TOWER BRIDGE, LONDON

LOCATION : Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London. The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales, and his wife, The Princess of Wale^s.

DESCRIPTION : The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers.

 

The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. The bridge's present   silver jubilee. The nearest London Underground Station  is Tower Hill on the Circle and District Lines. colour scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for Queen Elizabeth II's

 

 

Tower Bridge is still a busy and vital crossing of the Thames: it is crossed by over 40,000 people (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) every day. The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road and is on the eastern boundary of the London congestion charge zone. Tower Bridge opening at night for a ferry.

To maintain the integrity of the structure, the City of London Corporation has imposed a 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) speed restriction, and an 18 tonne weight limit on vehicles using the bridge. A camera system measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, utilising a number plate recognition system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers.

 

LONDON EYE, LONDON

LOCATION : The London Eye is a giant Ferris Wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames  in  London. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, its official name was originally the British Airways London Eye, then the Merlin Entertainment London Eye, and since January 2011, the EDF energy London Eye.

 

 

DESCRIPTION: The London Eye was formally opened by then Prime Minister, Tony Blair on 31 December 1999, although it was not opened to the public until 9 March 2000 because of technical problems.On 5 June 2008 it was announced that 30 million people had ridden the London Eye since it opened

The entire structure is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft). It is currently Europe's tallest Ferris wheel,the most popular paid tourist attraction in United Kingdom with over 3.5 million visitors annually,and has made many appearances in popular culture.

 The wheel's 32 sealed and air-conditioned ovoidal passenger capsules, designed and supplied by Poma, are attached to the external circumference of the wheel and rotated by electric motors. Each of the 10-tonne (11-short-ton) capsules represents one of the London Boroughs, and holds up to 25 people, who are free to walk around inside the capsule, though seating is provided.

The wheel rotates at 26 cm (10 in) per second (about 0.9 km/h or 0.6 mph) so that one revolution takes about 30 minutes. It does not usually stop to take on passengers; the rotation rate is slow enough to allow passengers to walk on and off the moving capsules at ground level^. It is, however, stopped to allow disabled or elderly passengers time to embark and disembark safely.

 

  

 

ROME, ITALY

LOCATION : Rome is the capital of Italy and also of the province of Rome and of the region of Lazio. With 2.7 million residents in 1,285.3 km² (496.3 sq mi), it is also the country's largest and most populated comune and fourth-most populous city  in the European Union by population within city limits.  The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsular, on the Tiber within Lazio (Latium). The Vatican City is an independent country within the city boundaries of Rome, the only example of a country within a city existing.

 
 DESCRIPTION : Rome today is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, due to the incalculable immensity of its archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for the charm of its unique traditions, the beauty of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its magnificent "villas" (parks).

In its original incarnation, the Colosseum—known as the Amphitheatrum Flavium in ancient Rome—could accommodate 50,000 people. It was used to hold various public entertainment shows, from gladiatorial combats to animal hunts and mythological plays. The remains of the Colosseum are among the most popular of the Rome Italy attraction

 Located in the Piazza della Rotonda, this ancient Roman temple is dedicated to the pantheon of Roman gods and goddesses. In the Middle Ages it was converted to a church, and since the Renaissance it has also functioned as a tomb; the famous Renaissance painter Raphael is buried here. The Pantheon is still used as a church today, and Masses and weddings are common occurrences. A visit to the Pantheon should be high on any traveler's list of the top ten things to do in Rome.

Lying between the Capitoline and Palatine Hills, the Forum includes many of the oldest surviving structures from ancient Rome. Among other things, there are about nine temples, four arches, and the Tabularium, which was the house of official records stored in ancient Rome. Exploring the Forum on foot with the help of an audio guide is one of the best things to do in Rome for visitors interested in history and archaeology.

 Located within the Vatican, this chapel is renowned for its association with the most famous renaissance painters—Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, and Bernini were all involved in decorating the church. A visit to the Sistine Chapel is a must among the many things to do in Rome even if it’s only to see the exquisitely painted ceiling. The ceiling took Michelangelo four years to complete, and frescoes by Raphael and Botticelli also cover the chapel’s walls.

VENICE, ITALY

LOCATION :  Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. It is located in the marshy Venetian Lagoon which stretches along the shoreline, between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Venice is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks.The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site,along with its lagoon.

 
DESCRIPTION : The buildings of Venice are constructed on closely spaced wooden piles. Most of these piles are still intact after centuries of submersion. The foundations rest on the piles, and buildings of brick or stone sit above these footings. The piles penetrate a softer layer of sand and mud until they reach a much harder layer of compressed clay.

 Venice is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world for its celebrated art and architecture.The city has an average of 50,000 tourists a day (2007 estimate). In 2006, it was the world's 28th most internationally visited city, with 2.927 million international arrivals that year. It is regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities.

 Tourism has been a major sector of Venetian industry since the 18th century, when it was a major center for the Grand Tour with its beautiful cityscape, uniqueness, and rich musical and artistic cultural heritage. In the 19th century, it became a fashionable centre for the rich and famous, often staying or dining at luxury establishments such as the Danieli Hotel and the Caffe' Florian. It continued being a fashionable city in vogue right into the early 20th century.

In the 1980s, the Carnival of Venice was revived and the city has become a major centre of international conferences and festivals which attract visitors from all over the world for their theatrical, cultural, cinematic, artistic, and musical productions

THE LOUVRE, PARIS

LOCATION : The Louvre or Louvre Museum (FRENCH: Musée du Louvre,) is one of the world's largest Museums and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, France, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1 st arrondissement (district). Topping the list of the world’s most visited museums, the Louvre Museum is located in the Louvre Palace with its signature glass pyramid marking its entrance

DESCRIPTION : The museum opened on 10 August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings, the majority of the works being royal and confiscated church property. Because of structural problems with the building, the museum was closed in 1796 until 1801.

 

The collection was increased under Napoleon and the museum renamed the Musée Napoléon. After the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, many works seized by his armies were returned to their original owners. The collection was further increased during the reigns of Louis XV111 and Charles X, and during the Second French Empire the museum gained 20,000 pieces.

 

Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres (652,300 square feet). With more than 9.7 million visitors each year, the Louvre is the world's most visited museum.

 

Housing a collection of more than 1 million objects, the Louvre boasts some of the world’s most famous art works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Michelangelo’s “Dying Slave” and the Greek statue, “Venus of Milo.” 

 

All the pictures above are the decorations and gallery of pictures onside the museum. As of 2008, the collection is divided among eight curatorial department :  Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings.