Westminster with a clock tower, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower Fortress and others.
1) Big Ben
Big Ben is the name of the largest of the six bells of the Palace of Westminster in London, often this name refers to the clock and the Clock Tower as a whole. It is part of the architectural complex of the Palace of Westminster. The official name is the "Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster", it is also called the "St. Stephen's Tower". "Big Ben" is the building itself and the clock along with the bell.
"BIG“ translates as big, and ”BEN" is formed from the name Benjamin.
Big Ben was built in 1858 by an English architect in the Gothic style. The height of Big Ben is just under 100 meters. The diameter of the world's largest four-sided clock with a stroke is 7 meters. You can listen to the sound of the bells every 15 minutes, and Big Ben himself every hour. The sound of Big Ben is unique due to the fact that the bell cracked after 2 years of operation, as a result of which a square cut was made in it to prevent the crack from spreading.
All over London you can see a lot of small towers similar in appearance to Big Ben. You can visit inside Big Ben. The entrance is open to tourists.
Big Ben is one of the most recognizable symbols of Great Britain, often used in souvenirs, advertising, movies.
2) London Eye
The London Eye is a Ferris wheel on the banks of the Thames, which has become one of the symbols of the city and one of London's favorite attractions.. London Eye reaches 135 meters in height and weighs 2100 tons. 32 capsule cabins move slowly at a speed of 26 cm per second. Each full circle of the wheel takes 30 minutes. All this time you can enjoy a wonderful view stretching for 40 km in all directions (visibility depends on weather conditions). The ticket price for London Eye is 13 pounds.
3) Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a drawbridge across the River Thames in central London, not far from the Tower of London. This is one of the most popular attractions in London, which is easily recognized even by those who have never been to the capital of the United Kingdom. Every year thousands of tourists flock here, discovering the splendor of this Gothic structure.
The bridge was built in 1894. The bridge has a total length of 244 meters, in the middle there are two towers, each 65 meters high, between them there is a span of 61 meters, which is a movable element. This allows vessels to pass to the city berths at any time of the day or night. The powerful hydraulic system was originally water-powered, driven by large steam engines. Today, the system has been completely replaced with an oil system and is controlled by a computer. The complete dilution of the bridge when lifting each wing at an angle of up to 83 degrees takes less than two minutes.
There are 2 elevators inside the towers – one for ascent, one for descent. Each of them is able to take up to 30 people at a time.
4) Double decker buses
Similar buses are used in many countries, but it is the red London double decker (from English two-tiered) that has become an internationally recognizable symbol of the capital of Great Britain.
The first buses appeared on the streets of London back in 1829. They were, of course, drawn by horses and were called "omnibuses". To increase their efficiency (to transport as many people as possible through the rather narrow London streets), omnibuses began to offer two classes of service: a comfortable first for wealthier citizens and an open second for ordinary people. This is how prototypes of modern two-storey buildings appeared.
5) Royal Guards
The guards have been guarding the British monarchs for many centuries — since the days when they fought shoulder to shoulder with them. Today they protect the royal residences and are considered a symbol of the United Kingdom. [6]
Around the clock, infantry guards guard Buckingham Palace, other royal residences, as well as the storage of royal regalia in the Tower. It consists of five infantry regiments and two cavalry. Foot Guards wear red uniforms and black hats made from grizzly bear skins. The height of such a hat is 45.7 cm, it weighs about three kilograms, and you need to wear it not only in winter, but also in hot summer.
The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace takes place from April to July every day at 11:30, in other months — every other day. When Queen Elizabeth is at Buckingham Palace, its gates are guarded by four guards, when she is absent — only two. The sentries stand on duty for two hours, then rest for four hours. During the service, the soldiers of the Royal Guard do not even have the right to enter into a dialogue with each other.[6] Because of the warm uniform, and especially the hat, which weighs about three kilograms, the guards often lose consciousness. In such cases, they cannot even help their colleagues, since the duty of soldiers is to stand still.
Only the best soldiers of the British Army can become a guardsman. Such service is contractual, but soldiers receive modest money for it — from 800 pounds per month, depending on the length of service.
6) Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, located in Westminster, is considered one of the main attractions of London. This palace is the official residence of the monarchs of Great Britain and is used for official ceremonies, receptions and banquets. During public holidays, a large number of people always gather near Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous buildings in the world, more than 50 thousand people visit it every year. The garden of Buckingham Palace is considered to be the largest private garden in London.
During the summer months, Buckingham Palace is visited by thousands of people taking part in royal banquets and receptions. Important royal ceremonies take place here, such as the celebration of the Queen's birthday or the opening of the autumn session of Parliament.
Buckingham Palace is under the protection of the Court Division, which includes the Royal Horse Regiment and the Guards Infantry Regiment. From April to August, one of London's most famous ceremonies, the changing of the royal guard, takes place here every day.
The palace, formally owned by the royal family, is considered a symbol of the British monarchy.
7) Tower of London
The Tower of London is one of the main symbols of Great Britain, occupying a special place in the history of the English nation.
The Tower, a fortress standing on the north bank of the Thames, is the historical center of London and one of the oldest buildings in England. The fortress was built in 1078.[4] Throughout its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, a palace, a repository of royal jewels, a mint, a prison, an observatory, a zoo, a place that attracts tourists.
Today, the Tower of London is one of the main attractions of Great Britain. It has hardly changed since the days of the past. The symbol of the Tower's sinister past is the place where the scaffold of Tower Hill used to be. Now there is a small memorial plaque in memory of “the tragic fate and sometimes martyrdom of those who risked their lives and accepted death in the name of faith, motherland and ideals.”
Currently, the main buildings of the Tower are the museum and the Armory, where the treasures of the British crown are kept; officially it continues to be considered one of the royal residences. There are also a number of private apartments in the Tower, in which mainly the service staff and distinguished guests live.
Palace guards guard the Tower to this day. Today, their duties also include conducting excursions for numerous visitors. On special occasions, they dress in luxurious costumes from the Tudor dynasty: scarlet doublets trimmed with gold and topped with snow-white braided collars. On normal days, they are dressed in dark blue with red trim uniforms of the Victorian era. English guards are often called beefeaters, or meat eaters. This nickname most likely appeared during the famine, when Londoners were malnourished, and the palace guards regularly received a ration of beef meat. By this, the English crown provided itself with reliable protection.
The palace caretaker of ravens takes care of a flock of ravens (ravens). There is a belief that if the birds leave the Tower, misfortune will befall England, therefore, as a precaution, their wings were clipped.
The caretakers of the royal treasury guard the famous jewels of the British Empire. The treasury has been open to visitors since the XVII century. Among the precious stones adorning crowns, powers and sceptres — which are still used by members of the royal family during ceremonial ceremonies — you can see the world's largest faceted diamond of high quality, Cullinan I.
8) Westminster Abbey
The Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Westminster Abbey is practically the most important shrine in England, which is located in the Westminster district of London. The church is built in the Gothic style and is the place of coronation and burial of the monarchs of Britain. Together with St. Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In the interior of the temple there are tombs of kings, military leaders, writers and other famous people, and the total number of tombstones in the abbey is more than three thousand. Almost all English kings, presumably starting with Harold II, then William the Conqueror, were crowned in Westminster Abbey. Many solemn events from the life of the royal family and the state also took place here.
Concerts of secular and sacred music are very often held in the abbey.
9) The houses of Parliament
The Parliament in London is a real attraction of the British capital, its business card. This is where the UK government works. The House of Commons and the House of Lords sit here.
The current British Parliament is housed in the famous Palace of Westminster. The building was built on the banks of the Thames in the middle of the XIX century. The Parliament building has three main towers: the tallest, but not the most famous – the Victoria Tower, the central tower and, of course, the Elizabeth Tower, world famous as Big Ben.
The Parliament building itself includes more than 1,100 rooms, several large meeting rooms, more than a hundred stairs, as well as about five kilometers of corridors.
Nowadays, anyone can visit the Parliament building in London and listen to speeches by members of both chambers.
It is necessary to register in advance by phone or on the official website to attend the meeting, then arrive at the appointed time, go through all the screening procedures and, observing silence, attend the meeting in a specially designated place.
And during the parliamentary holidays, when parliamentarians are resting, excursions are conducted around the Parliament Building.
10) Trafalgar Square
One of the main tourist centers of London and the whole of Great Britain is Trafalgar Square, the main square of London where most of the official celebrations and holidays of the country are held. It is here that the main city Christmas tree of the country is installed on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays.
Trafalgar Square was built in 1820. Initially, the square was named after King William IV, but in 1830 it was renamed in honor of the victory of the English fleet in 1805 in the Battle of Cape Trafalgar.
In the UK, many exhibitions and compartments in museums are dedicated to this event, but it is Trafalgar Square that celebrates this victory the most. Admiral Horatio Nelson, the commander of the British fleet, died in this battle, and the column created and installed in the middle of the square in his honor became its symbol.
Nelson's Column was erected in 1842. This is a 44-meter granite monument, on top of which is a five-meter statue of Admiral Nelson. On four sides, the column is decorated with bronze frescoes cast from melted Napoleonic cannons.
11) The Red telephone booth
It has an interesting, mysterious history and is the hallmark of its city – London, its peculiar landmark. In 1876, with the invention of the telephone, there was a need for mass communication. The first telephones were located near shops and train stations. Shops closed early, and train stations were not in every locality. Therefore, such a connection did not have popularity at first. After all, the first telephone booths did not have proper convenience and design, but were fenced off only with a curtain. British technologists decided that for convenience it was necessary to take the telephone out into the street. And then there was a problem: each operator had their own design options. The government announced a competition, the winner of which was Scott Giles. All the booths were painted red, and the argument was that red would be more noticeable among the thick London fog.
Previously, the number of scarlet booths was close to 150,000, and now there are about 13,000 of them in total. But they are a great pride of the British.
Part 2
In order to find out which attraction in London is the most popular, we decided to conduct a survey among students of our school. 50 students took part in the survey.
We got the following results:
To the first question: "Which language do you consider the most popular in the world?" 50 people answered that it is English, which indicates its popularity, and hence the popularity of countries and cities that speak English. What if not London with its rich culture and attractions, we can call the personification of the English language.
The second question: "Are you interested in English outside of lessons?" only 5 survey participants gave a positive answer, which may indicate a lack of time for children to be interested in the language and the capital of England as a whole. So, with the help of our project, we will be able to interest them in the beauty of London, and as a result, in the language in which people communicate in this city.
The third question is: "What is the symbol of the city of London for you?"
According to the results of the survey, we have compiled a top list of attractions of the capital of Great Britain.
1 – Big Ben;
2 – London Eye;
3 – Tower Bridge;
4 – Double-decker bus;
5 – Royal Guard;
6 – Buckingham Palace;
7 – Tower of London;
8 – Westminster Abbey;
9 – The House of Parliament;
10 – Trafalgar Square;
11 – Telephone booth.
Conclusions
The city of London is really rich in sights;
Each architectural object has its own rich history;
All the buildings are currently in use and are places that are massively visited by tourists.
Thus, we were convinced that the sights of London are really known all over the world, not excluding our school. We tried to depict these objects in our photo album of the city of London.
The sights of London are vivid images of the past, and therefore the monuments of its culture and history become even more interesting and attractive.
Studying the most popular tourist attractions of the capital of Great Britain, we concluded that London is an amazing city.
It combines majestic royal palaces and educational museums, modern infrastructure and traditions of the past.
Sights are the most striking example of the culture and history of England, through the knowledge of which one can come to an understanding of the way of life of the English themselves and to a perfect command of the English language.
Despite the fact that a large number of guidebooks are published annually, London remains one of the most mysterious and attractive cities in the world to this day. In our work, we have explored only some of the huge number of attractions of this beautiful European capital. In addition to the objects considered in this paper, in our opinion it would be interesting to study other, less well-known buildings and structures of the city of London.
We hope that the photo album of the sights created by us will be useful for conducting English lessons.
Internet resources
https://multiurok.ru/index.php/files/zagadochnye- dostoprimechatelnosti-velikobritanii.html
https://урок.рф/library_kids/dostoprimechatelnosti_londona_070807.html
https://wikiway.com/velikobritaniya/dostoprimechatelnosti/
https://perito.media/posts/50-top-uk
http://turputevoditel.ru/kratkiy-obzor-dostoprimechatelnostey/
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