Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's Soverigns since 1837. It evolved from a town house that was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of Buckingham. Today it is the Queen's official residence.

The Houses of Parliament, otherwise known as The Palace of Westminster, stands on the site where Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the first half of the eleventh century. Parliament is open to all members of the UK public and overseas visitors. You can watch laws being made, attend debates and committees, tour the buildings, or climb the Clock Tower.

The abbey was started in about 1045 by King Edward I, who consolidated Norman influences and the English kingdom. The abbey continues as an active site of worship today. A major landmark in London, and the site of coronation for the English monarchy.

St James's Park, and the undefined Green Park lying to the East of Buckingham Palace, were acquired by King Henry VIII at the same time as Hyde Park. Just across from St James's lie the Victoria Tower Gardens, which are also in the care of the Royal Parks Agency. Against the splendid backdrop of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, these small gardens overlook the River Thames