A G: London Day 4 by Gordon, St. Paul Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Royal Mews, Churchill War Rooms ,Kensington Palace, Platform 9 3/4

London Day 4, St. Paul Cathedral 圣保罗大教堂, Westminster Abbey 西敏寺, Royal Mews 皇家马厩, Churchill War Rooms 丘吉尔战争室, Hyde Park, Platform 9 3/4

~ Gordon

At the entrance, St Paul Cathedral

Entrance, Westminster Abbey

Exit, Westminster Abbey

Royal Mews

Churchill War Rooms

Platform 9 3/4, King Cross Train Station

London Day 4 was really fascinating with churches, museum and royal gardens. As a Harry Potter fan, I had a lot of fun with platform 9 3/4, King Cross Train Station. I learned a lot about churches, like the churches can be in any way the designer want it to be. It was all just super epic on one of the 6 best days in London.

On the way to

St Paul Cathedral

Dome of

St Paul Cathedral

Side of

St Paul Cathedral

At the entrance of St Paul Cathedral

Hallway, St Paul Cathedral

2nd gallery of St Paul Cathedral

Viewing London city

from 2nd gallery of St Paul Cathedral

Continued climbing towards

Golden Gallery, the DOME

a glass floor to see

the church ground floor

Beautiful view from Golden Gallery

Left: Millennium Bridge; Right: London Bridge

Beautiful view

from Golden Gallery

St Paul Cathedral Golden Gallery

At the bus stop

outside of St Paul Cathedral

Built in 604, St. Paul's Cathedral was really beautiful. Originally, the famous dome was not there at the cathedral. It was like the Tower of London, both have pointy tip. Also St Paul's Cathedral was not the shape of a cross initially. However, the original was ruined by the Great Fire of London in 1666 . It was described that lead was pouring down the streets, and bricks were flying like grenades being thrown.

A model of medieval St Paul's Cathedral in 604

Museum of London

See the pointy tip, now changed to a dome

The cross design

of Sir

Christopher Wren

Dome added to the

rebuilding of

St Pauls's Cathedral by

Sir Christopher Wren

Later, Sir Christopher Wren founded the rebuilding of St. Paul's Cathedral. It was finished rebuilding in 1675, with the dome. If you are wondering who Sir Christopher Wren is, he was one of the most highly respected architects in that time. His most famous work was here in St. Paul's Cathedral, although he worked in 52 different churches.

The whole view of St. Paul's Cathedral

8 painting on 8 equal arches on

the dome of St Paul's Cathedral

A painting of the dome

St Paul Cathedral

The over 1600 years old St. Paul's Cathedral is open for the world. Its golden gallery view to the whole city was beautiful. The interior design of the dome holds 8 equal arches and contains 8 painting. The painting is about the story of St Paul and how he changed his belief to Christian at that time. The engraving of Thornhill's painting were published in 1720. When you step out of the cathedral, you are lucky, you can hear the bell tower.

St Paul Cathedral bell ringing

There is also a crypt in St. Paul's Cathedral which buried many important people. The Duke of Wellington and Admiral Lord Nelson and others British famous people were buried in here. The Duke of Wellington and Admiral Lord Nelson were both in fancy tombs, and Florence Nightingale had a stone with her name on it.

A Churchill statue beside

Westminster Abbey

St Margaret Church beside

Westminster Abbey

Entrance, Westminster Abbey

Gate at the entrance, Westminster Abbey

Hallway, Westminster Abbey

Renovation is on going

viewing from the garden of

Westminster Abbey

Exit, Westminster Abbey

British oldest door

most likely constructed in 1050 for

St Edward, the Confessor

Westminster Abbey

A door, Westminster Abbey

Garden of Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey was built in 1065 when St. Edward the Confessor founded the abbey. However, this is not the end. The construction of the church was made several times during a thousand years of period. Many kings buried in here as it serves as a burial site for England, and later British Monarchs. Not all kings were buried here though, but St. Edward the Confessor was buried here was because he was a Saint. The project to make Henry the III, who was a king, a saint failed, so he was buried in another honorable place. But there were a lot more than just 2 kings. It buried the most famous people of British, mathematician, astronomer, and physicist Isaac Newton; naturalist, geologist and biologist Charles Darwin; poet and playwright Shakespeare; writer Charles Dickens; composer George Frederic Handel. Why not come on over, and find your own favorite famous person here. Over thousands of years in history, the abbey hosted 16 royal weddings. If you are lucky enough, on your way out, you may find the Britain's oldest door!

Royal Mews, housing royal horses, coaches, and livery

A guard at Royal Mews

Did you ever like the play called the nutcracker? If you did, then the Royal Mews is probably your place, with guards like the toys almost everywhere. There is a dismounting ceremony, as they get off the horse. The guards are interesting on the way, because they hit the horses.

Royal Mews dismounting ceremony at 4pm (full version)

home to royal horses, coaches and livery

At the entrance to Churchill War Rooms
a secrete underground command center
in World War II

Churchill picture

The Cabinet War Rooms

A meeting room

Temporary shelter

Signs

Army uniform

Churchill souvenirs

Room 10
“I felt as if I were walking with destiny,
and that all my past life had been
but a preparation for this hour and for this trial...
I thought I knew a good deal about it all,
I was sure I should not fail.”
― Winston S. Churchill, The Second World War

Walkway
Churchill War Rooms

Military advisor's bedroom

Chiefs of staff
conference room

BBC broadcasting
equipment room

Map

Map room

Churchill's bedroom

Map room

Entrance

Churchill War Rooms

British government

buildings above the

ground of

Churchill War Rooms

Construction of the Churchill War Rooms, located beneath the government buildings near Westminster, began in 1938. The workers became ready in 1939, close to when Europe started the Second World War. Do you know why the war rooms are underground? Many people died throughout the bombing raids. The slab protected this command center from bombing, even though a direct hit would have shatter. The commanders remained in there throughout the Second World War. The map room was very cool, as it was very large. Can you believe Churchill only slept in his bedroom for 3 times? This is because he preferred better plumbing!

Tulips blossom

royal garden of St James Park

Tulips blossom, royal garden of St James Park

Tulips blossom

royal garden of St James Park

Tulips blossom, royal garden of St James Park

royal garden of St James Park

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace and

Victoria Memorial

Hyde Park

Kensington Palace and a statue of Queen Victoria in front

Kensington garden

After finishing the church and the museum, we start walking along the parks and gardens. St. James Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Garden were beautiful. The royal garden at St. James park is big and have awesome flowers. Tulips attract the most tourists. The park was close to the Buckingham Palace. Hyde Park has the Wellington Arch. Kensington Garden and Kensington Palace both have statues of Queen Victoria and her husband. Queen Victoria was a British queen in the 1800s. Her time is well known as the Victorian era, marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. It was a period of industrial and scientific fast development within the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria spent her childhood here at the Kensington Palace. And it is still housing the royal family. The royal couple with their son, Prince George of Cambridge, and Prince Harry lives in the apartments.

Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4

All of those Harry Potter fans, King Cross Station is your place. With the 9 3/4 platform, you can have a wand and a few suitcases, and put them into the cart. There is a choice between a Gryffindor or Slytherin scarf. You can now jump at the wall, while holding the cart, but you won't make it to Hogwarts.

Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4

London Day 4 is really exciting after all. As we had a lot of fun with the train station, walked along the famous churches. Churches can be in any shape the founders want it to be. Both St Paul Cathedral and Westminster Abbey are in the cross shape. The enormous stone carvings, bright stained glass windows, beautiful wall paintings, lighted candles surround the churches. Learning about Churchill and Churchill War Rooms during the Second World War is educational. It was all just super cool to be here on one of the 6 best days in London.