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 Whatever
you're interested in, you'll find something fun and fascinating to do in London
town. Tour the studios of the world famous BBC Television Centre, come face to
face with sharks, ride the world's highest observation wheel or even face the
torture chambers in London's most notorious dungeons... From art galleries to
waxworks and opera, we've reviewed the most popular attractions in the capital
to ensure you get the most out of your stay. Enjoy!
  BBC
Television Centre
Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the world famous BBC Television Centre.
Experience the excitement and thrill of a working TV centre where you could see
the News Centre, production galleries, studios or even the odd star! Every tour
is different, depending on filming that day, so you never know where it could
take you! Visitors must be 14 years or over.
Pre-booking is essential. Call 0870 603 0304 or +44 2890 535 904 from outside
the UK.
Entrance: Adults £7.95, Snr Citizens: £6.95, Students: £5.95 and Children
£5.95
Tube/Rail: White City Tube
 BFI
London Imax Cinema
At the new BFI London IMAX Cinema you can be transported from the depths of the
ocean to the far reaches of outer space, via 3D and 2D films.
For times and booking: 020 7902 1234
Open daily, admission charge.
Tube: Waterloo.
 Buckingham
Palace
Buckingham Palace is open to the public from 12 August until 29 September 2002.
This is the official London residence of the Queen and you can visit the
magnificent State Rooms, where over the centuries, the wealthy and the powerful
have walked. Open daily in summer.
To book tickets call 020 7321 2233
Entrance: is £11.50 for adults and £6.00 for children.
Tube: Victoria or Green Park.
  
 Tour Eiffel
 Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris
Bir Hakeim
Champ de Mars
42, 69, 72, 82, 87
 Practical Information
A Bit of History
The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition
of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The
Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700
proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel's was unanimously
chosen.
However it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition
of 300 names - including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier
(architect of the Opéra Garnier),
and Dumas the Younger - protested its construction.
At 300 metres (320.75m including antenna), and 7000 tons, it
was the world's tallest building until 1930. Other statistics include:
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2.5 million rivets.
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300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.
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Sway of at most 12 cm in high winds.
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Height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature.
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15,000 iron pieces (excluding rivets).
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40 tons of paint.
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1652 steps to the top.
It was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because of its
antenna - used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of
the International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television
(since 1957) have also made use of its stature.
During its lifetime, the Eiffel Tower has also witnessed a
few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and
parachuted off of in 1984 by two Englishmen. In 1923 a journalist rode a bicycle
down from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs, other
accounts suggest the exterior of one of the tower's four legs which slope
outward.
However, if its birth was difficult, it is now completely
accepted and must be listed as one of the symbols of Paris itself.
 Ecole-Militaire seen through the base of the
tower.
Notes
The tower has three platforms. A restaurant (extremely
expensive; reservations absolutely necessary), the Jules Verne
is on the second platform. The top platform has a bar, souvenir shop, and the
(recently restored) office of Gustave Eiffel.
From its platforms - especially the topmost - the view upon
Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the
panorama is at its best.
A Short History of The Louvre - The Museum
The Salon Carré - canvas, 1861, Castiglione.
The library of Charles V - installed in one of the towers of
the original fortress of Philippe August - was eventually dispersed. François I
began a new collection of art with 12 paintings from Italy. These included works
by Titian, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci, the most famous being the
Joconde - or Mona Lisa. The royal collection grew and by the reign of
Louis XIII, numbered roughly 200 pieces. Henri II, and Catherine de Médicis
continued to enlarge the collection, as did others. When Louis XIV died in 1715,
there were 2,500 pieces of art and objects.
Until the Revolution, this collection was strictly for the
private pleasure of the Court. Finally, the idea of a museum (originating with
Louis XVI) was realized on 10 August 1793, when the Musée de la République
opened to the public.
Napoléon greatly increased the collections by exacting
tribute from the countries he conquored, but most of these were returned in 1815
after his defeat at Waterloo. Under Louis XVIII the Venus de Milo was aquired
(for 6000F) shortly after it was rediscovered on the Island of Melos in 1820.
In 1848 the museum became the property of the State. With an
annual budget devoted to aquiring new art, the collections continued to grow.
Private donations also augmented the Museum's holdings.
In 1947 the impressionist paintings were moved to the Jeu de
Paume and l'Orangerie. (In 1986
these were transfered to the Musée
d'Orsay.)
Today, the catalogue lists nearly 300,000 works, only a
fraction of which are on display at any one time. Le Grand Louvre - begun in
1981 is transforming the museum once again enlarging it substantially. The
Richelieu Wing - which had ``temporarily'' housed part of the Ministry of
Finance since the 18th century - was opened in 1993.
 The Richelieu Wing of the Louvre opened in November
of 1993
In the coming years the organization of the museum and how
the collections are displayed will be changed signficantly. However, Le Grand
Louvre promises to put more works on display than ever before.
The
Palace of Versailles
A half
hour outside of Paris, the Palace of Versailles is one of the world's grandest
historical museums.
Versailles Quick Facts
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In
1624, Louis XIII, the king of France, began the building of a hunting lodge in
the small village of Versailles
- There are
18,000 square meters of history in the Palace of Versailles
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Versailles is half an hour by rail from the Gare St. Lazarre station in Paris
The Palace
of Versailles began as a modest hunting lodge. Well, as modest a lodge as one
could expect from a French King. Then Louis XIV enlarged and enrobed the old
lodge, turning it into the great Chateau we know today. In 1837, Louis-Philippe
converted the whole deal to a museum of French History in what may have been the
historic starting point for the development of mass tourism.
 Arc de Triomphe
Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008
Paris
Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
73
Practical Information
Nota Bene: The Arch is most easily (and safely) reached by tunnel from
the north side of the Champs Elysées.
 31F (adult) to visit the top.
History
Commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon, shortly after his victory
at Austerlitz, it was not finished until 1836. There are four huge relief
sculptures at the bases of the four pillars. These commemorate The Triumph
of 1810 (Cortot); Resistance , and Peace (both
by Etex); and The Departure of the Volunteers, more commonly known
by the name La Marseillaise (Rude).
La Marseillaise by François Rude; One of four reliefs
on the pillars of the Arch. The day the Battle of Verdun started in 1916, the
sword carried by the figure representing the Republic broke off. The relief was
immediately hidden to conceal the accident and avoid any undesired associations
or interpretations as a bad omen.
Engraved around the top of the Arch are the names of major
victories won during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. The names of less
important victories, as well as those of 558 generals, are to found on the
inside walls. Generals whose names are underlined died in action.
Beneath the Arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and
eternal flame commemorating the dead of the two world wars.
 The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Here every Armistice Day (11 November) the President of the
Republic lays a wreath. On 14 July - the French National Day (refered to as
Bastille Day everywhere except in France) - a military parade down the Champs
Elysées begins here. For important occasions of state, and national holidays, a
huge French tricolor is unfurled and hung from the vaulted ceiling inside of the
Arch.
Notes
Inside the Arch there is a small museum documenting its
history and construction (price included in the FF31 to the top of the Arch).
From the roof of the Arch there are spectacular views of
Paris. Looking eastwards, down the Champs Elysées, toward the
Louvre, there is the
Place de la Concorde,, the
Tuileries Gardens, and the
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. In the opposite direction - westwards - in the
distance is its larger and newer cousin,
La Grande Arche de la Défense.
View from the roof of the Arc de Triomphe toward the
Eiffel Tower and Tour
Montparnasse.
 Notre Dame
Place du parvis de Notre Dame , 75004 Paris
Cité
Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint Michel-Notre Dame
21, 24, 27, 38, 47, 85, 96
Practical Information
A Bit of History
Proceeded by a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian
basilica, and a Romanesque church, construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in
1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the foundation
stone. The idea to replace the Romanesque church occupying the site - the
Cathedral of St. Etienne (founded by Childebert in 528) - was that of Bishop
Maurice de Sully (who died in 1196). (Some accounts claim that there were two
churches existing on the site, one to the Virgin Mary, the other to St.
Stephen.) Construction was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345.
The choir was completed in 1182; the nave in 1208, and the
west front and towers circa 1225-1250. A series of chapels were added to
the nave during the period 1235-50, and during 1296-1330 to the apse (Pierre de
Chelles and Jean Ravy). The transept crossings were build in 1250-67 by Jean de
Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil (also the architect of the Sainte-Chapelle). It
was essentially completed according to the original plans.
 Detail of Notre Dame from the
Ile
de la Cité portion of the map of Turgot 1739.
The reigns of Louis XIV (end of the 17th century) and Louis
XV saw significant alterations including the destruction of tombs, and stained
glass. At the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution, many of the
treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. Only the great
bells avoided being melted down, and the Cathedral was dedicated first to the
cult of Reason, and to the cult of the Supreme being. The church interior was
used as a warehouse for the storage of forage and food.
After falling into disrepair, a restoration program overseen
by Lassus (died 1857) and Viollet-le-Duc, was carried out in 1845. This program
lasted 23 years, and included the construction of the spire (see image) and the
sacristy.
During the Commune of 1871, the Cathedral was nearly burned
by the Communards - and some accounts suggest that indeed a huge mound of chairs
was set on fire in its interior. Whatever happened, the Notre Dame
survived the Commune essentially unscathed.
Now in 1991, a 10 year program of general maintenance and
restoration has begun, and sections of the structure are likely to be shrouded
in scaffolds for the foreseeable future.
During its history, Notre Dame has been the site of numerous
official and other ceremonial occasions. These include:
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1239; The Crown of Thorns placed in the Cathedral by St.
Louis during the construction of Sainte-Chapelle.
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1302; Philip the Fair opens the first States General here.
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1430; Henri VI of England is crowned here.
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Mary Stuart becomes Queen of France after her marriage to
François II, and is crowned here.
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1572; Marguerite of Valoi is married to the Huguenot Henri
of Navarre here.
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2 December 1804; After the anointing by Pius VII, Napoléon
seizes the crown from the pontiff and crowns first himself, then Josephine.
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26 August 1944; The Te Deum Mass celebrates the liberation
of Paris. (According to some accounts the Mass was interrupted by snipping
from both the internal and external galleries.)
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12 November 1970; The Requiem Mass of General de Gaulle is
held here.
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31 May 1980; After the Magnificat of this day, Pope John
Paul II celebrates Mass on the parvis in front of the Cathedral.
ROME: the ideal tour starts from the historical centre of the city moving by
feet. In XX Semptember Street there are the architectural baroque jewels: St.
Carlo( made by Barrini) and St Andrea churches; following the fountain of
Trevi(masterpiece of Niccolò Salvi), the fountain Barcaccia at the foot of
Trinità dei Monti. The St Pietro and Martina's church( made by Pietro cortona)
dominates the roman Forum. On Vittorio Emanuele course, rises"St Andrea della
Valle" church, one of the most magnificent churches in Rome; it was built from
1591 and 1655, and many romans artists worked on it. The Dom was made by
Maderno; the frescos are of Lanfranco, Domenichino, Preti. On Via del Corso we
find the church of "St Carlo al Corso", caracterised by the great dome of
Pietro da Cortona. In the magnificent P.zza Del Popolo, appear the twins
churches of "St Maria dei Miracoli" and "St Maria di Montesanto" ended by
Bernini and Fontana. In the garden of the "Palace della sapienza"(Corso del
rinascimento) there is the seat of the University and St Ivo church, designed
by Borrromini(1642-1660).
Near P.zza Navona we advice you to visit St Agnese church, built where
,according to the tradition , the young girl was exposed nak to the public and
by a miracle covered by her long hair.Opposite to the church there is "Fontana
Dei Fiumi"planed by Bernibi; the four statues are an allegory of the most
importatnt rivers known at the time: The Danube, Ganges, Nile and Amazon.
Along Corso Vitttorio Emanuele there is also "St Maria in Vallicella Church",
beside the magnificent face of the Filippin's oratory (realised by Borrini in
1640).Crossed the Tevere we arrived at "St Pietro", the biggest church of the
cristianity. Inside, the baroque's mark is clear, thank to the precious
baldachin, made by Bernini, who realised "St Pietro Cathedral": a bronzy
contenitor of he real Apostle's Cathedral relics.
 TURIN
: Our visit to Baroque could star from P.zza Castello, heart of urbanistic
realizations made in '600. Palazzo Madama rises in the center of the square;
its splendid face was realised by F. Juvarra. The palace is seat of the Civic
Museum of ancient art.The bottom side of the square is hold by Palazzo reale
built between 1646 and 1660. Inside the Dom is set the well-known "Chapel of
Holy Sindom" built by Guarini. In the Chapel is kept the lax sheet that rolled
up Jesus Christ's body at tha burial's moment. In Castello square thereis also
the St Lorenzo church that reveals the masterpiece of Baroque genius: Mr
Guarini. Among the
pieces of work contained in the church there are: a sculpture representing the
pity of Giovanni Tamone and the crucifixion of Andrea Pozzo. We advice you
also to visit :" Corpus Domini" church,the palace of the city, seat of the
Comun the Chapel of Merchants and Bankers's congregation, the church of
Visitation, the notorious "Santuario della Consolata", "Carmine's church" and
"St Teresa's church". St Carlo's square is the best conceived and realised
surrounding in the city.It's delimited from palaces with portics: in this
square are set also two baroque churches: St Cristina and St Carlo. We advice
you also to visit the college of Nobles, that became seat of the big
piemontese cultural institute; The sciences's Academic . Nowaday it gives
hospitality to Egiptian Museum and to the Gallery of the House of Savoy,
Palazzo Carignabo seat of the National Museum of the italian Renaissance.
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