St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral has always dominated the centre of London. It stands on the site of former Saxon and Norman churches. The latter were de­stroyed in the Great Fire and the present building, completed in 1710, is the work of the eminent ar­chitect Sir Christopher Wren. It is an architectural masterpiece.

Londoners have a particular affection for St. Paul's, which is the largest Protestant Church in England. Its high dome, containing the remarkable Whispering Gallery, is a prominent landmark tow­ering above the multi-storeyed buildings which line the river-bank.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is the natural centre of London. The square was so named to commemorate Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and the monument in the centre, known as Nelson's Column, is surmounted with a Statue of Nelson 16 feet high. The pedestal of the Column is deco­rated with bas-reliefs ['baesnl:f] representing Nel­son's most familiar victories. At the base of Nelson's Column are four lions.

The square has now become a huge traffic is­land, the statues and fountains have enlivened the space so that it remains a place of pilgrimage for visitors. When the square is not used for demonstra­tions, it is full of visitors feeding the pigeons or watching the traffic.

On the north side of the square are the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. The Na­tional Gallery has an outstanding varied collection of paintings from British, Italian, Spanish, French, Dutch and other famous schools. It is an interna­tional, rather than, as it is named, a National Gallery.

The Tower of London

The River is the main approach to London from the east. 1000 years ago William the Conqueror de­cided to build a strong fortress to protect the City of London, which he had just conquered.

The Tower of London was one of the first and most impressive castles after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Since the times of William I various kings have built and extended the Tower of London and used it for many purposes. The Tower has been used as a royal palace, an observatory, an arsenal, a state prison, and many famous and infamous people have been executed within its walls. It is now a museum. For many visitors the principal attraction is the Crown jewels, the finest precious stones of the nation. A fine collection of armor is exhibited in the Keep.

The security of the Tower is ensured by a mili­tary garrison and by the Yeoman Warders or "Beefeaters" who still wear their picturesque Tudor uniform.

3. Name the most impressive places of interest in London.

4.Say what they are noted for. Say what makes London one of the world's most enjoyable cities.

5.Work in groups.

A Guide to Your City

1. Discuss the idea of producing an interesting guide-book or a booklet about your city. Comment on existing city guides and discuss how they might be improved for young visitors.

2. Suggest the contents of the guide. What sections should be included? Think of headings for the sections in your guide.

3. Discuss the guide format.

4. Divide tasks of writing texts; finding suitable visual materials; illustrating the guide with photographs, pictures and sketches; taking pictures, drawing maps and charts; selecting the material collected; making a design, etc. amongst the class (groups).

5. Make written notes of all plans and decisions.

6. Display all material collected in the classroom. Discuss it and select the most useful and interesting material.

Combine the work of all students to produce a guide.