A G: London Day 2 by Aaron, Windsor Castle, National Art Gallery, Big Ben and Westminster Palace

London Day 2, Windsor Castle, National Art Gallery, Big Ben and Westminster Palace, Night at the Thames River

~ Aaron

Guard at Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

National Art Gallery standing tall at Trafalgar Square

Big Ben

London Eye over Thames River

Big Ben and Westminster Palace

Sunset over Big Ben

Night at Westminster Palace

London Eye at night

I had a wonderful time visiting all the different parts of Windsor Castle and the National Art Gallery. The State Apartments and the Queen Mary’s Doll House were both very beautiful. The guard changing ceremony was a very famous event and attracted many visitors. St. George's Chapel is splendorous and is the burial place of 10 monarchs including Henry VIII and Charles I. These awesome places were all part of Windsor Castle. We also visited the National Art Gallery, which is full of many pretty paintings. The Big Ben, Westminster Palace, night at the Thames river, and the London Eye were all very majestic. This was a fun day.

Picture of Queen Elizabeth II and her great grandchildren

at the entrance to Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

St. George's Chapel

Windsor Castle

St George's Chapel

At the gate of

St George's Chapel

Windsor Castle

St George's Chapel

Different angle to view

Queen Mary's Doll house

Different angle to view

Queen Mary's Doll house

Different angle to view

Queen Mary's Doll house

Different angle to view

Queen Mary's Doll house

Chinaware at State Room

Windsor Castle

State Room

Windsor Castle

State Room

Windsor Castle

Daggers and guns decorating a wall

State Room, Windsor Castle

Queen Mary's Doll House

The original castle was built in the 11th century after the invasion of England by William the Conqueror. The State Apartments of the Windsor Castle can be viewed with the Queen Mary’s Doll House. Queen Mary’s cousin knew Queen Mary loved collecting small things. She decided to give her a mini sized house as a gift. Everything was to scale, and it was considered very modern for the time. It was finished in 1924. The State Apartments are full of much beautiful artwork, chinaware, and fabulous designs made of daggers and guns on the walls. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed to be taken inside the Apartments, so you can only go there to see its beauty.

Guard changing ceremony

At where the guard changing ceremony takes place

Guard changing ceremony

Rush to see the changing guard ceremony

Windsor Castle

Changing guard ceremony with band

Windsor Castle

Changing guard ceremony with band

Windsor Castle

The guard changing ceremony at the Windsor Castle was full of many delightful-sounding instruments and marching soldiers. The guards marched around while the ceremony was taking place. A band dressed in guard uniforms were playing songs while the guards marched. It was very hard to see through the crowd of people. After the guard ceremony ended, new guards had taken their place in front of the gate of the castle.

Waterloo Bridge
crossing the Thames River

London Bridge over Thames River

London Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, and Thames River

National Art Gallery

Equestrian Portrait of Charles I

1637-8

by Anthony van Dyck

National Art Gallery

Glass dome, National Art Gallery

Solome receives the Head of John the Baptist 1609-10

Michelangelo

National Art Gallery

The Water-Lily Pond 1899

Claude Monet

National Art Gallery

Sunflowers 1888

Vincent Van Gogh

National Art Gallery

Two crabs 1889

Vincent van Gogh

National Art Gallery

Farm near Auvers 1890

Vincent Van Gogh

National Art Gallery

The exit hallway

National Art Gallery

Many excellent art galleries are in the National Gallery. There are a few famous Van Gogh paintings on display, and a Monet painting (The Water-Lily Pond, a painting of a garden at his home) in a nearby gallery. Close by is a gallery with a few Leonardo da Vinci paintings. A portrait of King Charles I is displayed in the gallery, too. Paintings of ships, horses, people, and bathers are located inside. It only displays just a few of the many works of art in the National Gallery.

Nelson's Column standing tall at Trafalgar Square

The bronze lion at Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square and the Nelson's Column

Trafalgar Square and

the Nelson's Column

Trafalgar Square and the Nelson's Column

Trafalgar Square and

the Nelson's Column

Trafalgar Square and the Nelson's Column

Nelson's Column at

Trafalgar Square

Nelson's Column at

Trafalgar Square

The iconic lion at Trafalgar Square

An iconic lion at Trafalgar Square

The famous statues of four lions in Trafalgar Square, surrounding Nelson's Column, are commonly known as the ‘Landseer Lions’ after the artist who created them. It had not been intended that Landseer would sculpt the lions – the commission had gone first to the sculptor Thomas Milnes, and he had made a set of four stone lions for the site. However, these were judged not impressive enough for the Nelson memorial. So Edwin Landseer, a famous painter known above all for his dogs and horses, was asked to design the lions in 1858. It was 1866 that the first of the four lions was finally completed, and they were completely placed by 1867, almost a decade after Landseer had been awarded the commission. The Trafalgar Square lions have become among the most popular of London’s statues, and are constantly climbed on by all kinds of people, including me! Trafalgar Square is named after the Battle of Trafalgar, where a very famous British naval leader died (Lord Admiral Nelson).

Walking towards Big Ben

from Trafalgar Square

See Big Ben behind us?

Trafalgar Square

10 Downing Street
White Hall

Government building3

Parliament building

viewed from a far distance

Big Ben and Parliament

Government building

Statue of Churchill

beside Westminster Abby

Statue of Churchill

beside Westminster Abby

Big Ben and Parliament

Parliament

Big Ben

Sunset over London Eye

London Eye

London Eye close up

4D movie at London Eye

Walking from Trafalgar Square towards Big Ben, we passed 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives. We also saw the Big Ben, London Eye, and the Westminster Palace, or the Parliament. The Big Ben and the Westminster Palace are connected. The Big Ben is a very tall clock, and the Westminster Palace is where Parliament is housed. Every 15 minutes, Big Ben makes a gonging sound. Right across the river, the London Eye is a large Ferris wheel that gives people who ride on it a panoramic view of London.

Big Ben gonging at 7pm

Night at the Thames River

Thames River view

I had an amazing time at this 2nd day in London. All the different parts of Windsor Castle attracted me, especially the State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Doll House, St. George's Chapel, and the guard changing ceremony. Windsor Castle is sometimes visited by the royal family of England, which may explain why it’s so well-kept. The National Gallery keeps many elegant paintings inside, and is opening another gallery to display more artwork. I loved all the glamorous things. The view of the Thames River at night, the Big Ben, and the London Eye were all very attractive.