London’s famous landmarks

London has so many famous landmarks that we’ve struggled to pick the best. Here is a list of our favourite historical buildings and monuments. These landmarks are a must-see for any visitor to the city.

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Big Ben
Everyone visiting London checks their watch against Big Ben – London’s famous clock face.

> Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the residence of Her Majesty the Queen. Watch the Changing of the Guard.

Cleopatra’s Needle
Cleopatra’s Needle was carved for Pharaoh Tuthmose III. It stands on the Victoria Embankment.

Downing Street
Number 10 Downing Street has been the traditional residence of the Prime Minister since 1731.

Eros Statue
The bright lights of Piccadilly Circus and the statue of Eros have become London landmarks.

> Horse Guards Parade
Horse Guards Parade is home to members of the Household Cavalry, and the Trooping of the Colour.

> Houses of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament, or the ‘Palace of Westminster’, is home to the British Government.

> Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace has been used by British royalty for centuries, and was home to Princess Di.

London Eye
The British Airways London Eye – or ‘Millennium Wheel’ – is the largest ferris wheel in the world.

> Mansion House
Mansion House is in the heart of the City, and is the official home of the Lord Mayor of London.

Marble Arch
Marble Arch was originally part of Buckingham Palace, before being moved to Hyde Park Corner.

Monument
The Monument remembers the deaths and damage caused by the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Nelson’s Column
Nelson’s Column is topped by a statue 17-feet tall – slightly taller than three Lord Nelsons.

> O2 Arena (Millennium Dome)
The largest single-roofed building in the world – tall enough to accommodate Nelson’s Column.

Piccadilly Circus
The bright lights of Piccadilly Circus and the statue of Eros have become London landmarks.

> Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall, famous for the Proms, was built to commemorate the death of Prince Albert.

> Royal Courts of Justice
The Royal Courts of Justice down the Strand try the country’s most high-profile civil cases.

> Royal Observatory
The Old Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, marks the point where Greenwich Mean Time began.

> St. James’s Palace
St. James’s was built by Henry VIII, and has been home to some of England’s finest monarchs.

> St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral, built after the Great Fire in 1666, boasts the second largest dome in Europe.

> Temple Church
Temple Church was founded by the Knights Templar, and based upon the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

> Thames Flood Barrier
The Thames Flood Barrier near Woolwich protects the City of London from the rising tide of the Thames.

> Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge’s mock-medieval turrets have been a landmark for just over a hundred years.

> Tower of London
Built by William the Conqueror, the Tower of London has the Bloody Tower and Traitor’s Gate.

Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square has Nelson’s Column, Admiralty Arch, and the world famous National Gallery.

> Wellington Arch
Wellington Arch was built to celebrate the Duke of Wellington’s victories in the Napoleonic Wars.

> Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, burial place to England’s kings and queens, spans 1,000 years of history.

Here is a selection of videos showing London’s most famous landmarks. You can watch all of our videos by visiting London Drum’s YouTube channel, which is updated with new videos every few weeks. See London without leaving your seat!