Close Attractions
West Ham United Football Club
The turrets have been modelled on those appearing on the club crest. It is nice to see a Club actually trying to instill some character into a new stand. It currently sits a fair distance from the side of the pitch as this is intended to be move d 15 metres West , if and when the rest of the ground is re-developed.Opposite is the smaller two tiered East Stand. This older stand was opened in 1969. Both ends are large, smart, two tiered stands. A n electronic scoreboard in one corner. Just outside is a handsome statue of England Captain Bobby Moore, holding aloft the World Cup Trophy which England won in 1966.
London City Airport
Located just six miles from central London, London City Airport provides a fast and convenient connection with major cities across the UK and Europe. Passengers can check-in as little as ten minutes before departure. The single terminal comes equipped with a bank, three bureaux de change (ph: 020 7473 1087), ATMs, a left luggage and lost property service (ph: 020 7646 0088), and a post box. The airport information desk is to the left of the main entrance (ph: 020 7646 0088). Numerous restaurants, bars and cafés catering for most tastes are scattered throughout the terminal. A newsagent is located before security, while after security are a number of specialty stores and extensive duty-free.
Eltham Palace - London
A showpiece of early 20th-century design with a fascinating history. Discover the only English Art Deco house open to the public, built on a site of great antiquity and joined to a medieval hall. Commissioned by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld and completed in 1936, the house was filled with the latest all-electric gadgets, including audio system, centralised vacuum cleaner and under-floor heating. The exteriors boast fine sculptures by artists little known today (Alfred Hardiman and Gilbert Ledward), but whose works can be seen all over London. The whole house is a fascinating and eclectic mix of high-style, French-influenced Art Deco, ultra-smart ocean-liner style and cutting-edge Swedish design.
Tower of London
The Tower of London is one of London's most popular and iconic tourist attractions. Built by William the Conquerer in the early 1080s the Towers role has been as a fortress, palace and prison.One of the main reasons to visit the Tower is to see the working collection of Crown Jewels. There are 23,578 in the collection including one of the world's most famous diamonds. Find out who dared to try and steal the Jewels in 1671 and whether they succeeded.Many people lost their heads in the Tower and the Prisoners exhibition looks at some of the Towers more infamous inmates including Anne Boleyn, Edward V, Guy Fawkes and Sir Thomas More. The Tower's history as a prison continued during the two world wars and still held executions.There is so much to see at the Tower including the 'Yeomen of the Guard', the Ravens, Henry VIII's armour, instruments of torture in Lower Wakefield Tower and the Traitors Gate.The nearest tube station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District underground lines. The Tower Gateway station on the Docklands Light Railway is also within easy walking distance.
St Pauls Cathedral
A cathedral dedicated to St Paul has stood on this site since 604AD, and throughout the cathedral has remained a busy, working church where millions come to reflect and find peace.St Paul's is not only an iconic part of the London skyline but also a symbol of the hope, resilience and strength of the city and nation it serves. Above all, St Paul's Cathedral is a lasting monument to the glory of God.The current cathedral - the fourth to occupy this site - was designed by the court architect Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.Its architectural and artistic importance reflect the determination of the five monarchs who oversaw its building that London's leading church should be as beautiful and imposing as their private palaces.Since the first service was held here in 1697, Wren's masterpiece has been where people and events of overwhelming importance to the country have been celebrated, mourned and commemorated. Important services have included the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the launch of the Festival of Britain; the Service of Remembrance and Commemoration for the 11th September 2001: the 80th and 100th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Lady Diana Spencer and, most recently, the thanksgiving services for both the Golden Jubilee and 80th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.Over the centuries, St Paul's has changed to reflect shifting tastes and attitudes. Decoration has been added and removed, services have been updated, and different areas have been put to new uses. Today, the history of the nation is written in the carved stone of its pillars and arches and is celebrated in its works of art and monuments.In the crypt are effigies and fragments of stone that pre-date the cathedral, relics of a medieval world. From Wren's original vision, Jean Tijou's beautiful wrought iron gates of 1700 still separate the quire from the ambulatory; children still test the acoustics in the Whispering Gallery; and the 1695 organ which Mendelssohn once played is still in use.The magnificent mosaics are the result of Queen Victoria's mid-19th century complaint that the interior was "most dreary, dingy and undevotional.' The American Memorial Chapel stands behind the High Altar in an area that was bomb-damaged during the Second World War - a gesture of gratitude to the American dead of the Second World War from the people of Britain. An altar has now been installed on a dais in the heart of the cathedral, bringing services closer to those who attend them.St Paul's is currently undergoing an historic 40 million pound programme of cleaning and repair to mark the 300th Anniversary of the cathedral in 2011. This is the first time in its long history that the building has been comprehensively restored inside and out. Once the programme of cleaning and repair is finished the two million visitors and worshippers who come to St Paul's each year can witness Wren's original vision and see his cathedral as fresh as the day it was completed.